NI Pharmacy Regulator commences centenary celebrations with visit to Derry

PICTURED ABOVE: DISPENSING ROBOT . . . . . Getting a tour of the dispensing robot at the Pharmacy and Medicines Department at Altnagelvin Hospital on Tuesday. From left, Bronagh Hegarty, Principal Pharmacist for Patient Services and Procurement, Altnagelvin Hospital; Dr. Geraldine O'Hare, President, Pharmaceutical Society NI; Professor Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for NI; Dr. Anne Friel, Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management, WHSCT and Councillor Darren Guy, Deputy Mayor, Derry City and Strabane District Council.

Northern Ireland’s regulator of pharmacists and pharmacies visited Derry on Monday to launch what will be a year-long celebration of the pharmacy profession.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland, which was founded in 1925, will be marking its centenary by hosting a series of events aimed at raising public awareness and appreciation of the contribution made by the pharmacy sector to supporting and promoting public health in Northern Ireland over the past 100 years.

Visits across the city included:

• A meeting of the Pharmaceutical Society’s Council at Altnagelvin Hospital’s main lecture theatre, opened by keynote addresses from Western Trust Chair, Dr Tom Frawley, and Chief Executive, Mr Neil Guckian OBE
• A tour of the hospital’s pharmacy department, including the aseptics unit and the state-of-the-art dispensing robot
• A visit to Murphy’s Chemists in the Waterside area of the city, which has been serving the community since 1951
• A visit to Aberfoyle Medical Practice to hear from GP pharmacists about the vital role they place in integrated healthcare provision

Head of Pharmacy and Medicines Management at the Western Trust, Dr Anne Friel welcomed Pharmaceutical Society President, Dr Geraldine O’Hare, and Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for Northern Ireland, Professor Cathy Harrison and hosted a tour of the hospital’s pharmacy department.

Derry and Strabane Deputy Mayor, Alderman Darren Guy, also joined them at Altnagelvin and the visit to Murphy’s Chemists.

Throughout the day, the visitors heard from a broad cross-section of the pharmacy workforce about the increasing contribution that pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and other team members are playing in all aspects of the health service in Northern Ireland, often acting as the first point of contact for patients seeking advice and treatment, as well as coordinating medicines management across all areas of practice.

Speaking on behalf of the Western Trust, Dr Friel said: “It was a privilege to invite and welcome members of the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland to the West today as they launch a programme to acknowledge the evolution of the pharmacy profession in Northern Ireland over the past 100 years.

“The Western Trust, and former health boards in this area, have played a pivotal role in the development of pharmacy services as well as the pharmacy profession in Northern Ireland.

“We provide a range of pharmacy services including aseptic preparation of injections to treat cancer and other conditions, ensuring robust supply and purchasing of medicines and working clinically as part of ward teams, making sure our patients get safe and effective medicines when they come to hospital.

“The Trust is at the forefront of implementing new Consultant Pharmacist roles that strategically develop medicines-related services across this area as well as pharmacist independent prescriber-run clinics. Our service has developed exponentially in the past 20 years and we have an exceptional team of over 230 pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, support workers and administration staff across our hospitals who go the extra mile for those who we serve.”

The visitors meeting with some of the Pharmacy Department staff at Altnagelvin Hospital on Tuesday.

Speaking during the visit to the pharmacy department, Pharmaceutical Society President, Dr O’Hare said: “I was delighted to witness the latest technological advances supporting the amazing work done by pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and other team members to treat hospital patients.

“Without these members of the hospital workforce so many treatments and procedures would be impossible. Also, with timely discharge from hospital so important in ensuring smooth patient flow in the face of considerable demand, the ability to dispense medicines efficiently and effectively is vital.”

Professor Harrison said: “Hospital Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians and pharmacy support staff are integral members of the multidisciplinary teams across our Health and Social Care Trusts in Northern Ireland.

“Hospital Pharmacists are valued as medicine experts, using their clinical skills to facilitate the safe, effective and appropriate use of medicines, as well as the provision of clinical education, to optimise the health and wellbeing of patients.

Hearing about the work of Pharmaceutical Technicians in the Aseptics Department, Altnagelvin Hospital during this week's visit are from left, Dr. Anne Friel, Head of Pharmacy and Medicines, WHSCT; Professor Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for NI; Deputy Mayor, Alderman Darren Guy; Deborah Peoples, Senior Pharmacist, Aseptics; Dr. Geraldine O'Hare, President, Pharmaceutical Society NI; Kate Morrison, Lead Aseptics Pharmacy Technician; Amanda Sheerin, Cancer Services Pharmacy Technician.

“The Departmental ‘Guide to Developing the Role of Consultant Pharmacists in Northern Ireland’ provides direction on supporting a consistent approach to the introduction of senior clinical pharmacy roles within and across HSC organisations. 

“Work underway to introduce the necessary changes to policy and legislation to enable the regulation and development of Pharmacy Technicians in Northern Ireland will further support the transformation of pharmacy services by optimising skill mix and will help to maintain public safety and confidence in the pharmacy profession.”

