Northern Ireland turns to retail pharmacists to improve health care

 

NEWRY, Northern Ireland — It is not just the U.S. healthcare system that is realizing the value a conveniently located retail pharmacist can provide the public, Northern Ireland is tapping into retail pharmacists as an integral health resource, too. 

 

According to a report Thursday in the Newry Times,  Northern Ireland Health Minister Jim Wells recently released an updated strategy for the provision of pharmacy services in the community. 

 

“My vision for health and social care is to raise the quality of care for patients and service users and enhance the patient experience," the Newry Times reported Wells as saying. "Pharmacy services in the community have a key role to play in delivering this vision by supporting the safe, effective use of medicines and promoting health and wellbeing.”

 

Similar to healthcare reform in the United States, the new strategy seeks to achieve better patient outcomes through greater utilization of medicines. “The updated Strategy provides a clear direction for the delivery of pharmacy services in the community over the next five years," Wells said. “The implementation plan sets out the key actions which will need to be undertaken to deliver the goals set out in the strategy and a timescale for the delivery of these actions.”