New plans to further transform pharmacy services in Wales over the next three years are being launched today (Thursday 27 October) in Cardiff.
The plans are a key part of delivering the aspirations for pharmaceutical care as laid out in Pharmacy: Delivering a Healthier Wales, the pharmacy profession’s 10 year vision for maximising the contribution of the pharmacy team to patient care in Wales.
The 2025 goals build on the progress already made since Pharmacy: Delivering a Healthier Wales was published in 2019. They continue to focus on breaking down boundaries between care settings, ensuring patients benefit from the expertise of the pharmacy team wherever and whenever they need them, and harnessing the latest innovations and technology to enhance the delivery of safe and effective pharmaceutical care.
Increasing patient access to pharmacist independent prescribers, ensuring a greater skill mix across the pharmacy team, and delivering pharmaceutical services in clinical priority areas such as palliative and end of life care, and mental health are just some of the aims outlined in the new plans to enhance patient care.
Developing the pharmacy workforce and enhancing professional practice are also key elements of the 2025 goals, with a particular focus on developing more dynamic, progressive and varied career pathways for the pharmacy team. Key to success will be creating further opportunities for portfolio careers for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, ensuring patients can benefit from access to the pharmacy team across different settings and as part of multi-disciplinary approaches.
Importantly, the plans prioritise the wellbeing of the pharmacy team and aim to stimulate greater flexibility for the pharmacy workforce in benefiting from training, research and leadership.
Commenting on the launch of the 2025 goals, Elen Jones, RPS Director for Wales said:
“This is an exciting time for pharmacy as we embark on another three year commitment to transformation in Wales. The 2025 goals continue to drive our aspirations for pharmacy and patients, recognising the current pressures facing the workforce after a period of significant disruption and challenge.
“I am proud that the RPS in Wales has been a part of this important work, leading on behalf of the Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee and contributing to the strategic oversight of the programme with the national Delivery Board. The input of the pharmacy profession and other colleagues from across Wales has been truly inspirational. I feel increasingly confident we are on track to meet our 2030 aspirations and I look forward to further supporting this agenda over the next three years”.
Read the 2025 in English.
Read the 2025 goals in Welsh.