Pharmacy Minister Lord Howe has praised community pharmacy for the “important safety net” the sector provides in helping to resolve potential medicines errors.
In a letter concerning Pharmacy Voice’s recent practice-based audit of community pharmacy’s contribution to patient safety, Lord Howe wrote:
“As you know, I need no convincing that pharmacy is central to our aim of optimising the use of medicines and improving patient outcomes. Nevertheless, I was most interested to see the extent of community pharmacy’s role in helping to resolve potential medicines errors. This is an important safety net in the NHS that must not be forgotten.
“These audit results are a useful addition to the evidence base and should send a powerful message to the NHS Commissioning Board (NHSCB), clinical commissioning groups and health and wellbeing boards as to the contribution that pharmacy can, and does, make to ensuring the safety of NHS patients and the public.”
Rob Darracott, Chief Executive of Pharmacy Voice said:
“Our audit highlighted the important role that pharmacy teams play day in day out in contributing to patient safety. It is great that the Minister recognises the significance of this data.”
