Self care guide for long-term conditions published
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Self care programmes and examples of best practice are outlined
in the guide |
Pharmacists' role in helping patients take control of their long-term conditions has been outlined in a guide to self care published by the Department of Health last week.
“Supporting
people with long term conditions to self care — a
guide to developing local strategies and good practice” outlines
ways to develop self care programmes and describes examples of present
good
practice, including three pharmacy projects.
Community pharmacies can be a valuable source of information for people
suffering from long-term conditions, the guide says, and it recommends
that those developing a self care support strategy work with their local
pharmaceutical committee to ensure that community pharmacists support
self care and medicines management.
“If you are a pharmacist, ensure you maximise your expertise in
the effective and safe use of medicines and the promotion of healthy
lifestyles, particularly
for people with long-term conditions,” it adds.
Following publication of the guide, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society
said it would be launching its own self care strategy document for pharmacists
in England that supports the message in the guide. “Our document
will seek to create a call for action to engage pharmacists in increasing
self care support. Similar documents will also be published for Scotland
and Wales to reflect the differences in health policies within the home
countries,” Hemant Patel, President of the Society, added.
News feature p260 |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
Acrobat
Reader