Pharmacists from across the UK are celebrating World Pharmacists Day by highlighting the profession's 'vital role' within healthcare systems and in meeting health needs.

FIP celebrates pharmacists' role in medicines, patient care and public health

The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), which organises the day, celebrated pharmacists' 'first and foremost' role in ensuring access to and the optimal use of medicines, as well as their 'significant' contributions to patient care and public health.

'In many places, pharmacists are the first point of contact for health advice and primary health care, especially in resource-limited settings,' it said.

'And, as demonstrated during the Covid-19 pandemic, pharmacists are at the forefront of addressing global health crises,' FIP said.

It marked World Pharmacists Day with a high-level policy symposium, hosted alongside the World Health Organization (WHO) yesterday.

Speaking at the event, FIP’s professional secretary Mr Luís Lourenço said that pharmacists are doing 'extraordinary work' through expanded scopes of practice, but training, regulation, and financing were needed for further implementation of professional practice.

He challenged policymakers present to consider how they could contribute to the development of the pharmacy profession for the benefit of patients.

Meanwhile, Dr Hans Henri P Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said: 'While it’s clear that the role of pharmacists is important, we have a long way to go to truly unlock their full potential as frontline health care professionals and members of multidisciplinary teams.

'[At] a time in which the [European] region still struggles with shortages of health workers across the board, we must better maximise the role of pharmacists.'

Also at the event, representatives from Spain and Portugal shared how pharmacists were working in their settings.

Portugal’s minister of health, professor Ana Paula Martins, said that 'significant strides' had been made to expand and strengthen pharmacy care services, including integration into healthcare teams, a pharmaceutical residency programme, vaccination, and point-of-care testing.

But she said: 'We have not been providing the right incentives to pharmacists for the provision of primary healthcare services. We need a new contract that goes beyond vaccination and includes other services. We need to have [full] integrated care including pharmacists, and we must pay for this care to realise its value.'

Meanwhile, Spain’s secretary of state for health, Dr Javier Padilla, announced that a working group would be established in his country to work on a consensus paper for community and primary care pharmacy, as well as committees for pharmacotherapeutics, bringing together physicians, nurses, pharmacists and epidemiological surveillance, coordinated by primary care pharmacists.

He also highlighted that laws in Spain are also changing so that pharmacists can substitute medicines when there are shortages.

'We really want to update the role of the community pharmacy in our national health service. Pharmacists are one of the motors of health equity, and they are highly accessible. Community pharmacies are private facilities, but they provide an essential public service,' he said.

NHS: 'Thank you for caring for our communities'

In a social media post published to celebrate World Pharmacists Day, NHS England (NHSE) thanked pharmacy teams across the country for their 'hard work caring for our communities', while chief pharmaceutical officer (CPhO) in England David Webb thanked pharmacy teams for their 'vital work'. 

Meanwhile, Cathy Harrison, CPhO in Northern Ireland, described pharmacists as 'integral members' of healthcare teams 'in all sectors'.

And Northern Ireland health minister Mike Nesbitt thanked pharmacists for their 'vital work'.

CPE thanks pharmacists for their 'crucial service'

Janet Morrison, chief executive of Community Pharmacy England (CPE), marked World Pharmacists Day by thanking community pharmacists in England for their 'crucial service for the nation' 'every single day'.

She noted that despite the 'positivity' of developments like Pharmacy First and political focus on community pharmacy, CPE was continuing to hear 'heartbreaking stories about the impact of an ever-growing workload and pharmacy owners putting personal finances into their businesses to try and stay open'.

'We are working to turn things around so that in the years to come we will see the skills of community pharmacists fully utilised to support their ambitions to improve public health and fix the nation’s healthcare problems – but this can only happen if the pharmacy sector is fully valued, supported and funded,' Ms Morrison said.

CPW: 'Thank you for all you do'

Meanwhile, Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW) wished pharmacists 'in Wales and beyond' a happy World Pharmacists Day.

'Thank you for all you do, in the thousands of ways that you do it, for the millions of people whose lives you make better, each and every day!' it said in a post on X.

NPA celebrates 'above and beyond' efforts to improve community healthcare

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) also thanked pharmacists for their 'incredible contributions and dedication' in a post on X to mark World Pharmacists Day.

'Your daily efforts go above and and beyond to continuously help improve health care and protecting our communities,' the NPA said.

PDA celebrates pharmacists' 'hard work and dedication'

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) also marked World Pharmacists Day with a post on LinkedIn.

'Today pharmacists are celebrated for their hard work and dedication to the profession,' it said.

The PDA recently launched its 'Medicines to Gaza' initiative, which will ask members of the public for financial donations to locally purchase medication needed in the conflict zone.

And focusing on health inequalities closer to home, the PDA has previously voiced its support for an open letter written by the Inequalities in Health Alliance (IHA), welcoming the government's commitment to establish a Mission Delivery Board (MDB) to bring together all government departments with an influence over the social determinants of health.

It said this would have 'the potential to tackle the root causes of illness, such as poor housing, lack of educational opportunity, employment (including how much money someone has), racism and discrimination, food quality and ability to make healthy choices, transport and air quality'.

The IHA has more than 250 members including the PDA and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS).

RPS thanks pharmacists for 'vital role in patient care'

The RPS also marked World Pharmacists Day by thanking pharmacists for 'playing a vital role in patient care and being an integral part of healthcare systems'.

PCPA celebrates World Pharmacists Day at regional symposia

And the Primary Care Pharmacy Association (PCPA) said it was celebrating World Pharmacists Day at its regional symposia in Taunton today.

Pharmacist Support: 'Make sure no one faces challenging times alone'

Meanwhile, the pharmacist wellbeing charity Pharmacist Support called for the profession to unite to support one another and make sure 'no one in our pharmacy family faces challenging times alone'.

'Every act of kindness can make a difference in the lives of a fellow colleague,' it said in a social media post today.

GPhC: Pharmacists improve patient safety

The pharmacy regulator marked World Pharmacists Day by celebrating the role pharmacists play in meeting global health needs by improving health and ensuring patient safety.

Thanking pharmacists for their dedication, it said in a social media post: 'together, we are working to make sure people receive safe and effective pharmacy care'.