The Prince of Wales has addressed a special reception for community pharmacy teams, thanking them for their “marvellous” efforts in serving local patients.

The event, which was hosted by the Prince of Wales at St James’s Palace last night (May 4), saw him give a speech in which he paid tribute to the “dedication and professionalism of pharmacy staff” during the pandemic.

He said: “Over this unbelievably harrowing period, you, ladies and gentlemen have kept vulnerable people supplied with medicines, played a key part in the N.H.S. vaccination programme.

“You supported testing and have been a vital source of healthcare advice to millions of people.

“As well as your great achievements during that extraordinary time, I really am deeply conscious of your efforts in ordinary times too. For that reason, I very much hope that this evening’s event will help, a little bit, to highlight the marvellous work you do in your communities day in and day out.”

Prince Charles also praised the workforce for its “truly inspiring” diversity, saying: “Woven into the history of community pharmacy are thousands of individual stories about immigration into the United Kingdom and how people from overseas have built a life here. 

“Now, in their turn, they are not only providing pharmaceutical care to British communities, but also to those who have recently been displaced from other parts of the world, including the Middle East, Europe and Africa.”

He concluded: “You are a very familiar fixture in the nation’s high streets and neighbourhoods – something that people have come to rely on and value tremendously over generations. 

“Pharmacies are about people and places, not just pills.”

NPA chair Andrew Lane commented after the event: “It was a privilege to meet The Prince of Wales and to be amongst so many great pharmacy colleagues at this very special event. 

“His Royal Highness was very interested in what we do for our communities and he really gets what we are all about as a profession.”