Pharmacy double victory in Scottish Health Awards
Gavin Dobson: “Community care” award winner |
Pharmacists won two of this year's Scottish
Health Awards presented at a ceremony in Edinburgh last week. Community pharmacist Gavin
Dobson,
of Carse Chemist in Errol, near Perth, won the “community care” award.
And the “NHS healthy lifestyle” award was won by the Pharmacy
Starting Fresh team, which runs a smoking cessation service in Glasgow.
The Scottish Health Awards recognise health service workers who make
a difference to patients and who are committed to the NHS. The awards
are organised by the Daily Record newspaper in association with the Scottish
Government.
Mr Dobson told The Journal: “I am absolutely delighted to win this
award — to be recognised as providing the best community care throughout
NHS Scotland is an honour.”
Three people nominated Mr Dobson. One patient had needed extra help with
his medicines after starting warfarin, another had asked for advice when
his wife was terminally ill and the third, who has Alzheimer’s
disease, was able to stay in his own home with Mr Dobson’s help
in managing his medicines.
“I am not the only pharmacist who does these types of things. I
don’t
think I do anything that every pharmacist couldn’t be doing. It
is just that these little things have a big impact on patients’ lives,” he
said.
Carse Chemist has close links with the local doctor’s surgery,
including being networked into the surgery’s computer system. “This
allows me restricted access to patients’ records. I can check patients’ details
and can see what prescriptions have been issued, but I cannot look at
their diagnosis,” says Mr Dobson. “I’m sure this good
level of communication with the surgery was a factor in my nomination
for the award.”
Speaking on behalf of the Pharmacy Starting Fresh Scheme, Liz
Grant,
public health pharmacist, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, told The
Journal: “Winning
such a well recognised award is a great achievement not only for the
Starting Fresh team but more importantly for the community pharmacists
and their staff in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
“It demonstrates to
the public and other health care professionals the clear role that community
pharmacists play in helping to deliver the public health agenda.”
The service started in 2003 and now 270 pharmacies in NHS Greater Glasgow
and Clyde participate (over 90 per cent of all pharmacies in the area).
It involves structured smoking cessation advice and support, along with
weekly supplies of nicotine replacement therapy.
“Over 55,000 people
have now accessed the service leading to over 15,000 people still being
non-smokers four weeks after setting a quit date,” Ms Grant said.
The awards have categories for doctors, nurses and therapists but not
for pharmacists. Mr Dobson commented: “There are countless independent
community pharmacists who go the extra mile for their patients and make
a real difference to their quality of life. … I have
suggested that the [organisers] consider adding a separate category for
pharmacists.” |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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