Scotland’s Chief Pharmaceutical Officer tells NPA Board she is passionate about Pharmacy First approach

The NPA Board was delighted to welcome Scotland's Chief Pharmaceutical Officer to its January meeting, to give an update on NHS Scotland's strategy for Achieving Excellence in Pharmaceutical Care.

The CPO, Rose Marie Parr, emphasised that safe, effective and person-centred care is the foundation of the strategy and to this end the strategy commits to improve and increase the use of community pharmacy services.

She also addressed the importance of integration, including working in partnership with GPs.

Speaking immediately after the meeting, Rose Marie said:

It was a pleasure to have a dialogue with the NPA Board today.  It is clear that we share the belief that local pharmacies can be the first port of call for the vast majority of health concerns.  The Pharmacy First approach in Scotland is about making care more convenient for patients and also makes sense for the healthcare system overall, which needs to engage the entire healthcare  workforce if it is to cope with the ever increasing demands of our ageing population.  I am a passionate believer in this common sense approach.

NPA Chairman, Ian Strachan, said:

Rose Marie concluded her talk with a rousing call to grasp opportunities for change that could dramatically improve the health and social care system, whilst remembering that the core of pharmacy is ‘people and medicines’.  The NPA agrees entirely with that sentiment and we want to help the sector take a journey of change along a road made of firm foundations.