South West Hertfordshire MP Gagan Mohindra recently visited Riverside Pharmacy, Rickmansworth, as part of a special “work experience” session to get a better understanding of the challenges faced by community pharmacies and the critical role they play in the NHS.
Sigma Pharmaceuticals plc CEO Hatul Shah wrote in a LinkedIn post that the session was organised by Community Pharmacy Hertfordshire, and Mohindra got an insight into the importance of local pharmacy teams in delivering frontline healthcare services.
During the two-hour visit, he saw first-hand the complex and fast-paced environment in which pharmacy teams operate.
Mohindra said, “Pharmacies are a vital part of the NHS, often acting as the first port of call for patients seeking advice, treatment or reassurance. Spending time behind the counter really opened my eyes to the volume and complexity of the work pharmacy teams manage on a daily basis, from sourcing medicines in the face of national shortages to supporting people with long-term conditions and minor illnesses.”
The recent Pharmacy Pressures Survey by Community Pharmacy England found that 95 percent of pharmacy teams said that patients are being inconvenienced by medicine shortages.
Community Pharmacy England is calling on the Government to ensure pharmacies are fairly reimbursed for the medicines they supply.
Tushar Shah of Riverside Pharmacy said, “It was a pleasure to welcome our MP to the pharmacy and give him an insight into the vital work we do every day. As we support a growing number of patients, pharmacy teams are working incredibly hard under significant pressure. Given how essential we are to the health and well-being of our communities, the sustained investment in community pharmacy is needed now more than ever.”
Dr Bharat Shah of Sigma - Independent Together, who represented Hatul Shah for the event, highlighted his ongoing work in supporting the community pharmacy sector and advocating for a unified voice across the profession.
