WORLD Pharmacists Day: In the lead up to World Pharmacists Day this Friday 25 Sep, the World Pharmacy Council (WPC) will release a report on the role of community pharmacies during the COVID-19 crisis, the incredible service that has been provided to patients, and the steps that need to be taken to deal even more effectively with future pandemics.
The report will draw on the pharmacy experience in the eight WPC countries -- Australia, New Zealand, the USA, the UK, Ireland, Denmark, Spain and Portugal. It promises to be a valuable advocacy resource in highlighting the importance of maintaining a viable, well-distributed, highly accessible network of community pharmacies, with staff enabled to operate at their full scope of professional expertise.
The demands on community pharmacy staff and resources have been immense during this time - changing workflows, patient education demands, logistical and supply chain disruptions, massive spikes in demand, PPE, accelerated uptake of new technologies - all of this and more had to be dealt with safely and professionally, in a high stress workplace.
Throughout the crisis, there has been growing recognition of pharmacy's role in public health, in the management of chronic conditions and common ailments, as local health hubs and triage points, and as an essential pillar of a collaborative, frontline primary health care workforce.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 22 Sep 20
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 22 Sep 20