The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 274 No 7352 p671
4 June 2005

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Pharmacy diabetes scheme benefits patients

A pharmacist-run diabetes programme has been shown to improve patients’ perceptions of their condition and their medicines.

Twelve-month data from the programme, run by Pharmacy Alliance and Hillingdon Primary Care Trust, show that patients benefit from targeted advice and support from their local pharmacist.

Since the programme was launched in May 2004, 181 patients have been recruited into the scheme. Patients attend sessions at their local pharmacy to have their blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol levels and body mass index measured, and to talk to a pharmacist. The pharmacist provides advice to patients, or refers them to a GP as necessary.

During the programme the patients were followed up after two months (56 per cent), four months (30 per cent) and six months (20 per cent).

In addition to improvements in patients’ blood glucose levels, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and body mass index, the results show that patients believed they were better informed about their condition and medicines after taking part in the programme. For example, at recruitment, 34 per cent of patients said they had received little or no information on what their medicines do, compared with 11 per cent at a two-month follow up. Similarly, at recruitment 55 per cent of patients said they had received little or no information on whether their medicines have any side effects, compared with 34 per cent after follow up.

The percentage of patients who said they were worried about the long-term effects of their medicines decreased from 35 per cent at recruitment to 14 per cent at follow up. Pharmacy Alliance says that to date 28 patients have been referred to their GPs.

Anoop Shah, a community pharmacist running the programme at Daya Pharmacy, Hayes, Middlesex, commented: “Diabetes is a long-term chronic problem that changes over time. Anything you can do to prevent long-term complications will impact on patients’ lives. As pharmacists we see patients weekly or monthly, which is more often than their GPs see them, so we are a good point of contact.”