The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7188 p311-320
9 March 2002

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Awareness week stresses pharmacy's part in NHS

Community pharmacy's place within the National Health Service in Scotland was highlighted as part of a pharmacy awareness week organised by Ayrshire and Arran Primary Care Trust. The week ran from 25 February to 2 March 2002.

Allan Thomas, pharmacy adviser to Ayrshire and Arran PCT, said that the NHS logo for Scotland was used in all promotional materials for the week and vinyl window stickers were produced for pharmacies.

"I had planned this before the pharmaceutical care strategy for Scotland was published, three weeks before our awareness week. The strategy has an action point for all pharmacies to carry the NHS logo by the end of 2002, so this was a bit of luck."

The awareness campaign highlighted the services available from community pharmacies and some of the extended role pilots being carried out in the area, including electronic transfer of prescriptions, the model pharmaceutical care scheme for the frail elderly and direct supply of medicines for minor ailments (PJ, 23 February, p238).

Of the 89 pharmacies in the area, 72 took part in the campaign. Information was sent to general practitioners' surgeries and clinics.

Following discussions with public health practitioners at local health care co-operatives, selected pharmacies were used to provide information on local health issues. These included teenage sexual health in one area and childhood asthma in another.

"The idea of these local initiatives was to see how we could move pharmacy awareness week on in future. Highlighting local health priorities and working with LHCCs might be the way to go," Mr Thomas said.