Access to GPs

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:39 pm on 29 November 2022.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 1:39, 29 November 2022

Llywydd, I thank Huw Irranca-Davies for that question. I think the promotion of community pharmacy has been something that has been agreed across the Chamber here, over the whole of the devolution period. We've always believed that it was a resource that could be made more of, and, over the years, we have seen community pharmacists in Wales absolutely expand the range of services that they provide, to agree to a modernisation of their contracts, to make sure that the services that that very highly trained workforce is able to provide as part of the primary care family is available right across Wales. And I think it's a real tribute to the people who work in the sector that they have been so willing to play their part in the modernisation of the service in Wales. I'd say this, Llywydd, that, in Wales, we continue to have just over 700 community pharmacists. They're on high streets in every part of Wales, whereas in England there has been a significant decline in the number of pharmacies, and that is because the regulations passed in this Chamber have protected the high-street position of community pharmacies, allowing examples like that highlighted by Huw Irranca-Davies to thrive and expand.

It's not just community pharmacists either, Llywydd, thinking of the original question. I was visiting a GP practice in the last few weeks and they were celebrating the fact that they had just recruited a pharmacist to come and work directly in the surgery and were explaining to me the number of repeat visitors that they will now be able to have seen clinically appropriately and quickly by that extra resource. So, I entirely agree with the point that was made, both in the community and directly within primary care, that the contribution of pharmacy is fundamental to the way we shape the service for the future.