Gareth Davies MS with Community Pharmacy Wales representative Judy Thomas and staff members at Vale Road Pharmacy in Rhyl on World Health Day.
Gareth Davies MS, who worked in the NHS for 11 years prior to be elected to the Welsh Parliament, marked this year’s World Health Day on Thursday 7th April by visiting Vale Road Pharmacy in Rhyl to discuss their independent prescribing services and the role that pharmacies can play in supporting our communities and relieving pressures off of GP practices and NHS services.
World Health Day (WHD) marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 1948 and is celebrated annually, each year drawing attention to a specific health topic of concern to people all over the world. This year’s theme is ‘Our planet, Our health’.
The WHO stated “In the midst of a pandemic, a polluted planet, increasing diseases like cancer, asthma, heart disease, on World Health Day 2022, WHO will focus global attention on urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on well-being.
Commenting on the Rhyl visit Judy Thomas, Director of Contractor Services at Community Pharmacy Wales, said:
“It was a pleasure to show Gareth Davies MS the work of an independent prescriber in Rhyl. Gareth learned how the new pharmacy contract will benefit his constituents and alleviate pressures on other NHS services.”
Independent prescribing is where a pharmacist or an “appropriate practitioner” assesses patients with acute undiagnosed or diagnosed conditions and decides on treatment including prescribing medication.
Gareth Davies said:
“I’d like to take the opportunity this World Health Day to praise and thank all of our frontline health and social care staff for their continued work and dedication to local people
“It was great to meet with the team in Vale Road Pharmacy and I’m truly grateful to the staff here and those across the area for the stepping up to support our communities during the pandemic and now with the increased independent prescribing via our pharmacies, as this should hopefully play a part in improving residents access to treatments and help to relieve the strain on our NHS services”
