It was great to visit Caroline Hillier and her team at Everett's Pharmacy in Titchfield Village, with local representatives of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. She was even kind enough to check my blood pressure. One month into the new job and it's still at a healthy level!
Local pharmacies, especially in villages, play a vital role in healthcare services. In many instances, medical advice can be provided as well as primary care services. Many offer services such as emergency contraception, flu vaccinations, smoking cessation, weight management and minor ailment services but they can do much more such as long term condition management, HIV testing, anticoagulant clinics and palliative care medicine provision.
More people should think of going to their pharmacy first to help relieve pressure on GPs and A&E. Pharmacists' training enables them to check medical records and support patients in similar ways to GPs in certain cases.
We also took the opportunity to launch Diabetes Week at Everett's Pharmacy. Here in Fareham, we have the highest rate of foot amputations due to diabetes in the country and recent figures have shown that rates of diabetes are above average in Fareham. I raised this issue with the Secretary of State for Health in Parliament and was encouraged by news that the Government is piloting the first ever evidence-based Diabetes Prevention Programme. Trials in Finland, USA and Japan show 30-60% reductions in Type 2 diabetes incidence over 3 years through lifestyle change programme interventions. If we can reciprocate this, we could save tens of thousands of lives in the future and millions of pounds for the NHS. Currently, 2.5million people in England have Type 2 Diabetes, with another 9.6million at high risk of developing it. The human toll is more than 100 amputations per week and around 20,000 early deaths every year.
We know that obesity prevention cuts diabetes and saves lives. By supporting people to lose weight, exercise and eat better, we are focussing on tackling diabetes at the root cause.