The government is encouraging patients to visit their local pharmacy, in response to a Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) competition to find the nation's best-loved pharmacist.

Pharmacy minister Alistair Burt said the sector is a "major resource" for the health service and can divert patients from GPs and A&E departments.

"Since nearly all of us live within walking distance of our local pharmacist, we should make use of their skills more often," Mr Burt said yesterday (August 24).

The minister made the comments following the announcement of three finalists from each of six regions for the second annual I Love My Pharmacist competition last week (August 18).

The Department of Health is backing the initiative – which launched in June with C+D as its only media partner – because it believes the sector could save the NHS money and “free up staff to treat those who really need it”.

It pointed to findings by Pharmacy Research UK last year that showed almost a fifth of GPs' time is spent treating conditions that could be dealt with by a community pharmacist.

The public have until September 29 to vote for their favourite finalist on the competition’s website. Six regional winners will be announced on October 13, and the overall winner – who will be chosen by a panel of judges including C+D editor Jennifer Richardson – will be revealed on November 3.
 

What else could the government do to promote pharmacy?

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