ON WORLD Pharmacists Day, Chief Pharmacist for NHS England in the North West, Karen O’Brien, proudly recognises the vital role pharmacists play in delivering safe, effective, and compassionate healthcare in the North West.

Across the NHS, pharmacists are at the heart of patient care—from hospital wards and GP practices to community pharmacies and care homes. They ensure the safe use of medicines, provide expert clinical advice and empower patients to manage their health more effectively.

Karen O’Brien, Chief Pharmacist for NHS England in the North West said: “On World Pharmacists Day, we celebrate the achievements of all pharmacists and their teams. Pharmacists are the cornerstone of our health service, their expertise, dedication, and compassion make a profound difference in the lives of millions every day.”

Pharmacists are essential to NHS service delivery across our region and the country, working across all parts of the system, from commissioning to delivery of patient care. Medicines optimisation teams have supported increased use of NICE approved medicines helping to increase value for the NHS, they deliver medication prescribing review programmes, reduce overprescribing and implement pharmacy-led safety programmes, preventing thousands of patients coming to harm.

Pharmacists across the region have led antimicrobial stewardship programmes.  These programmes have led to a reduction in prescribing of antibiotics by 1.1 million prescriptions, which in turn reduces the number of people becoming resistant to important antibiotics. As part of hospital pharmacy services, pharmacists have overseen homecare services, supporting 500,000 patients annually, these services bring care closer to home and reduce hospital demand.

Pharmacy teams also play a vital role in aseptic services, which are essential for delivering life-saving treatments such as chemotherapy, intravenous nutrition, and clinical trial drugs. In the North West, 21 aseptic facilities operate across Cheshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Lancashire and South Cumbria.  The team’s contribution helps release hospital bed days, improve productivity, and ensure timely access to essential treatments.

In recent years, the role of community pharmacy has expanded significantly, with pharmacists now offering services such as vaccinations, helping to prevent hospital admissions through medicines optimisation, blood pressure checks, medication reviews and support for long-term conditions like diabetes and asthma.

Pharmacists are highly trained, and often the most accessible of primary care professionals in a community, providing expert support and advice around medicines and healthcare. In the North West, there are currently over 1500 community pharmacies providing walk-in access to health and care, without an appointment, delivering a range of key services.

Dr Paula Cowan, GP and Regional Medical Director for Primary Care said: “I can’t tell you how much I value the role of community pharmacists, they are trusted, knowledgeable, and an integral part of community care delivery.

“As a GP, I see them not just as dispensers of medicine, but as clinicians and partners in prevention, education, and continuity of care.”

Pharmacy First gives quick and convenient access to safe and high quality healthcare and includes the supply of appropriate medicines for seven common conditions including earache, sore throat, and urinary tract infections, aiming to address health issues before they get worse.

Across the North West more than 95% of community pharmacies are participating in the initiative and to the end of July 2025 more than 298,000 people were supported through Pharmacy First.

Last April, the NHS Contraception service launched, allowing community pharmacists to support patients with the continuation and start of oral contraception without the need to get a prescription or see a GP. People can self-refer or be referred by their general practice, sexual health clinic or equivalent, to a participating pharmacy. From next month, community pharmacies will also be able to prescribe emergency contraception.

Steve Riley is Deputy Chief Pharmacist for NHS England in the North West, he said: “In honour of World Pharmacists Day, I’ve been taking the time to reflect on the ways pharmacy colleagues in our region, and across the country, support us, our families and friends, every day.

“I’m proud we have this important resource available supporting and leading across the whole of the NHS. I want to thank them for their dedication and commitment to the health and wellbeing of our communities.”