Role of community pharmacists in patients' self-care and self-medication

This review highlights the growing prominence of self-care and explores the contribution of community pharmacy. Firstly, background to self-care is discussed, followed by placing self-care in context with regard to the general public and accessing community pharmacy. From this perspective the contribution community pharmacy currently makes is assessed, paying particular attention to the factors that negatively impact on the ability of community pharmacy to facilitate self-care

Qualitative exploration of the views of healthy living champions from pharmacies in England.

BACKGROUND: In England, the 'Healthy Living Pharmacy (HLP)' initiative has been trialed; positive outcomes led to national roll-out across England to 20 pathfinder sites. A HLP provides health promotion/prevention services through a structured framework to meet local population need. Non-pharmacist staff receive additional training so that they can provide these services, and are known as Healthy Living Champions (HLCs). OBJECTIVES: To explore HLCs views on their role and to identify any barriers or facilitators in performing the role. METHODS: Fourteen semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted during February and March 2013 in NHS Dudley, and analysed using the principles of content analysis. RESULTS: Three themes emerged from the interviews; HLC job role; training; and public awareness. HLC staff showed high levels of motivation, a strong desire to help people and felt a sense of personal reward, resulting in increased levels of job satisfaction. Training had improved their confidence but they still had reservations in offering services such as alcohol intervention and weight management. All believed that public awareness was low despite advertising. CONCLUSION: HLCs were positive toward their new role and derived job satisfaction from helping people to improve their health, although on-going training and support was perceived as important

Public perceptions of recycled water: a survey of visitors to the London 2012 Olympic Park

The Old Ford Water Recycling Plant, operated by Thames Water, was used to supply non-potable recycled blackwater to some of the venues at the London 2012 Games. In an effort to learn from this experience, Thames Water commissioned a survey of visitors to the Olympic Park during the Games to explore public responses to the water recycling project. Results show a very high level of support for using non-potable recycled blackwater, both in public venues and in homes. Such findings may indicate a growing receptivity towards this technology, and show that Thames Water (and other private water companies) are well placed to encourage and even lead public discussion around the role of water reuse in the future of urban water supplies

Mentoring And Social Capital: Learning And Perceived Networking Opportunities For Women In Central Pennsylvania Rotary Clubs

This paper explores learning in Rotary clubs that have newly allowed women as members. The main focus of the paper is women’s perception of learning within the confines of these clubs with respect to mentoring and social capital’s existence. The study explores gaps in power within a middle-class Pennsylvania society. This study used phenomenology and grounded theory to investigate the lived experiences of women that are members of Rotary clubs in central Pennsylvania

On-call hospital pharmacy services in NHS England: service provision and documentation of medicines advice calls

Objectives UK hospital pharmacy services have historically been delivered during typical ‘office’ hours, which include the provision of medicines advice via the pharmacy's medicines information department. Outside office hours, an on-call service operates whereby pharmacists handle requests for medicine supply and advice. It is not known how this out-of-hours service operates. The aim of this study was to quantify the extent and scope of its provision across England. Methods A piloted self-administered survey was sent to every chief pharmacist in England representing acute hospitals and mental health trusts (n=218). Key findings Just over half (n=116/218, 53.2%) of chief pharmacists returned a completed survey. Most hospitals provided an on-call pharmacy service (87.1%, n=101/116). Nearly all on-call pharmacy services (91.1%, n=92/101) provided both supply of medication and medicines advice. Two-thirds (66.2%) of pharmacists who provided on-call services were junior. The majority of trusts (83.1%, n=74/89) receive <20 calls for medicines advice per week. Hospital nurses/midwives were seen as the most common users of the on-call pharmacy service. Medicines advice was documented by on-call pharmacists all (49.5%, n=47/95) or some of the time (49.5%, n=47/95). Just under half of trusts (41.1%, n=39/95) had a standard policy for the documentation of medicines advice. Two-thirds (66.7%, n=62/93) of respondents stated that advice was documented using paper-based forms. Most trusts (81.1%, n=77/95) provided training prior to pharmacists being on-call, with medicines information pharmacists involved in nearly 80% of cases (n=61/77) (respondents could select more than one option). Conclusions Medicines advice is an integral part of the pharmacy on-call service, which was provided by junior staff. Variability existed in resourcing the service across trusts. In addition to existing standards for documentation of medicines advice, professional standards should be developed for on-call hospital pharmacy service provision and training

