AQW 53671/11-16

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 01/02/2016
Answered On Date: 10/02/2016
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety whether he has considered the role of pharmacists in GP practices in order to better facilitate medicine management and prescribing.

Answer:

In December 2015, I announced a five year initiative that will see the additional investment in 2016/17 of £2.55m, rising to £14million per year in 2020/21, to put close to 300 pharmacists in GP practices by 2021.

Clinical pharmacists will work as part of the general practice team to help people optimise their medicines management, support effective prescribing and allow more GP time to be freed up to spend on people with complex needs, alleviating some of the pressures that are faced in general practice.