National Assembly for Wales
Health and Social Care Committee

Follow-up inquiry on the contribution of community pharmacy to health services

Evidence from Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board – CP 13

Contribution of community pharmacy to health services in Wales

ABMU Response

1. Recommendation 1

The Committee recommends that the Welsh Government improves the communication mechanisms it uses to inform the general public about the services available at any individual community pharmacy. To this end, we recommend that the Welsh Government makes it an obligation for all community pharmacies to place a prominent notice in their premises identifying the range of services available in that pharmacy

ABMU Response

Under essential service 7 in the Community Pharmacy Contract pharmacies are required to have a practice leaflet and may also display their services on a notice displayed in the Pharmacy compliance with this is monitored in contract visits. ABMU are not aware that the requirements have been changed to mandate that Pharmacies display a prominent notice. The national Choose Well campaign actively promotes self care and the use of pharmacies for common complaints and ABMU’s local campaign further promotes the services available in community pharmacies.

2. Recommendation 2

The Committee recommends that the Welsh Government provides a clear national lead for the future development of community pharmacy services to ensure that the necessary policies and structures are in place to secure its delivery. This should include nationally agreed priorities for the service and a centrally driven direction for its development

ABMU Response

There has been some progress with Welsh Government meeting with Health Board representatives to discuss Community Pharmacy issues however a clear strategy for Community Pharmacy in Wales has not been developed.

3. Recommendation 3

The Committee recommends that the Welsh Government should take the opportunity afforded by the recently announced national minor ailments scheme to consider changes to the way in which community pharmacies are remunerated, including a transition to capitation-based payments, underpinned by a patient registration system.

ABMU Response

ABMU are not aware that any progress has been made to alter the way Pharmacies are remunerated and there is still a focus on an item based fee.

4. Recommendation 4

Minor Ailments Scheme to ensure robust monitoring, evaluation and improvement of services. The Committee recommends that where there are clearly national health conditions, the service should be nationally specified, but that some continuing scope should be allowed for the volume and location of such services to be determined locally.

ABMU Response

There has been some progress on this particularly with regard to the Flu Vaccination service which has seen a consistent approach across Wales with Health Boards conforming to the requirements set  out in a national service specification. HBs have been able to determine which pharmacies to commission the service from but must ensure at least 25% of pharmacies in the area enter in arrangements. In ABMU this has been offered to pharmacies in areas of low uptake of vaccination.

5. Recommendation 5

The Committee recommends that the consistent participation of community pharmacies across Wales is secured for the next round of public health campaigns, whether national or local. Close monitoring of community pharmacy‘s participation is required by Local Health Boards to ensure that those failing to deliver on their contractual obligations are called to account for their non-compliance

ABMU Response

ABMU are not aware of any progress on this recommendation. Community Pharmacists are required to participate in Health promotion campaigns as part of their contract and monitoring of requirements is undertaken as part of the HBs contract monitoring process. However the contractual requirements have not been strengthened and we would welcome a national policy on the management of non-compliance for all areas of the pharmacy contract.

6. Recommendation 6

The Committee recommends that the Welsh Government and Local Health Boards prioritise taking proactive action to address issues of cooperation and joint working between community pharmacists and GPs, both in rural and urban areas. We believe that better leadership from within the professions in this context is vital to securing the stronger relationships between key health professionals which are needed for the successful integration of community pharmacy services and the delivery of the Government‘s ambitions for primary care in Wales.

ABMU Response

ABMU are not aware of any progress on this recommendation. The introduction of the Flu vaccination service in community pharmacies has had a detrimental effect on the relationships between GPs and community pharmacists. This has been highlighted to WG on a number of occasions. This has not helped Health Boards to be able to foster good relations and has served to increase reluctance of GPs to work positively with community pharmacy colleagues.

Additionally it was very disappointing that the recent evaluation of the DMR service had not included Health Boards in the development of the criteria for the evaluation. Nor was there any open sharing of any draft that Health Boards could comment on.

7. Recommendation 7

The Committee recommends access by community pharmacists to summary patient records where patients are registered with a community pharmacy.

ABMU Response

ABMU are aware that recent announcements have been made that NWIS are starting to work on this however there is no indication as to when these records will be made available.