A plan for a pharmacy PR campaign promised a year ago will be published “shortly”, the Department of Health has said.

As part of the April 2008 white paper, the DH pledged a publicity campaign to highlight pharmacy services, and it committed to mapping a target audience by autumn 2008.

While a national campaign is yet to emerge, a DH spokesperson said the department “continued to make progress” and expected to publish an outline “shortly”.

The news comes as an inquiry by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Primary Care and Public Health found not enough was being done to promote pharmacy services.

The inquiry recommended a campaign to raise public awareness and strengthen pharmacy’s role in promoting public health.

These findings were supported by a straw poll conducted by C+D, which revealed some patients were not aware of the services a pharmacy can provide.

Several respondents recognised pharmacists could offer advice. One respondent listed cholesterol checks and diabetes testing as pharmacy services. However, another thought a pharmacist was best described as a shopkeeper and sold health food.