Sector leaders ‘disappointed’ by pharmacy’s absence from Covid inquiry

Pharmacy leaders are disappointed that the UK Covid inquiry fails to mention the sector as pharmacists were ‘among the heroes of those dark days of crisis and fear’.

CEO and executive chair of the Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA), Leyla Hannbeck, urged the inquiry to listen to the pharmacy sector as their investigation continues.

‘We saw during the pandemic how quickly pharmacies can step up, and we hope that the COVID-19 Inquiry makes formal recommendations to recognise the reality that pharmacies should be the first point of call for vaccinations,’ she added.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) echoed her sentiment in a statement published on its social media. ‘Make what you will of the reports from this week’s covid inquiry, of squabbling politicians and questionable decision making at high levels of government. But one thing is sure: pharmacists were among the heroes of those dark days of crisis and fear,’ the statement on LinkedIn said.

The statement stressed how pharmacies absorbed pressure that would otherwise have fallen to other parts of the system, such as GPs and A&E. In addition to handling a massive increase in demand for advice and medicines, pharmacists also continued to provide urgent care, support for minor illnesses, and for long term medical conditions.

‘Later, in the next phases of the country’s response to the pandemic, pharmacies would be key to unlocking mass testing, delivering vaccinations and helping to ease Britain back into normal life.

‘Pharmacies were on the frontline of the national effort to limit the impact of coronavirus and to keep people well,’ the statement concluded.

However, the IPA did welcome the Covid inquiry’s recommendation that the government office for science should develop and regularly maintain a register of experts from across the UK, whose knowledge could be drawn upon in a range of emergency scenarios.

Ms Hannbeck said: ‘The pandemic demonstrated how vital local pharmacies were as the front line to a beleaguered NHS. Therefore, it is absolutely essential that pharmacies are represented on this group, and that in the event of any future emergency, the sector’s expertise is utilised, and the sector’s role properly supported.’

As a ‘core participant’ in the UK Covid inquiry, the NPA has been submitting evidence throughout the procedure – although not for this module, which is about political decision-making.

In January, the Covid inquiry heard from lawyer Deirdre Domingo, on behalf of the NPA, that there was a ‘missed opportunity’ to make use of the community pharmacy sector during the early stages of the Covid vaccination programme roll-out.

Last year, former health and social care secretary Matt Hancock, said it was his view that there is a ‘lack of enthusiasm’ within NHS England senior management to give more to the sector than is absolutely necessary.

And he felt that community pharmacy was treated as an ‘afterthought’ by a system that saw the sector as a lower priority during the pandemic.