Community pharmacists in Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster health authority have started a project to improve the oral health of drug users.
Fifteen community pharmacists and 25 dentists are participating in this project, with a target of interviewing 200 drug users. The pharmacists will complete a structured questionnaire with addicts that will include giving basic oral health messages. If necessary, the pharmacists will refer the drug user one of the dentists.
The project has been developed through the Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster community pharmacy drug reference group (PJ, June 20, p 891) and funded by the Westminster drug action team.
All participating pharmacists attended an evening training session along with one member of their staff. Each pharmacy is being paid £150 for taking part in the project, plus further payments for each intervention.
In a statement on April 4, Mr Tony Carson (the health authority's community pharmacy facilitator) said: "As well as trying to improve the oral health of drug users this project will be able to measure the impact of the pharmacists' interventions and will be a further step towards recognising the important role that pharmacists can play in the health care needs of their customers."