Laura Anne Jones MS Recognises the Importance of Community Pharmacies
Published on: 19th October 2022 | Updated on: 19th October 2022
On Thursday, 1st July, Local Member of the Senedd Laura Anne Jones met with the team at Evans Pharmacy in Cwmcarn to discuss the impact of the pandemic and the increasingly important role that pharmacies play within the community. Following the visit Laura said:
“I’d like to thank Gemma and her team at Evans pharmacy for inviting me to discuss their work and thank them for their hard work and dedication during the pandemic. Pharmacies are a key part of service provision within our communities and play a much greater role than just fulfilling prescriptions.”
“As frontline health care professionals, the importance of having easily accessible services cannot be emphasised enough as they take a significant amount of pressure off GP’s and provide easy to access care in the community as well as an anchor on our high-streets.”
“Though the pandemic pharmacies have been a crucial asset through helping administer vaccines and supported countless individuals in the community throughout. Their on-going role will play a key part in helping our communities as we begin return to normality.”
Gemma Williams of Evans Pharmacy in Cwmcarn said:
“My team at Cwmcarn was delighted that Laura took the time to meet with us and thank us for the work of community pharmacists and their team during the Covid pandemic. She saw first hand the ever expanding range of services we offer, and pledged to help us raise relevant issues in the Senedd and with the local health board. Community pharmacy is changing rapidly and Laura appreciated what those changes might look like, including from an education and training perspective as more of us become independent prescribers.”
Russell Goodway, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy Wales, said:
“Laura really understood the ‘community’ element of community pharmacy. She recognised instantly the role of our contractors as anchors in the high streets of communities big and small. Her appreciation was undoubtedly shaped by her own prior experience as a delivery driver for a community pharmacy in her own hometown – which is a real first for one of our Senedd Member pharmacy visits!”