To ask the Minister of Health for his assessment of the Community Pharmacy Workforce Survey Report 2019; and whether there is improvement on the 320 community pharmacist deficit estimated last year.

My Department recognises the importance of ensuring that the pharmacy workforce has the capacity and capability to support the challenges faced by the HSC. For that reason prior to the pandemic, a formal review of the pharmacy workforce had been completed. Although progress was interrupted by coronavirus, it is the intention to re-start this work and to publish the review with an implementation plan, in the coming months, subject to COVID-19.

In respect of pharmacist numbers, the review found that there was no way of accurately assessing need in community pharmacies, unlike Trusts where vacancies are monitored. It is the intention to address this during implementation of the review with a proposal to develop a structured process to monitor current and projected workforce needs in all sectors.

In the absence of a robust method of analysis I am unable to comment on the 2019 deficit figures quoted in the independently commissioned community pharmacy review undertaken by Community Pharmacy NI. However, you will be aware that a range of interventions were made to support community pharmacy in recent months in their response to COVID-19.

In addition to significant additional funding, a number of short term actions were taken that aimed to support the workforce. This included the re-registration of recently retired pharmacists, promotion of locums, delay of general practice pharmacist commencement dates, protected lunch breaks, engagement of pharmacy undergraduates, foundation dental students and the community and voluntary sector. The implementation of the Department’s pharmacy workforce review will build on this to drive longer term change.