Model pharmacy opened in rural Scotland
A model pharmacy that provides access to health services in a rural area of Scotland was opened last week by Scotland's deputy health minister Tom McCabe.
Mitchells Chemist in Dornoch, Sutherland, received a £124,000 grant
from the Scottish Executive to modernise its premises with the owners,
Caroline and Graham Mitchell, contributing more than that sum. The modernisation
has involved extensive renovation: the original pharmacy and building
next door have been combined to form a larger floor space for the new
pharmacy, which has provided three consultation spaces on the ground
floor and two treatment rooms on the first floor.
“This model pharmacy will act as a pilot for new ways of improving
health and access to services and will, in turn, help to identify best
practice
to roll out to other pharmacies,” Mr McCabe commented. “Through
improved community pharmacy facilities, we have a unique opportunity
to increase the ways in which both patients and the public access health
services.”
“One of the aims of the modernisation grant was to make space available
in the pharmacy for other health professionals. So we will be renting
out the treatment rooms,”
explained Mrs Mitchell. Some of the professionals already lined up are
the local NHS chiropodist, a private chiropodist and a private surgeon
who will be carrying out non-invasive cosmetic work such as thread vein
removal. Reflexology and massage will also be offered. For many of these
practitioners, having premises of their own in the area is not viable
so being able to use the pharmacy’s rooms should encourage them
to practise there. “We can also use the rooms for medicines management
reviews, particularly once the new pharmacy contract is in place,” Mrs
Mitchell said. Downstairs, the pharmacy has a separate consultation area,
a “withdrawn” area next to the dispensary for quiet conversations
and a specially lowered counter end for consultations with people in
wheelchairs.
A pharmacy in Swinton, Yorkshire, has been extended to provide
space for new services in a joint initiative undertaken by Weldricks
Pharmacy and Rotherham Primary Care Trust. The pharmacy opened last
month and now has treatment rooms for podiatry and physiotherapy,
and a private area for a new substance misuse service.
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