<p>The Availability of Common Ailment Schemes (South Wales Central)</p>

Part of 2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport – in the Senedd at 2:49 pm on 7 December 2016.

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Photo of Huw Irranca-Davies Huw Irranca-Davies Labour 2:49, 7 December 2016

Indeed, one of those health boards that has great enthusiasm for this is Cwm Taf. In fact, David’s question puts me in mind of my visit last week to Sheppards pharmacy in Llanharry where I was hugely impressed with the way that community pharmacies are now embracing these new opportunities with the support of Welsh Government to deal with common and minor ailments and, as the Cabinet Secretary has said, reducing the pressure on GPs and A&Es too. There was a real welcome on my visit for the restatement by the Welsh Government of its commitment to the community pharmacy sector with a £20 million investment to support and enhance pharmacy services in Wales. So, whilst I understand that the details of the funding announcement are currently being negotiated between Welsh Government and Community Pharmacy Wales, would he agree with me that there is a quiet confidence within the sector that, in contrast with England, where the funding is being cut over the next two spending cycles in fact—being cut—here in Wales we could see a significant expansion of the number of services you can obtain in a local pharmacy and not least, as the Cabinet Secretary alluded to, with the new Choose Pharmacy IT programme being rolled out by the Welsh Government, this might be the key to unlocking that sharing of data that will allow more people to be treated for common and minor ailments at their local trusted community pharmacy and less workload on GPs and even on A&Es?