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The charity Marie Curie is urging community pharmacies in Northern Ireland to sign up to the Daffodil Standards to help them improve the care they provide for patients approaching the end of their lives and the bereaved.

The standards, developed by Marie Curie and the Royal College of Pharmacy, have already been adopted by some in community pharmacy, Boots having signed up 55 of its branches in the country.

Marie Curie said the standards are designed to increase pharmacists’ confidence when supporting people with palliative and end-of-life care needs, improve signposting and referral into local neighbourhood services and support networks and ensure conversations with patients, carers and families are more “effective and compassionate”.

The standards are also designed to provide “a welcoming pharmacy environment for people experiencing bereavement”.

“By embedding the Daffodil Standards into everyday practice, pharmacies can help to strengthen neighbourhood‑based care, working alongside GPs, district nursing teams, hospices and the voluntary sector,” Marie Curie said.

"(This will) ensure people living with terminal illnesses receive timely support, appropriate signposting and compassionate care within their own communities.”

Chris Black, a pharmacist at Marie Curie NI, said: “Community pharmacy teams are a cornerstone of neighbourhood care in Northern Ireland, offering accessible, trusted support within local communities.

“The Daffodil Standards are designed to help pharmacists feel confident in supporting people affected by terminal illness and bereavement, while contributing to more joined‑up, person‑centred care across neighbourhoods.”

Marie Curie said it is free for pharmacies to sign up and they will receive “a range of learning resources that can be adapted to suit their needs and the needs of their patients”.