Pharmacy leaders are courting local councillors with ‘speed-dating' stalls at the major party conferences this autumn.

PSNC is working with the British Dental Association and the Eye Health Alliance to host break-out sessions to help councillors engage with local healthcare professionals in the new NHS.

The organisations will be targeting councillors involved in early implementation of health and wellbeing boards and local service commissioning under the NHS reforms.

PSNC head of NHS services Alaistair Buxton, right, said: "The title may be whimsical, but the message is serious. Local councillors and community pharmacists need to get to know one another, faster than you might imagine."

The ‘speed dating' began yesterday (September 19) at the Liberal Democrat conference. At the same time PSNC, Pharmacy Voice and the RPS – in conjunction with dental, eye care and GP organisations – launched a guide to help local authorities identify good local sources of clinical information. And PSNC published a briefing document offering local authorities an introduction to community pharmacy services.

The ‘speed dating' and distribution of the guides will continue at the Labour and Conservative party conferences this autumn.

Still not sure what a health and wellbeing board does? Find out with C+D's guide to where pharmacy fits in the new NHS.