PHARMACISTS involved in the UK's COVID-19 vaccination (COVAX) rollout are changing GPs' views of the profession, Primary Care Pharmacy Association President and Brentworth Primary Care Network (PCN) Clinical Director, Dr Graham Stretch, says.
Speaking during a webinar on Tue night, Stretch said pharmacists were playing a significant role in the vaccination campaign - which has seen more than 10 million doses administered since the start of the year - providing vaccines through PCNs alongside other health professionals and community pharmacies.
Stretch told attendees that community pharmacist-led COVAX hubs were commonly delivered from local community or church halls, rather than the pharmacy.
"Community pharmacies stepping forward and generally doing a good job of this have really changed the perceptions of a lot of GPs around the idea that we can work as a team," he said.
"So the silver lining of all this... [is] it has raised the profile of how effective pharmacists can be."
Stretch said the 'all-hands-on-deck' approach to the vaccine rollout had highlighted the skills of the pharmacy workforce, including pharmacy technicians, who he said had shown their skills in handling the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine.
"It had definitely levelled up the playing field and allowed people who previously weren't exposed to the skills a pharmacy technician might bring - they've seen it now front and centre," he said.
"We're seeing how good they are."
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