The public consultation was launched in March 2022 on a proposal to introduce statutory regulation of the Pharmacy Technician workforce in Northern Ireland.

The Minister said: “I am pleased to begin establishing pharmacy technicians as a regulated healthcare profession in Northern Ireland. This will be a key enabler to enhancing the contribution that pharmacy technicians can make to the delivery of healthcare across all settings. It will allow the regulator to strengthen its role in protecting patients and promoting high standards, thereby enhancing the public’s confidence and trust in pharmacy practice.

“While there are many practical issues to be worked through with stakeholders, and legislative change required, I have now instructed my Department’s officials to develop a detailed project plan to bring about the statutory regulation of pharmacy technicians by the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland.”

Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Cathy Harrison said: “I welcome the publication of this consultation report, which is a further step towards meeting our ambitions for the development of the pharmacy workforce as set out in the Pharmacy Workforce Review, and I would like to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who took time to provide a response.

“Our population is best served by full utilisation of the skillset of all members of the pharmacy team to ensure that people get the most from their medicines every day. Progressing the registration and regulation of pharmacy technicians as healthcare professionals in their own right will support the transformation of pharmacy services by optimising skill mix and will help to maintain public safety and confidence in the pharmacy profession.”

The consultation closed on 20 May 2022 and the Department has now published a consultation summary report on the feedback received.

A link to the consultation report can be found here Introduction of Statutory Regulation of the Pharmacy Technician Workforce in Northern Ireland | Department of Health (health-ni.gov.uk)

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The Northern Ireland Executive in line with the rest of the UK, has agreed that folic acid should be added to non-wholemeal wheat flour. This will mean that foods made with flour, such as bread, will actively help avoid potentially life-threatening spinal conditions in babies every year.

Announcing the public health measure, Health Minister Robin Swann said: “The importance of folic acid at pre-conception and during pregnancy is well-evidenced. In Northern Ireland we have a higher incidence of birth defects due to folic acid deficiency, which disproportionately impacts on those living in areas of higher social deprivation. Today’s announcement has the potential to bring significant public health benefits.

“The fortification of flour with folic acid is already an established measure in 80 countries globally. Including in Australia, New Zealand and Canada where there has been a reduction in neural tube defects as a result.”

Non-wholemeal flour is already an established vehicle for fortification and the costs of fortification to industry are expected to be minimal. Flour is currently fortified with calcium, iron, niacin and thiamin during milling to support health.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Michael McBride said: “Fortifying flour with folic acid allows all women who could become pregnant to increase their intake of the important nutrient and reduce their risk of having a pregnancy affected by a Neural Tube Defect. In the first 12 weeks of pregnancy the neural tube forms the early part of the brain and spine. Not getting enough folate (Vitamin B9) in early pregnancy can lead to neural tube defects and result in spinal conditions such as spina bifida or anencephaly.”

It is recommended that women who could become pregnant or are planning a pregnancy take a 400 micrograms folic acid tablet every day before pregnancy and until they are 12 weeks pregnant. This advice will continue, but with around 50% of pregnancies in the UK unplanned, the action to increase folic acid intake across the population will help protect more babies, especially where a pregnancy is unplanned and supplements are not taken early enough.

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At present, the programme is available to employers in designated sectors with more than 50 employees who cannot work from home. This includes key sectors in the private and public sectors, including local councils.

The programme will be extended to all private sector employers with more than 50 employees who cannot work from home – including essential retail.

Good news for retailers

Minister Swann said:“This expansion is good news for workers, for employers, for public health and for the Northern Ireland economy.

“Workforce testing is an important weapon in the fight against Covid-19. Up to one-third of people who have coronavirus are asymptomatic and by rapidly identifying and containing any asymptomatic cases, we can reduce the spread of transmission, alongside other protective measures such as handwashing and social distancing.

“There has been a great deal of interest in this programme from employers who want to work with us to keep their staff and customers safe, and to keep their businesses open. The Department has received around 230 expressions of interest so far.

“Given the success of this first phase, I am very pleased to be opening up the programme to all private sector employers with more than 50 employees who cannot work from home.”

Further details of the programme, and information on what it means for employers, are available on the Department’s website at: https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/workforce-testing and NI Business Info at: https://www.nibusinessinfo.co.uk/content/coronavirus-workplace-covid-19-testing-key-sector-employers.

Mr Swann added: “We are currently developing proposals to expand the programme to all private sector companies of any size and hope to announce further details of this shortly.

“It is crucial that everyone across the country helps us continue to keep infection rates low and break the chains of transmission of the virus.”

LFTs – Lateral Flow Tests

Lateral Flow Tests (LFTs) will be used in the workforce testing initiative and will help in the expansion of asymptomatic testing across a range of settings in Northern Ireland.

Individuals with positive LFTs will have to isolate immediately along with their households.  They should then book a PCR swab test at their closest test site to confirm the result. Community contact tracing will be initiated on PCR confirmation.

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