| Time to reset how we provide healthcare in the UK Steve Anderson, UK Group Managing Director for PHOENIX said… “As the country eases lockdown restrictions the pressures facing the NHS in the coming months are daunting: catching up on the immense amount of procedures and appointments which were postponed as well as coping with normal everyday demand We ought to use this moment to reset how we plan, commission and deliver healthcare making best use of ALL the assets we have in our communities in a truly integrated way. Our new normal can’t simply be a return to previous ways of working and historic clinical boundaries Throughout this crisis, community pharmacy has proven its place as the third critical pillar in our national healthcare delivery service alongside GPs and hospitals. When access to the latter was understandably restricted community pharmacies kept their doors open a point recognised and praised by politicians and the public As lockdown eases we are going to see a huge surge in demand for healthcare support and advice. Community pharmacy is willing and capable of helping meet that demand but it can only do so if it receives fair and sustainable funding We are ideally placed to help meet the healthcare challenges facing our country is the Government in England willing to end pharmacy funding austerity to allow us to do so?” |
