It describes high quality care in priority areas for improvement, including:
Commenting on the NICE quality standard regarding community pharmacy, Donna Castle, Executive Director of Policy for PAGB, the consumer healthcare association, notes:
“PAGB welcomes the publication of this NICE quality standard. Pharmacists are expert heath care professionals on the high street, ideally placed to provide self-care advice and treatment for self-treatable conditions.
“Results from a recent survey we independently commissioned show that post-lockdown more people are willing to visit their pharmacy. Almost one in three people (31%) who would not have visited a pharmacy for advice before seeking help elsewhere said they were more likely to do so following the Covid-19 pandemic. Almost seven out of ten respondents (69%) who might not have considered self- care as their first option before the pandemic said they were more likely to likely to do so in future.”
PAGB believes pharmacy should be a core part of the primary care team and pharmacists should be empowered to fulfil this vital role. In particular we believe that:
Donna Castle adds:
“We welcome the recognition of the important role of pharmacy in the new NICE quality standard and the value in integrating community pharmacy into primary care pathways. Community pharmacies are at the heart of communities and should be seen as the most appropriate place to access effective self care information and advice.”