Councillor Tierney pays tribute to work of local pharmacists

SDLP Councillor, Brian Tierney, has paid tribute to the work of community pharmacists in Derry.

Councillor Tierney was speaking to mark ‘Ask Your Pharmacist’ awareness week.

The Ballyarnett councillor said: “I know from my own first-hand experience how important local chemists are in our communities.

"When I’ve needed support for my own family, whether morning, noon or night, our local pharmacist has been available to provide advice, support and treatment. I know the same is true for many families across Derry and the North.

“Never has the importance of our local pharmacists been more clear than throughout the coronavirus pandemic. When our hospitals were overwhelmed and GP services became harder to access, our community pharmacists played a key role in making sure everyone was able to get the medical treatment they needed.

"With our health service crumbling, our pharmacists have often had to step up and fill that gap.

“Our community pharmacists have also played a key role in administering the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine and ensuring that people could get their jab in a convenient manner.

"I was extremely disappointed to hear reports of increased abuse directed towards the staff in pharmacies. Nobody should ever have to face abuse while doing their job and staff in our pharmacies strive to help local people and deserve our respect.

“To mark ‘Ask Your Pharmacist’ awareness week, I would ask everyone to take a moment and think about the positive contribution their local pharmacy team has made to their lives.

"We’d be a lot worse off without them and they play a key role at the heart of our communities.”