Abercynon leads the way with Community Pharmacy

New MS Joel James has visited Sheppard’s Pharmacy in Abercynon to meet with Gareth Hughes, the superintendent of the practice, to hear about all the benefits of community pharmacist consultations for residents with minor illnesses.

Community pharmacist consultations were first introduced in Wales in 2013, and have played an integral part in delivering improvements to the health and wellbeing of residents throughout the country. Many of these consultations can help treat and prescribe for a range of minor ailments, and some can even provide specialist support to help smokers as they try to quit.

Gareth Hughes explained that throughout the pandemic, many pharmacists across Rhondda Cynon Taf kept their doors open, offering much needed medical advice to patients.

He went on to explain that their role in offering consultations and their ability to prescribe certain medications, had helped many patients receive much needed advice and care at a time when GP surgeries were under enormous pressure.

Sheppard’s pharmacies, like other pharmacies in the region, allow patients to ask for a consultation without an appointment – which has enabled people to get treatment for minor illnesses without the need to wait for a GP appointment.

After speaking with Gareth, Joel said

“The fact that we have this facility available to us as residents of RCT is amazing. Not only can patients resolve some minor health issues quickly, but it helps alleviate some of the pressure on GP surgeries.”

“Being able to have a consultation at your local pharmacy not only helps free up GP resources, it helps with the health and wellbeing of individuals because their needs can be responded to much quicker.”

“It also encourages people back onto the high street, which helps support local shops – I would love to see this service rolled out across the region.”