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Six politicians in Northern Ireland visited community pharmacies in the country this week to find out how they support people living with a terminal illness to mark Palliative Care Week. 

Alliance Party deputy leader Eóin Tennyson, Ulster Unionist Party member Doug Beattie and the Democratic Unionist Party’s Diane Dodds went to Daly’s Pharmacy in Banbridge where they spoke to staff about the personalised care they provide patients and their families and carers.

Connie Egan, Alan Chambers and Peter Martin from the Alliance Party, Ulster Unionist Party and Democratic Unionist Party respectively visited Sweeney’s Pharmacy in Holywood.

Tennyson said the commitment of Daly’s Pharmacy’s team “in supporting those living with life-limiting conditions, as well as their families and carers, at some of the most difficult times in their lives” caught his attention.

“They provide a familiar face, advice, support, and continuity of care in the community which can’t be matched or replicated anywhere else in the health service,” he said.

David Marshall, the pharmacist at Sweeney’s Pharmacy, said his team works closely with the Marie Curie Hospice in East Belfast and local district nursing teams, GPs, carers and families, providing medicines, advice and signposting.

Demand for palliative care in Northern Ireland is expected to grow by more than 32 per cent by 2048, from 15,500 people in 2023 to 20,500 in 2048, because of an increase in chronic illnesses and an ageing population, according to Marie Curie.

The charity said palliative care is provided by all community pharmacies in Northern Ireland while Daly’s and Sweeney’s are among over 75 pharmacies there that have signed up to the Daffodil Standards, a set of guidelines developed by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and Marie Curie to help pharmacists “maintain good practice in providing palliative and end-of-life care”.

Palliative Care Week runs from September 7-13.

Pictured left to right: Peter Martin, Chris Black from Marie Curie, David Marshall, Connie Egan, Alan Chambers and Alliance Party councillor Martin McRandal.