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Northern Ireland's health minister Robin Swann has condemned the act of violence experienced by pharmacy teams, stating such acts "will not be tolerated." His statement follows an ugly incident that took place on Saturday (March 5) at the Teagues Pharmacy, Antrim Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Conor McAreavey from Teagues Pharmacy told the BBC that on Saturday a man entered the shop at about 17:30 GMT and used a hammer to break through a Covid protection screen, and stabbed him in hand before fleeing the premises. He added that such attacks on pharmacists had become a "trend". Condemning the attack, Swann said: "Abuse or assaults of any kind on health and social care staff will not be tolerated. I was appalled to hear of the assault on the community pharmacist at the weekend.

Northern Ireland's chief pharmaceutical officer paid a visit to a community pharmacy in Belfast on Monday (November 7) - marking the end of this year's Ask Your Pharmacist week, an annual public awareness campaign launched by the National Pharmacy Association. Cathy Harrison interacted with patients and staff in the pharmacy before recording a video to promote NI's 'Pharmacy First' service in which she described community pharmacies as "one of the front doors to the health service" with over 500 outlets located across the country. "In our community pharmacies you can always rely on friendly staff, medicines expertise, and walk-in access to face-to-face advice," she said. First launched in Scotland, the NHS Pharmacy First service enables patients to have a consultation with a pharmacist for advice on minor ailments. Ms Harrison also drew attention to community pharmacy's role in cancer awareness and helping people to quit smoking, as well as managing patients with urinary tract infections, in addition to playing their part in delivering Covid-19 and flu vaccinations.

Professor Michael Gordon Scott and Professor Charlotte Anne Skitterall have been recognised in the New Year Honours list 2023 for their 'service to pharmacy'. Professor Scott Director, Medicines Optimisation Innovation Centre was one among the 1,107 people to received MBE for his 'service to pharmacy' in Northern Ireland. In 1994 he established the first academic practice unit in the province in conjunction with the Queens University of Belfast. In 2004 he was made a fellow of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland. In June 2009 he was made an honorary Professor of Pharmacy Practice at QUB. Professor Skitterall, Group Chief Pharmacist, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust received MBE for 'services to Pharmacy'. Last year, she was appointed as a Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. "I think it was awarded in recognition of the work I have done as chair of the National Medicines Optimisation Clinical Reference Group. I also supported the National Pharmacy Task and Finish Group for Covid Vaccine deployment," she commented. This year, dozens of NHS staff have been recognised in the New Year Honours list ahead of the health service's 75th birthday.

Day Lewis Pharmacy has enlisted Locate a Locum, a Belfast-based healthcare technology innovator, to deploy and manage a digital solution aimed at enhancing locum staffing and management across its 267-pharmacy network. "We sought a faster, user-friendly system for instant locum bookings, particularly for last-minute shifts," said Sam Patel, Executive Director at Day Lewis Pharmacy. "This tool improves communication between potential locums and our coordinators, creating more opportunities to attract talent from across the country. Our customers are our priority, and ensuring they have access to staff and advice when needed is our main focus." Locate a Locum will implement a cloud-based digital solution across the Day Lewis Pharmacy estate, allowing locums to securely search, manage, request, and receive payment for shifts, Day Lewis said in a statement. This platform enables locum staff to manage their work diaries, location preferences, and commitments, promoting balanced work-life planning. "The Locate a Locum platform allows for swift, complete payments to our locums and offers them instant booking, eliminating the need for shift confirmation wait times," Patel added. "In a dynamic market with rising demand for pharmacy services, this platform is a game-changer, driving growth and unlocking potential."