Independent pharmacies win praise from prime minister

Gordon Brown has commended the UK’s independent community pharmacies for the “essential” role they play in British healthcare.

In a message to the Sigma Conference, the prime minister described the sector as “an integral part of our NHS”, reports Chemist and Druggist.

The comments came in a letter presented by Labour minister Claire Ward to attendees at the healthcare industry-sponsored conference in Shanghai.

Mr Brown said that independent retail pharmacies have played a key role in “helping to deliver essential services including the provision of medicines and health improvements”.

He went on to praise the pharmaceutical industry as a whole for the support it offers to the promotion of community health and to the overall economy.

Earlier this week, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain praised the high standards of expertise in the UK pharmacy sector following strong results from its Continuing Professional Development assessment programme.