Llanidloes: medical staff get visit from health secretary Vaughan Gething

On June 28 Mr Gething spoke to primary care providers at Dudley Taylor Pharmacy and Arwystli Medical Practice.

The award-winning Dudley Taylor Pharmacy in Llanidloes is unique in offering an independent pharmacy prescriber service.

This enables patients registered with Arwystli Medical Practice to be prescribed certain medicines by specially trained pharmacist Dylan Jones, without the need to visit their GP.

Pharmacist Dylan Jones completed his prescriber training with the support of GPs at the local practice and the service was officially made available from the pharmacy in December 2016.

Dylan Jones from Dudley Taylor Pharmacy in Llanidloes said: “I was delighted to have the opportunity to share with the health secretary the work taking place here in Llanidloes to offer an accessible alternative to visiting their GP.

"The service has been made possible through a partnership between our team here in the pharmacy, Arwystli Medical Practice, and Powys Teaching Health Board and has already been taken up by hundreds of patients since its launch less than two years ago.”

Dr Andy Raynsford from Arwystli Medical Practice in Llanidloes said: “In the week that the NHS celebrates its 70th birthday this visit allowed us to explain some of the great opportunities in rural primary care in Wales, and to explain the developments taking place here in Llanidloes and our ambitions for the future.”

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services Vaughan Gething said: “I was pleased to meet the team at Dudley Taylor Pharmacy to see how their joint working is helping ease pressure in the system by ensuring patients see the right professional for their needs.

“One of the priorities of our "Long-Term Plan, A Healthier Wales," is to develop more joined up working in the primary care community settings.

“I was also delighted to join NHS staff in Powys for their celebrations of the 70th anniversary of our National Health Service.”