The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 279 No 7480 p622
1 December 2007

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Letters to the Editor

Influenza

CPPE learning programme on influenza

From Mr M. Shaw, MRPharmS

As pharmacists across the country ready themselves for the 2007–08 influenza season, it is encouraging to note the effectiveness of the pharmacist in diagnosis of the disease (Original paper, PJ, 20 October 2007, p441–4).

Recently we have once again seen increased interest and press coverage relating to avian influenza and the potential risk of pandemic flu developing. With confirmed H5N1 viral infection in poultry on the Norfolk and Suffolk borders, concerns in the population are likely to increase.

The first module of the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education learning programme on flu was published earlier this year and is available to download from the CPPE website. This learning programme provides pharmacists and pharmacy technicians with an introduction to flu and advice that can be given to local communities at the moment.

The development of this learning programme in an electronic format enabled us to e-mail it to all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in Norfolk and Suffolk earlier in the year when avian influenza was first confirmed. We were pleased to be supported in this by the local pharmaceutical committees.

We are now preparing the second module of the programme, in line with the most recent guidance from the Department of Health on managing a pandemic flu. This will consider the action that pharmacists may take when and if a pandemic arises.

The recent Original paper by Douglas Fleming in The Journal (ibid) highlighted that in the study group, most of those suffering from flu waited more than 60 hours before visiting a pharmacy.

National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines explain that for treatment to be effective, it must be started within 48 hours of symptoms developing.

We would encourage all pharmacists to access the CPPE learning programme now and to take steps to encourage their local communities to seek treatment from a pharmacy within 48 hours of symptoms developing.

Matthew Shaw
Assistant Director
Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education

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