Guide to how pharmacists can tackle public health
How pharmacists can develop their role in public health is described
in a reference guide (PDF 1 MB) jointly published this week by four pharmacy
organisations. Produced by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, PharmacyHealthLink,
the National Pharmaceutical Association, and the Pharmaceutical Services
Negotiating Committee, the guide describes the concept of public health,
the evidence base behind it and how pharmacists can contribute.
The four organisations say that all pharmacists can play a major role
in public health but that because community pharmacists are placed in
the heart of communities, they have a particular role in reducing health
inequalities. In addition, a role in public health is
expected to be an important part of the new community pharmacy contract.
Community pharmacists already make an important contribution to public
health by providing information, advice and support on a wide range of
subjects, the guide states. “However, pharmacists can make an even
greater contribution to the public’s health than is presently the
case. To do this, they need to identify their own public health role,” it
says. “In short, providing undocumented advice and leaflets on
health matters is not enough. The pharmacist’s input to
public health needs to be structured, documented, evidence-based and
capable of demonstrating real added value. It must also be multi-professional
and focus on the needs of the population.”
The guide provides practical advice for community pharmacists wishing
to offer a public health service, particularly on how to identify areas
where pharmacy can make a useful contribution to public health. For this,
it outlines key Government and primary care organisation targets, along
with those in the new GP contract, that pharmacists should consider when
designing a public health role.
It also lists a number of potential roles for pharmacists. A few examples
are:
· Providing health advice on self-care
· Running health promotion campaigns
· Promoting drug misuse awareness
· Providing sexual health support
· Supporting patients with chronic illness
· Providing advice on how medicines work
· Promoting patient medication adherence
· Providing collection and delivery services
· Facilitating disposal of waste medicines
Furthermore, the guide describes how the 10 key elements of public health
practice,
defined by the Faculty of Public Health, can be adapted to pharmacy.
These include identifying unmet need through surveying the population’s
health, delivering health promotion messages, developing programmes to
reduce health inequalities and involving the public in service design.
Best practice Promoting best practice in public health is the aim
of nine collaborative centres set up in England and Wales by the
Health Development Agency this month.
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