The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 268 No 7191 p419-425
30 March 2002

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Osteoporosis scanning through community pharmacy

People over the age of 60 years are being scanned for osteoporosis in a community pharmacy in Havering Primary Care Trust as part of a four-week pilot scheme.

Hemant Patel, secretary of North East London Pharmaceutical Committees, said that the scheme provides an easy access, pharmacy-based service for identifying osteoporosis in order to reduce the potential for fractures in older people.

Patients aged 60 years or over and those of any age who are taking steroids are given a risk-factor questionnaire to fill in by the pharmacist. Depending on their answers, patients then have a bone scan of their heel on the premises, which is performed by a trained nurse. The service is advertised in the window of the community pharmacy and general practitioners can refer patients to the service.

To date, over 180 people have filled in the questionnaire and 133 have been scanned for osteoporosis, of whom 21 people have been found to be osteopenic and 36 to be osteoporotic. Those people who are osteopenic are advised about good bone health, told to exercise and advised to see their GP in two years' time. Those that are osteoporotic are referred to their GP for treatment.

Mr Patel told The Journal that the pilot aims to see how well community pharmacy can contribute to the delivery of National Service Framework for Older People standards — to prevent falls and reduce resultant fractures (standard six) and the promotion of health and wellbeing in older people (standard eight).

Community pharmacists, GPs, hospital consultants and nurses have all been working together to improve the care of the older person. He commented that so far "patients' reactions [to the scheme] have been extremely good".

Mr Patel added that an ideal way forward is for the community pharmacist to initiate therapy with a bisphosphonate via a patient group direction. However, pharmacists authorised to supply treatment under a PGD will need to complete a Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education recognised course on osteoporosis as well as attend at least one consultant-led osteoporosis clinic first.