The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable John Haggie, Minister of Health and Community Services
There are more than 700 practicing pharmacists in Newfoundland and Labrador today, and with March being Pharmacist Awareness Month, it’s the perfect time to say thank you. These people are highly trained, capable professionals who provide frontline services every day to the general public.
Mr. Speaker, we often hear stories of the great work that pharmacists do in their communities and the helping hand they lend to people and their families, to seniors, and to patients. They provide advice, information, education and support in encouraging people to manage their own health.
The Premier and I attended the Pharmacists’ Association of Newfoundland and Labrador’s opening reception for Pharmacist Awareness Month last week. It was a wonderful evening and an opportunity for us to reiterate our continued support for pharmacists. We want to make sure pharmacists have the ability to work to their full scope of practice and will increase their role in the delivery of primary health care. By expanding scopes of practice, we are ensuring that people have greater access to primary care.
I encourage everyone to reach out to their local pharmacist this month. Have a conversation with them to learn more about the services they provide. I also want to acknowledge some other partners for their part in our health care system including the Newfoundland and Labrador Pharmacy Board, faculty and staff with Memorial University’s School of Pharmacy and pharmacy technicians in the province.
Mr. Speaker, I’d also like to mention that the Executive Director of the Pharmacists Association of Newfoundland and Labrador will be moving on from her position at the end of the month. It’s been a pleasure working with Ms. Power. I wish her all the best in her future endeavours.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker