Pharmacy leaders in Wales have welcomed the appointment of Mark Drakeford as health minister, but have warned that the Labour politician must stand by his proposals to make the most out of community pharmacy. 

Professor Drakeford had a "deep understanding" of the issues facing the profession, after leading an inquiry in May last year into the contribution of community pharmacy to health services in Wales, Royal Pharmaceutical Society director for Wales Paul Gimson said.

Professor Drakeford, who was previously chair of the Welsh National Assembly's health and social care committee, concluded at the time that there was a greater contribution that community pharmacy could make towards the future of health services.

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	The inquiry's work should stand the new health minister in good stead, Mr Gimson said. "I think in community pharmacy people were pleased that he engaged when he was on the committee and I think he has generally got a good reputation," he added.

"What we hope now is that, as a minister, he would stand by the recommendations that the committee has made."

Professor Drakeford, who was elected to the National Assembly for Cardiff West in 2011, took over from Lesley Griffiths, following a cabinet reshuffle on Thursday (March 14). This is his first cabinet post.

Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW) chairman Ian Cowan said he was "delighted" with the appointment of Professor Drakeford.

"We have worked closely with him during the time he served as a Welsh government advisor and since his election to the National Assembly," he said.

"We know that Mark appreciates the value of good community pharmacy services in maintaining and improving the health of the population and we look forward to continuing to work with him in his new role," he added.  

Professor Drakeford spoke at the launch of the last national community pharmacy public health campaign Love Your Lungs in November and he has agreed to be involved in the next two national campaigns: Lower Your Risk of Stroke and Look After Your Eyes, said CPW.

Professor Drakeford is a professor of social policy and applied social sciences at Cardiff University. Between 200 and 2010 he worked as the Welsh cabinet's health and social policy adviser and was the head of the former first minister Rhodri Morgan's office.

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