Welsh consultation on heart disease puts pharmacy ‘centre stage’

Pharmacy leaders have backed a Welsh government plan to tackle heart disease, saying the proposals to focus on prevention put the expertise of pharmacy "centre stage".

Announced two days ago (August 8) by health minister Lesley Griffiths, the consultation outlines the role the government, the NHS and individuals have to play in cutting cardiac disease. The plans aim to prevent cardiac disease by educating people about the importance of healthy lifestyles; detect disease sooner; provide fast, effective treatment and care to improve long-term outcomes for patients; and provide ongoing support to help patients manage the impact of cardiac disease.

Pharmacy will be "centre stage" in tackling heart disease, offering information and support services

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Tactics for achieving this include a focus on smoking cessation and weight management services, as well as what the government described as "more accessible information and support services provided through local pharmacies". The government has also pledged to publish clear and concise information about local cardiac services every year starting in September 2013. "We must do more to prevent avoidable cardiac disease, identify those at risk and manage that risk well," Ms Griffiths said. "And where cardiac disease does occur, we want to focus on prompt diagnosis and the best treatment."

Pharmacy bodies said they hoped the consultation would provide an opportunity for the sector to demonstrate its value in terms of the prevention and diagnosis of heart disease. Chief executive of Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW) Russell Goodway said he "welcomed the emphasis given by the Welsh government here and elsewhere to prevention, awareness of risk and self-care". "This again puts the expertise of community pharmacy centre stage," he said.

NPA chief executive Mike Holden welcomed what he called the Welsh Assembly's "recognition of the important role that community pharmacy has in preventing and aiding early diagnosis of those with heart disease".

"The combination of accessible healthy living advice and medicine optimisation expertise makes community pharmacy an ideal location to help to prevent heart disease, identify those already at risk and improve long-term health outcomes for those with existing heart conditions," he said.

Together for Health – a Cardiac Delivery Plan is subject to a 12-week consultation. The consultation is available on the Welsh Government's website and responses must be in by October 26.