Boots Irish Cancer Society Information Pharmacist now available in-stores nationwide offering support to cancer patients in their community

Boots Ireland, in partnership with the Irish Cancer Society, has today announced the launch of the first ever Boots Irish Cancer Society Information Pharmacist role, aimed at providing information and support services to those affected by cancer in the community.  The Boots Irish Cancer Society Information Pharmacist will be accessible to patients, families and carers, who will be able to call into a Boots pharmacy store to speak in private about a range of issues relating to cancer. Issues may range from discussing patient medication to the recommendation of a relevant cancer support service in the locality. Providing access to the Irish Cancer Society’s important support services is a key part of this role. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"4348","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"384","width":"480"}}]] In Ireland, one in three people develop cancer during their lifetime1. There is an average of 30,000 new cases of cancer diagnosed each year in Ireland1 with that number expected to rise to over 40,000 per year by 20201. As demand for cancer services is set to rise, the launch of the Boots Irish Cancer Society Information Pharmacist aims to complement existing Irish Cancer Society services and offer those affected by cancer access to information and support within the community setting.   The Irish Cancer Society has been Boots charity partner for over three years and over €633,000 has been raised by Boots Ireland to support the Irish Cancer Society Night Nursing service which provides over 8,000 nights of end of life care each year. Carmel O’Brien, HR and CR Director at Boots Ireland stated: “Boots Ireland is delighted to partner with the Irish Cancer Society on this important initiative. The Boots Irish Cancer Society Information Pharmacist is the next stage in our partnership with the Society and Boots Ireland is extremely proud to offer this much needed support service to cancer patients in the community. This unique partnership with the Irish Cancer Society will leverage our combined knowledge and resources to make a real and lasting difference to cancer patients and their families throughout Ireland”  Donal Buggy, Head of Services at Irish Cancer Society added: “The Irish Cancer Society and Boots Ireland believe that by sharing our expertise and working together, we can improve accessibility and awareness to trusted information. Through this pharmacy based initiative, we will improve access to support services and connect patients to Irish Cancer Society information, which will help achieve our joint ambition to improve the lives of everyone affected by cancer in the community.”     As community healthcare professionals, Boots Irish Cancer Society Information Pharmacists will help people with cancer related queries seek out the help and support they need, connect them to cancer information services and experts in their local community and signpost them to wider Irish Cancer Society services and online resources. Those wishing to use the service can drop into a Boots store as no appointment is necessary and any conversation will be held in a private consultation room within the pharmacy area. The launch of the Boots Irish Cancer Society Information Pharmacist adds to Boots Irelands in-store cancer service, the Boots Cancer Beauty Advisor service which offers support to patients to manage the visible effects of their cancer. Visit www.boots.ie/cancer to find your nearest Boots Irish Cancer Society Information Pharmacist.  For further information on the Irish Cancer Society or to make a donation, visit www.cancer.ie or contact the Irish Cancer Society Nurseline on Freephone 1800 200 700. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"4349","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"163","width":"480"}}]]