Northern Ireland chief pharmaceutical officer visited Tramway Pharmacy in Belfast last Friday to mark the closing of Ask Your Pharmacist Week.

During her visit to the pharmacy, which is owned by MediCare, Ms Harrison met with patients and staff and recorded a video to promote Northern Ireland’s Pharmacy First service for common ailments.

She also highlighted pharmacies’ role in cancer awareness and smoking cessation, as well as the treatment of urinary tract infections and vaccinations against flu and Covid-19.

Ms Harrison described pharmacies as “one of the front doors to the health service” and said: “In our community pharmacies you can always rely on friendly staff, medicines expertise and walk-in access to face-to-face advice.” 

Medicare managing director Michael Guerin said: “It was a pleasure to welcome the CPO to one of our branches. She is very engaged with the community pharmacy sector and it’s good that the general public gets to hear Cathy’s very clear endorsement of the vital work that pharmacies across Northern Ireland do.”

Other events in the National Pharmacy Association’s AYP campaign this year included an online medicines advice session for people living with Parkinson’s disease, local radio interviews and videos on the New Medicine Service in England.