A meeting has been hosted by a local Assembly Member in the Senedd to brief Assembly Members about a transformational healthcare partnership which has originated in Llanidloes.
On Wednesday, 27th September, Russell George, AM for Montgomeryshire, was joined by Dylan Jones from the Dudley Taylor Pharmacy to discuss how the new award-winning independent prescribing service is transforming the way in which primary care is being delivered in Llanidloes.
In association with Arwystli Medical Practice, the independent prescribing service, which has recently won UK-wide recognition at the prestigious C&D Awards, enables Dudley Taylor Pharmacy to treat patients with acute illness within the Pharmacy, reducing the need to visit the GP.
Following the meeting, Mr George said:
“I was delighted to host this meeting in the Senedd for Assembly Members to learn about the new independent prescribing service which has the potential to transform the way in which healthcare is delivered in rural areas.
“It is heartening to know that Dudley Taylor Pharmacy and Arwystli Medical Practice are pioneering a service which is ensuring that primary care, treatment and advice is quickly available to local people from the community pharmacy on the high street, alleviating pressure on GPs and providing a more convenient service for patients.
“Results from my own health survey indicated that patients are generally pleased with their local GP practice, but there is specific concern with how long patients have to wait to receive an appointment. This new model of delivering care will serve to combat this issue, relieve workload pressures on GP practices who are currently facing a recruitment crisis, and allow consultations for minor self-limiting conditions to be effectively managed in community pharmacies, increasing capacity and reducing costs.
“As a result of the success in Llanidloes, I sincerely hope that this innovative approach which has been developed in Powys will be rolled out across Wales and beyond.”
Dylan Jones from Dudley Taylor Pharmacy who presented the model to a group of Assembly Members said:
“Although in its infancy, our independent prescribing service is already helping to provide greater choice to patients, particularly as we are able to offer a prescriber service on Saturday when the practice is not open.
“We have also developed a wide range of other local services that complement the GP practice. This includes a respiratory box scheme, smoking cessation, asthma reviews and a benzodiazepine reduction clinic.
“We are particularly grateful for the expertise and support we have gained from the GP partnership which has already given us the confidence to pilot new services successfully.”