The Northern Ireland government has committed to increasing the use of pharmacists' clinical skills and promoting a version of the hub-and-spoke model, in a new five-year strategy for the sector.

Health minister Edwin Poots told the Northern Ireland Assembly that the government's strategy, launched yesterday (March 26), was a "tangible expression" of his commitment to ensure pharmacy was a "vital and fundamental" part of local care systems.

The document, developed by a steering group from the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, advised that pharmacists could support further change in the health system if they had access to electronic patient records and were able to deliver services as part of a hub-and-spoke model.

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	This would involve pharmacy ‘hubs' in large towns delivering diagnostic services and specialised clinics, while the majority of services continued to be delivered from community pharmacies closer to people's homes, the steering group said.

"In developing the hubs, commissioners need to maintain a sustainable pharmacy network and the accessibility of community pharmacies for dispensing and other services. The location of pharmacy services such as patient education programmes, screening, specialist clinics and long-term condition management within the hubs should be considered, however," the steering group said.

Proposed changes to the law around how long a responsible pharmacist can be away from the pharmacy could provide opportunities for pharmacists to deliver services in other locations, the group suggested.

The document also sets out plans for pharmacy to have a "refreshed focus" on routinely advising patients about how to take their medicines correctly, as well as promoting self-care.

The steering group called for pharmacists to be commissioned to offer public health services and for increased awareness from the public, commissioners and other healthcare professionals about the services and advice community pharmacists could provide.

Mr Poots said the document provided a "clear direction" for the delivery of pharmacy services over the next five years, which involved pharmacists providing services and advice as well as dispensing medicines.

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