Community Pharmacies: Devon and the South-west Debate

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Department: Department of Health and Social Care

Community Pharmacies: Devon and the South-west

Steve Race Excerpts
Tuesday 17th December 2024

(1 day, 14 hours ago)

Westminster Hall
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Rachel Gilmour Portrait Rachel Gilmour
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I do agree. In addition to delivering formally commissioned services, pharmacies provide an alternative point of contact for the public for informal clinical advice. The 2024 pharmacy advice audit found that the average pharmacy carries out around 22 informal consultations per day, which is the equivalent of 1.3 million informal consultations taking place in community pharmacies every week.

Steve Race Portrait Steve Race (Exeter) (Lab)
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I congratulate the hon. Member on securing the debate. From the first day we met we have talked about getting this debate, so I am very pleased that it is happening. I am the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on pharmacy. Does she agree that community pharmacies have a huge amount of potential to support patients with a range of services, which will support the NHS ten-year plan to move more care into the community and help prevent ill health in the first place? That is one of the main roles they can play in the future.