Role of Pharmacy in Mental Health and Wellbeing

That the Parliament notes the publication of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s report, The role of pharmacy in mental health and wellbeing: COVID-19 and beyond; understands that the report calls for the expertise and clinical knowledge of pharmacists to be fully used to support people with mental health problems and ensure that they live longer and healthier lives; notes its recommendation that pharmacists, in collaboration with health and social care colleagues, play a central role in identifying people struggling with their mental health and wellbeing, increasing access to support for people experiencing poor mental health, supporting patients with prescribed medicines, and supporting communication across healthcare settings for effective transfer of care; understands that the number of people reporting mental health problems has increased significantly recently; acknowledges that, according to the Office for National Statistics, one in five people report having depressive symptoms compared with one in ten this time last year; recognises the important role that pharmacists will play in addressing this rise in mental health issues, and supports the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's call for pharmacists to be at the forefront of supporting the mental health of those affected by COVID-19.