Approaches to over-the-counter medications teaching in pharmacy education: A global perspective

Objective: The rise in patients seeking advice on symptoms and over-the-counter medications in community pharmacies requires that pharmacists possess the right knowledge and ability to make appropriate recommendations. The aim of this study was to investigate the current state of over-the-counter medication teaching in pharmacy schools worldwide. Method: An internet survey was sent to 324 pharmacy schools. Descriptive statistics were calculated and qualitative data were analysed for themes. Ethical approval was gained by Wolverhampton Science Ethics Committee, United Kingdom. Results: The response rate was 25.9% with 84 responses from 24 countries. Results showed that the main focus of teaching was: to provide students with knowledge on symptom presentation (97%); how to gather information, predominantly by using mnemonic acronyms (97%); and ensuring safety through referral mechanisms (74%). Conclusion: Pharmacy schools, overall, provide appropriate teaching centred on diagnostic ability, to manage patients signs and symptoms, however, staff employed and teaching methodologies used could be reviewed to better equip future students with the right knowledge and skills

Community pharmacist perceptions of delivering post-hospital discharge Medicines Use Reviews for elderly patients

Background The UK’s Department of Health has recommended that formal communication channels between hospital and community pharmacy should be established so that post discharge Medicines Use Reviews (dMUR) become an integral part of the medicines pathway. Objective To investigate the perspective of community pharmacists on the usefulness of dMUR referrals from hospital, the suitability of patients referred and overall views on the service. Method Self-completed survey distributed to 21 community pharmacists who had received referrals from the hospital during a 9-month randomized controlled feasibility study. Results Nineteen pharmacists (90.4%) returned the survey. Seven (36.8%) felt that it was hard to engage patients with dMURs. Failure or inability of patients to attend the pharmacy were the most common barriers. Reasons for medication changes (n=5) and indications for new medicines (n=4) were the most common examples of extra information that would be useful on referral. Community pharmacists held positive opinions on the dMUR service and could see the benefit to patients. Pharmacists wanted more referrals but reported performing few dMURs outside this study. Conclusion This study highlights the need to improve communication between hospital and community pharmacies and to overcome barriers to performing dMURs outside the pharmacy premises in this patient group. Impact of Findings on Practice • Referral of elderly patients from hospital to community pharmacy for a Medicines Use Review is well received by community pharmacists and is feasible • Reasons for medication changes and indications for new medicines started in hospital would be welcomed with the referral • Difficulty in patients leaving home to attend the pharmacy was the most common barrier to completion of the reviews • Contractual restrictions placed on UK community pharmacists limit their ability to provide the service to housebound patient

Post discharge medicines use review (dMUR) service for older patients: Cost-savings from community pharmacist interventions

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Impact of pharmacy medicine information service advice on clinician and patient outcomes: an overview

Background Pharmacy‐led medicine information (MI) services are available in many countries to support clinicians and patients make decisions on use of medicines. Objectives To establish what impact, if any, pharmacy‐led MI services have on clinician and patient outcomes. Methods All published works indexed in Embase or PubMed, meeting this review's inclusion and exclusion criteria, that wholly or partially attempted to measure the effects of MI advice were retrieved and assessed. Results Twenty studies were reviewed. Five broad themes were identified describing study findings, three were specific to clinicians: their views on the effect MI answers had; actions they took; and influence on their decision making. A fourth theme centred on patient utilisation of advice, and the fifth on ‘process measures’ attempting to determine MI worth. Discussion Studies report on positive patient outcomes as a direct result of MI advice. Clinicians and patients acted upon the advice provided. Clinicians also reported using MI advice as a ‘safety net’, to check, reassure or confirm what to do. MI advice also demonstrated economic worth, although these studies are old. Conclusion MI Service advice appears to affect clinician and patient outcomes. However, study design limitations require findings be viewed cautiously