At Murphy’s Chemist, Dr Friel, Professor Harrison, Alderman Guy and Dr O’Hare met proprietor and pharmacist, Helen Murphy, who has been a practising pharmacist since the mid-70s.

Ms Murphy said: “Murphy’s Chemist opened its doors in 1951 by my father, Frank Murphy, and has served the local community ever since.

Group pictured during the courtesy visit to Murphy's Chemist, Spencer Road, Derry/Londonderry on Tuesday afternoon. From left, Ben Harkin, Pharmacist, Murphy’s Chemist; Helen Murphy, Pharmacist and Owner at Murphy’s Chemist, Spencer Road, welcoming Professor Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for NI and Dr. Geraldine O'Hare, President, Pharmaceutical Society NI. (Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography)

“Murphy’s Chemist has established itself as the first port of call for all our patients’ healthcare needs. We have committed to keeping pace with the latest technologies in the sector including a CONSIS dispensing robot, a state-of-the-art collection point and text and collect service.

“Murphy’s Chemist is always eager to provide the latest services and as such have participated in multiple pilots and pathfinders such as the UTI and sore throat test and treat services.

“We pride ourselves on our dedication to educate and train our community’s future pharmacists by providing Foundation Year training to graduates and Experiential Learning placements for UU and QUB students.

“As one of Northern Ireland’s longest serving pharmacists, I take pride in myself and my team for serving the local community for the past 73 years.”

Professor Harrison, speaking about Community Pharmacy, said: “The recently published Community Pharmacy Strategic Plan 2030 describes a positive and ambitious vision for community pharmacy in Northern Ireland where community pharmacists can offer more clinical services that utilise the skills of their teams to offer the public safe, convenient, and faster access to care.

“Implementation of the Strategic Plan across four major reform programmes for services, legislation, workforce, and digital enablers will transform community pharmacy’s role within the HSC and help realise the potential within community pharmacy teams to provide quicker access to care for acute and long-term conditions in local communities, utilising advances in medicines, diagnostics, digital and medical technologies.”

Dr O’Hare said: “Community pharmacies are a place where so much primary healthcare is delivered, and it is incumbent on all of us to appreciate the amazing work done by pharmacists and other members of staff at these venues.”

During the final visit of the day, to Aberfoyle Medical Practice, Dr Friel, Professor Harrison and Dr O’Hare met with Dior McWilliams, the practice’s pharmacist, and David Lenagh, Lead Pharmacist for the Derry GP Federation.

Mr Lenagh said: “General Practice Pharmacists (GPPs) have been in practice in the Derry Federation since 2016. We employ 33 pharmacists who cover 27 member practices from Limavady to Ederney and a patient population of around 210,000.

“GPPs promote the management of chronic health conditions and embed the Medicines Optimisation Quality Framework within primary care. This includes the management of the repeat prescribing system within GP Practices, alongside ongoing medication reviews, medication reconciliations and dealing with medication queries and shortages.

“Our focus is to work as an integral part of the MDT within primary care, as well as working across the interface with our community pharmacy and secondary care colleagues to deliver high quality and evidenced-based patient-centred care.”

Professor Harrison said: “The introduction of pharmacists into all general practice teams has seen proven improvements in the safety, efficiency, effectiveness, and consistency of prescribing within GP practices and has helped to alleviate some of the pressures faced in primary care.

Group pictured during a courtesy visit to Aberfoyle Medical Practice, Strand Road, Derry on Tuesday afternoon. From left, Dior McWilliams, Pharmacist, Aberfoyle Medical Practice; David Lenagh, Lead Pharmacist, Derry GP Federation; Dr. Geraldine O'Hare, President, Pharmaceutical Society NI, Niall Bakewell, Communications Officer, Pharmaceutical Society of NI and Professor Cathy Harrison, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for NI.

“The Department’s ‘GPP NI 2030’ strategy, published earlier this year, outlines a vision for how general practice pharmacists can contribute fully to optimising the health outcomes of our population as the clinical leads for medicines in the general practice team.

“Building the capacity and capability of the general practice pharmacist workforce through delivery of the strategy in the coming months and years will help to drive reform and innovation in frontline care.”

Dr O’Hare said: “GP pharmacy is an area of practice that needs to be celebrated more. GP pharmacists are often the first point of contact for patients seeking medicines related advice.

“They are also a vital link in the chain of healthcare in Northern Ireland, especially in coordinating the transition of patients being discharged from hospital, ensuring a consistency of treatment and medicines management.”

Reflecting on the day, Dr O’Hare concluded: “Throughout 2025, as we look back on 100 years as an organisation, we want to bring public attention to just how vital these professionals are in supporting the entire healthcare sector in Northern Ireland.

“We are also excited to be working on the inclusion of pharmacy technicians to our register, the first time in our history that we have extended registration to professionals other than pharmacists.

“To every pharmacist, pharmacy technician, and all other members of their teams, I would like to say, thank you for your skills, expertise and dedication to our healthcare. This is all about you.”

The Pharmaceutical Society NI hopes to stage further Council meetings in venues throughout Northern Ireland during 2025, with visits to other pharmacy workplaces also being planned. Updates on the Centenary celebrations will be posted on the History section of its website as well as on its Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts.