he network is funded by Welsh language education provider Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and was launched last week (October 22) at an event in Swansea. 

Swansea University pharmacy professor Delyth James is leading the Welsh Pharmacy Network and said developing this group of Welsh speaking Pharmacists in Wales will “build a strategic foundation” to safeguard Welsh language provision in pharmacists’ undergraduate education in Wales. 

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"We have already started compiling a list of Welsh speaking Pharmacists which already extends to over 200 individuals across the seven Health Board areas in Wales,” James said. 

She added “there is a need” for Welsh-speaking pharmacists to communicate with patients and this aligns with the Welsh Government's Mwy na Geiriau strategy to “increase health provision in Welsh”. 

Cardiff University, Bangor University and Swansea University are organising the provision as they offer MPharm degrees in Wales. 

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The Coleg’s senior higher education manager Dr Gwenllian Owen said the network reflects the “growing demand” for a workforce to work in both Welsh and English and it will help the Welsh language to be developed "sustainably and effectively”. 

"We are proud to contribute to the development of this network and see this work as a key part of our mission to strengthen Welsh language provision across priority sectors." 

Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol also supports prospective Welsh-medium students to apply to pharmacy courses in its Health Workers of Tomorrow scheme. 

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It comes as Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW) said earlier this month that negotiations with Welsh Government and NHS Wales over the 2025-26 CPCF are “continuing” but the government’s proposal was “insufficient to sustain the viability of the network”. 

In September, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) appointed Dr Geraldine McCaffrey as its new director for Wales.