Commenting on Celesio UK's decision to close or sell 190 Lloydspharmacies across England, Mr Double â the Conservative MP for St Austell and Newquay â said he would âreserve judgementâ until he knows the location of the closures.
âIf they are the only pharmacy in a community, I would be very concerned about that. If there are three or four in one setting, that rationalisation is needed," Mr Double told C+D in an exclusive interview last week (November 21).
Mr Double became APPG vice-chair in June, and stressed he is keen to play "a more active role" in supporting pharmacists.
Pharmacists' roles are restricted
Referring specifically to his Cornish constituency, Mr Double told C+D that one of the things that concerns him is that pharmacy âisnât having an important role in [the] clinical commissioning group (CCG)â, which he described as âan omissionâ.
âIt would be really good to have them there as they have a lot to offer,â he said. âToo often pharmacistsâ roles are very much restricted.â
The government âneeds to take more of a lead in terms of the role of pharmacistsâ and ânot let GPs dominate that sphereâ, he said.
âMost underused resource in the NHSâ
Mr Double stressed that pharmacists are âone of the most underused resources in the NHSâ and deliver âincredible value for money, compared to primary and acute careâ.
âWe need to look at the most efficient way of delivering services â if you shifted resources from one to the other you would release pressure on acute care,â Mr Double said.
âSometimes we are guilty of being stuck in the current tramlines of how the NHS operates,â he added. âPart of it is an education process â getting the public to think of pharmacists as part of the NHS.â
Essential role in deliveries
Commenting on Lloydspharmacy's decision to charge new patients for deliveries, Mr Double said community pharmacies play an âessentialâ role in delivering to older patients who live on their own.
âThe visit from the pharmacist can be important in terms of just checking on them,â he said. âI donât think this part of the service gets valued highly enough.â