Karin Smyth MP pictured during a visit to Bedminster Pharmacy
Karin Smyth MP is urging Health Ministers to ensure pharmacies fulfil their potential as a vital accessible element in the delivery of healthcare.
In a new article for Progress which follows shelved government plans to cut £170 million of funding from community pharmacies, she says: “Investment in pharmacies saves the NHS money in the long-run.
“They are an accessible resource for people with a huge range of needs: a true first port-of-call.”
She says Ministers should build on this, helping pharmacies fulfil their potential to creatively address the challenges the NHS faces, adding that “their community role often extends beyond their healthcare one.”
“At a time of rising demand and financial pressures – and a desire for more local responsive services to sustain our NHS – pharmacies should be at the forefront of Minister thinking, not first in line for cuts.”
You can read the article in full here.