Will Quince gets flu jab and blood pressure check at Boots pharmacy

The Company Chemists’ Association (CCA) arranged the visit to the pharmacy. Mr Quince was joined by MP for London and Westminster, Nickie Aiken.

The CCA wrote in a statement released yesterday (October 25) that "the minister was able to see first-hand much of what the community pharmacy sector has to offer patients and the NHS".

A Boots pharmacist called Flavia walked him through "the broad range of services the pharmacy delivers", including the new medicines, emergency contraception and community pharmacist consultation services.

In a tweet following his visit, he said he also got his blood pressure checked and urged all those eligible to get their flu jab.

Future of community pharmacy discussion

The minister also met CCA chief executive, Malcolm Harrison at the Boots branch.

Mr Quince tweeted it had been "fantastic…to discuss the future of community pharmacy" with Mr Harrison and "to see in action what pharmacy can do to reduce pressure on general practice and support prevention in the community", following his visit.

Mr Harrison said the CCA shared Mr Quince’s "vision on how community pharmacies and their teams can contribute" to the Our plan for patients policy paper, set out by former health secretary Thérèse Coffey.

"It is great to have the support of the minister and we are excited for the future of pharmacy," he added.

However, Mr Harrison said the CCA was concerned that due to "the current levels of under investment, and the continued workforce challenges…pharmacies may not be able to deliver the minister’s vision".

Earlier this month, Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) CEO Janet Morrison said the government needs to stop recruiting ‘clinical’ pharmacists into primary care networks (PCNs) and GP practices as this is "absolutely shooting community pharmacy in the foot".