At the start of COVID-19, Rowlands Pharmacy concentrated the provision of substance dependency programmes to one branch, Chapel Street. The programme increased from 45 clients to 120 clients (167 per cent increase) and the needle exchange transactions increased by 246 transactions (May 2019) to 500 transactions (May 2020).

Chapel Street is a busy community pharmacy which provides a separate entrance for substance dependency clients. The team provide an excellent, efficient programme which treats all clients as individuals – building a rapport with the client group which enables them to deliver support to the individuals and signpost them to the appropriate agencies.

As a result of their efforts and commitment, the team positively impact their clients’ lifestyles – possessing the ability to highlight the associated problems with substance dependency, such as housing issues, homelessness, financial hardship and mental health issues, and offer appropriate assistance. For example, they regularly refer clients to the Wrexham Substance Misuse Service and other organisations, such as the Salvation Army, soup kitchen, community care collaborative group, and mental health teams.

Furthermore, they are the lead local pharmacy for the Kaleidoscope project which aims to reduce offending by addressing substance dependency-related issues and providing opiate substitution therapy for a 12-week period for people leaving prison.