Speaking exclusively to C+D at the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union’s (PGEU) annual conference, Martin Astbury said the sector needs to ensure it has a collective vision.

Mr Astbury stressed that national co-operation is “the big one” but also added that the profession can share data with other countries. “A lot of the time people don’t ask,” he said yesterday (June 13).

The RPS president added that he sees the collaboration in the PGEU continuing despite Brexit.

Speaking to the delegates earlier in the afternoon, Mr Astbury reminded the room to “big up” pharmacy, particularly around areas such as decriminalisation of dispensing errors.

He told C+D that pharmacists should meet their local MPs: “We need ones who understand [the sector]. When you sit down and speak to them they become supportive,” he said.

C+D’s view from the conference

C+D also spoke to PGEU president Rajesh Patel, who stressed that all member countries face similar challenges at the moment. While David Taylor, emeritus professor of pharmaceutical and public health at University College London (UCL) hoped community pharmacy would not be the "Kodak of tomorrow" and "disappear". 

To watch the video with subtitles, click here