A PHARMACY who were keen to join the vaccine roll-out in January is now administering Covid-19 vaccines.
Rowlands Pharmacy in Prestatyn is the first branch of the community pharmacy chain to start administering the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine.
Anne Greenall was the first to receive her vaccination at the Rowlands branch last month.
She said: “I’m very grateful to have had the vaccine. It was fuss free, I didn’t feel a thing and the staff were brilliant.”
The pharmacy was selected by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) to join the vaccine programme.
Kim Noble, pharmacy manager at Rowlands Prestatyn, Kim Noble, said: “We are incredibly proud to have been chosen as a Covid vaccination site and to be the first Rowlands pharmacy to be administering the vaccine.
"The team have gone above and beyond since the start of this pandemic and I’m thrilled that we are now able to welcome members of the community in-branch for their vaccine."
With 450 pharmacies across Wales, England and Scotland, Rowlands is the largest member group of Numark – the UK’s largest community pharmacy membership organisation with more than 4,600 member pharmacies.
James Davies MP with Rowlands Pharmacy Manager Kim Noble and Pharmacist Amy Crofts.
Together, Rowlands and Numark are hopeful that more community pharmacies across Wales can be involved in the Covid-19 vaccine roll out in the not too distant future.
Mark Bather, Rowlands Pharmacy managing director, said: “We are delighted that our branch in Prestatyn has been selected as a Covid-19 vaccine site and working collobratively with Local Health Boards, we hope this marks the start of many more Rowlands branches to come.
“There are hundreds more community pharmacies across Wales – ready, willing and able to deliver vaccinations. Protecting communities is at the heart of what pharmacy does, so as and when possible, we look forward to seeing more pharmacy teams join the collective fight to beat Coronovirus.”
The body believes they can make a ‘major contribution’ to the roll-out and have published figures showing their success in delivering the highest number of flu vaccines in Wales in a community pharmacy setting.
Responding to the plea for community pharmacies to be more involved in the roll-out, Dr Chris Stockport, executive director of Primary Care and Community Services, said the health board is ‘happy’ to involve any partners but a number of challenges are in place preventing more community pharmacies being used. This include vaccine supply, logistical challenges as well as storage requirements.
BCUHB will contact people regarding a vaccine appointment – no one should contact the pharmacy to try and arrange an appointment, unless they are invited to do so.
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