The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South Wales West, Peter Black, has called on the government to increase funding and training opportunities for pharmacists to allow them to carry out a more varied role in our communities.
Speaking after opening a new branch of Lloyds Pharmacy in Morriston, Swansea yesterday Mr. Black said that the Welsh Liberal Democrats manifesto pledged to increase and promote the use of extended prescribing so that appropriately trained nurses and pharmacists are able to prescribe a wide range of drugs.
"We need to ensure that these facilities are used to their maximum potential." said Mr Black. "Pharmacies are more than just medicine shops and we must carry on the process of further training staff to deal with other medical tests and diagnosis. I was impressed at the way that the new pharmacy in Morriston had embraced that agenda."
"If we allow pharmacies equipment for testing, screening and monitoring for a range of conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol testing then the pressure can taken off of GPs and nurses. In order for the scheme to work, the government has to provide resources and training for pharmacists to empower them to extend their roles beyond dispensing medicine and make them a key player in our national health service."
