Belfast pharmacist stabbed in hand during burglary

Linda Stewart — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 11:16:03 +0000

A pharmacist from north Belfast says he was lucky not to suffer tendon damage after he was stabbed in the hand during an aggravated burglary.

Conor McAreavey, from Teague’s Pharmacist on Antrim Road, said a man entered the shop at about 5.30pm on Saturday and used a hammer to break through a Covid protection screen.

During a scuffle, Mr McAreavey was stabbed before the attacker fled.

Without the screens, he said, the attacker “would have been straight into the heart of the dispensary” and “could have taken anything he wanted.”

“It’s been happening all over north Belfast for the last couple of weeks and it’s just unacceptable,” he said.

“We are at the frontline here, we’re all exhausted after two years of Covid and now as things open up to have this start to happen again to us is just unacceptable and very worrying for the staff.”

On Sunday, police described the attacker as being 6ft (1.8m) in height, of medium build and wore jeans, a dark coloured hooded jacket, brown framed glasses and a black facemask.

PSNI Det Sgt Dougherty said that as the man left the pharmacy he was confronted by another man and “again brandished his knife” before making off towards Hillman Street.

The officer said police would like to speak to this man to assist with their enquiries.

Mr McAreavey returned to work on Monday, saying the sector was experiencing a staffing crisis and “there’s no other option”.

Gerard Greene, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI, said: “This was a horrible attack on a pharmacy team going about their normal job helping people on a Saturday afternoon.

“We utterly condemn this behaviour. An attack on a local community pharmacy team impacts lots of people who rely on us.”

“We would reiterate the call by the PSNI for anyone who witnessed anything to contact them or Crimestoppers.”

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Community pharmacists to cease providing medicines in compliance aids

Linda Stewart — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 15:34:23 +0000

Community pharmacists in Northern Ireland have voted overwhelmingly to cease providing medicines in compliance aids such as medicines trays for new patients from 1^st December 2021, citing persistent and widespread workforce pressures.

At a meeting of community pharmacist contractors last week, 97% voted to close the medicine adherence service to new patients from the start of next month.

Faced with mounting pressures and without the appropriate investment, community pharmacists have serious concerns about their ability to continue providing this non-commissioned service, that is delivered largely on a goodwill basis, Community Pharmacy NI said.

The service involves community pharmacists supporting patients in the community to manage their medicines, and involves an in-depth pharmacist consultation, continuous monitoring, medicines provision in a specialised container, and regular and ongoing collaboration between a patient, their family and the pharmacist.

Community pharmacists have continually warned that due to sustained workforce pressures and increasing staffing shortages, they would reach a point at which they could no longer accept new patients if they were to ensure the safe delivery of commissioned core services, including the dispensing of medicines and Covid-19 vaccination and Booster services.

Increasing pressures

Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI, Gerard Greene said: “Due to increasing pressures, community pharmacists must prioritise core services and the contractor vote to cease providing new patients requiring non-commissioned compliance aid services was not taken lightly.

“We are now in a position which no community pharmacist wants to be in, but continuing to accept new patients whilst managing an already demanding workload, coupled with severe workforce shortages would put both patient safety and commissioned pharmacy services at risk.

“Community pharmacists are an essential part of the delivery of the adherence service, using their clinical skills at a community level to support patients in managing their medicines safely. They want to continue to support their patients but only via a service commissioned and appropriately funded by the Health and Social Care Board.”

Community Pharmacist Peter Rice said: “As essential primary healthcare providers, it deeply concerns me that we have arrived at this point, but my staff are stretched extremely thinly, and we cannot continue to take-in new patients for the service without the appropriate resources in support.

“As part of this service, we have been assisting patients, often those who are elderly, to safely manage their medicines at home and in the community, reducing the need for patients to be transferred to other settings such as hospitals. It is worrying that by not commissioning this service, there could be additional and avoidable hospital pressures.

“We are continually approached by new patients and their families who want to avail of the medicines adherence service, and as healthcare providers we want to help. Without the support from the Department to do this, we have to protect core services until a solution can be found.”

Caption: Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy NI, Gerard Greene

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Belfast pharmacist stabbed in hand during burglary

Community pharmacists to cease providing medicines in compliance aids