Guidance for managing child abuse does not exist
Currently, no professional guidelines exist for pharmacists to help them manage cases of suspected child abuse, although the Royal Pharmaceutical Society may decide to develop some.
Leaders in pharmacy education are also looking at whether training programmes
around the issue should be developed following the inquiry report in
January last year into the death of eight-year-old Victoria Climbie,
which highlighted serious failings in all the main child protection services.
Some community pharmacists are already given advice by their primary
care trust about how to identify abuse and what steps to take if their
suspicions are aroused. This is given as part of their training in offering
emergency hormonal contraception.
Head of practice at the Society Sue Kilby said: “We are aware that
the Society is getting queries from pharmacists asking for advice about
how to manage the issue of child abuse and I think it is something we
ought to be looking at.”
The lack of any official guidance was highlighted to The Journal by Steve
Brown, pharmaceutical adviser at Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire
Strategic Health Authority. He realised the absence after the StHA was
pulling together professional advice for allied health professionals
in light of the Climbie inquiry.
Mr Brown said: “So far as I am aware nothing at all exists for
pharmacists. My concern is that with the introduction of supplementary
prescribing, suspected child abuse could become more of an issue for
community pharmacists because of their closer contact with patients.”
He said he was aware that the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education
is currently considering the need for an education programme for dealing
with child abuse. The Scottish equivalent, the Scottish Centre for Post
Qualification Pharmaceutical Education, said it would consider designing
a training programme if the need was identified by pharmaceutical advisers.
Assistant director Arlene Brailey said: “I think if we were given
guidance by the professional body [Royal Pharmaceutical Society] or some
of the chief pharmaceutical advisers to raise awareness of child abuse
then we would address the issue.”
A National Pharmaceutical Association spokeswoman said that the NPA would
take concerns raised by community pharmacists seriously and do all it
could to help. She drew attention to Department of Health advice (HSC2003/7)
published in May 2003 that offers child protection guidance for health
and social care professionals.
The circular called, “What to do if you are worried about a child
being abused”, advises any health professional to refer any concerns
to social services and to follow up any worries they have in writing
to social services within 48-hours of the original referral.
The Society said that any pharmacist who is worried that a patient or
customer was the subject of child abuse should contact their local area
child protection committee. |
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