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| People vulnerable to influenza are to be identified by community pharmacists |
Richmond primary care group in south west London has started a scheme whereby
community pharmacists can refer suitable patients to their general medical practitioners
to receive influenza vaccinations.
Community pharmacists taking part in the scheme will identify high-risk patients
from information on prescriptions. High-risk patients are those aged over 65
or those suffering from chronic respiratory disease, chronic cardiovascular
disease, chronic renal disease or diabetes mellitus, or who are immunocompromised
due to disease or drug therapy. A leaflet on ’flu vaccination will be included
with these patients’ dispensed medicines and they will be asked if they
have been vaccinated. Pharmacists will seek to persuade those who have not to
visit their GP. Pharmacists have been supplied with a key messages sheet to
help them dispel common myths about vaccination.
When making referrals, pharmacists will complete referral forms for patients
to take with them. The forms indicate why the patient has been referred, from
the categories listed above, and include space for the pharmacy’s stamp.
These forms will be collected by GP surgeries and analysed after the scheme
ends.
The scheme was due to start on October 18 and will run until December 8. Pharmacies
taking part in the scheme will be paid a fee of £110.
A recent report by Health and Community Care Committee of the Scottish Parliament
(PJ, October 14, p538)
advocated that all community pharmacies in Scotland should take part in a scheme
along the lines of the one being run by Richmond PCG