Pharmacy bodies create new hub to help pharmacists tell their NHS frontline stories

29 Apr 2020

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) have jointly created a media resource hub, to make it simpler for pharmacy teams and Local Pharmaceutical Committees to tell their NHS frontline stories, to newspapers and via social media.

The pharmacy bodies say the aim is to use the recently intensified media interest in pharmacies and medicines to reinforce key messages. These include asking the public to be courteous to under-pressure staff and to respect social distancing in pharmacies.

They also want, alongside other pharmacy bodies, to increase traffic on the #pharmacyheroes hashtag, and help it reach fresh audiences.

The new hub – www.nhsfrontline.com – contains:

  • An online form through which you can report your most positive experiences and incidents of going ‘above and beyond’
  • Key messages for use in newspapers, online or radio/TV.
  • Social media assets and guidance on their use
  • Template newspaper columns to personalise and send to local press
  • A template letter, to personalise and send to local MPs
  • Links to media and lobbying resources for LPCs
  • Links to media resources in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as well as England.

NPA Head of Communications, Stephen Fishwick, said:

“Many pharmacists and pharmacy leaders have already been on TV, radio, in newspapers and on social media, to describe the daily challenges pharmacies are facing as the coronavirus crisis deepens, and pharmacy’s vital work on the health service frontline.  We want the positive noise about pharmacy’s valiant contribution to continue, and to get across to the public what to expect of pharmacies at this time, plus the importance of treating pharmacy staff with courtesy and understanding. This website will make it simpler for pharmacy teams to tell their story directly to the media”.

PSNC Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Zoe Long, said:

“The more recognition we can get in the media for community pharmacy’s role in the COVID-19 response; the better. We’d like as many people as possible to hear about how community pharmacy teams are regularly doing amazing work to help their patients and local communities. LPCs are already championing local pharmacies and initiatives; the national pharmacy organisations are continuing to contribute to media articles; and we hope that this shared website will help everyone in the sector to continue to shout about the #pharmacyheroes in their area.”

All the national pharmacy bodies in England have been working together to tell the story of pharmacy teams going above-and-beyond to serve the public, during the coronavirus pandemic.  Resources created by other pharmacy bodies, not only PSNC and NPA, will be signposted from the new website.

Fresh resources will be uploaded to the site regularly.

For more information, contact press@npa.co.uk.