A Kent MP has called on the Prime Minister to increase the role of pharmacies and chemists to ease the burden on the NHS.

Darent Valley Hospital was among those healthcare providers praised in the House of Commons today as Boris Johnson's government issued its Covid-19 response.

It comes after Dartford MP Gareth Johnson asked the Prime Minister Boris Johnson to expand the services pharmacies and chemists could offer to free up time restricted GPs and relieve the pressure on hospitals.

During the PM’s statement on Covid-19 to the House of Commons, Gareth Johnson said: “Darent Valley Hospital in my constituency did an amazing job at the heart of the outbreak, as did many of my local GP surgeries.

"However, they were under huge pressure. Therefore, would the Prime Minister consider extending the ability of local pharmacies and chemists to administer health treatment so these gems on our high street are able to ease the pressure on our health system?”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson replied: “He is completely right that pharmacies and chemists are in the frontline of our health care and do an absolutely outstanding job in testing people for all kinds of things.

"We will certainly support them in anyway we can."

Following this exchange, Gareth Johnson re-iterated his plea to take advantage of highly-trained but "underused" pharmacists.

He said: “Just a few weeks ago, I visited and met staff at Boots in Dartford, which has remained open throughout the Coronavirus pandemic.

“There are many more services pharmacies could offer given the high level of training and expertise pharmacists have. I believe they are a key part of the NHS which is currently underused.

"Pharmacists want to be able to offer treatments in more situations than is currently permitted and people seem to want them to, so we need to allow this to happen.’

“There has never been a more appropriate time to push for a trial of pharmacists being able to dispense routine medicines, which have previously only been available from GPs.

“Following my question in the House of Commons, I hope the Prime Minister will look into extending the services offered by pharmacists and help ease pressure on the NHS.”

“There are many more services pharmacies could offer given the high level of training and expertise pharmacists have."

At the outbreak of the pandemic in March the Kent and Medway Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC), which represents pharmacists in Kent, said services were operating under "immense pressure" around the clock .

One pharmacist said at the time the pressure on pharmacy staff to keep essential services going had been "relentless" and "emotionally draining", adding many were having to close for extended lunch hours to restock and recover.

Another made a heartfelt plea for people to stop abusing his staff who he said were baring the brunt of people's frustrations.

Shilpa Shah, chief executive officer of the Kent LPC, was pleased by the offer of support but sought assurances pharmacists would be paid fairly for their efforts.

She said: “This is very welcome news as community pharmacy is at the heart of so many communities. They are open long hours and at weekends and are accessible to all.

"Community pharmacists are highly skilled professionals and they have trained support staff to help patients with both minor ailments as well as long term conditions by giving them support and advice around their condition and their medication.

"Many pharmacists are independent prescribers which means that they are able to prescribe medication within their scope of practice, however this is mainly offered as a private service.

"Kent LPC would like to see this extend to NHS services with appropriate renumeration.”

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