Pharmacy Campaign Focus - Downing Street Petition Delivered & Other Parliamentary Activities take place

As the consultation on community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond came to a close yesterday there was a flurry of activity at westminster to help highlight the pharmacy case to MP's and ministers.   The NPA and PSNC held events in Westminster which included a  Pharmacy Health Checks and Speed Briefing event in Westminster, A adjournment debate held in the commons as well as the handing over of the public petition to Downing Street by MP's, Pharmacist and Patients.

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Downing Street Petition

​So far 1.8 Million people have signed the pharmacy petition which was delivered to Dowing street yesterday.  This is the largest Uk healthcare petition ever and demonstrates the how much people value their local pharmacy.   Press briefings were held and then a delegation of pharmacists, patients and MP's delivered the petition to No 10.  NPA Chairman, Ian Strachen has started a blog on the NPA website.  He has been campaigning tirelessly on behalf of the Community pharmacy and has some words of encouragnemt about the campaign and how it doesn't stop now.  Read his first blog (titled - Winston Churchill once said "Never give in - never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in.")  Here.

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Pharmacy health checks and speed briefing event

Pharmacy health checks and speed briefing event
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Around 50 MPs attended a Pharmacy health checks and speed briefing event in Westminster yesterday (Tuesday 24th May 2016) to hear about the vital work that community pharmacies do for patients and concerns about the proposed funding cut for the sector. MPs heard how the plans are putting some pharmacy services at risk and the impact that could have on patients.

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The drop-in speed briefing session, hosted by Sir Kevin Barron MP and Michael Dugher MP, gave Parliamentarians and their staff the opportunity to find out what is happening in pharmacy, as well as the chance to receive a health check from a front-line pharmacist.
Pharmacists and national representatives were on hand to brief MPs and their staff on the important contribution which pharmacies make to their local communities, and to discuss how they could do more to support the overstretched NHS.

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Adjournment Debate

At the end of the day MP's can debate certain issues in what is called an Adjournment debate.  This is held in the commons.
Micheal Dugher MP_ has been very supportive of our campaign and led this debate.

​You can watch the debate below
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Speech in Adjournment Debate for Community Pharmacies from Michael Dugher on Vimeo.