National Association of Women Pharmacists champions pharmacies as gateway for carers
Support for carers through a project initiated by the National
Association of Women Pharmacists has been piloted in Wales. The project, launched in 12 pharmacies and 25 GP practices across Cardiff, followed a suggestion made by the Princess Royal at the NAWP centenary lunch in July 2005 that pharmacists could help the UK’s six million carers.
Speaking at the NAWP annual conference in April 2008, Anita White, who
was instrumental in setting up the project, said that carers often fail
to
recognise themselves as such, so fail to ask for and benefit from available
help. The aim of the project was therefore to identify both “hidden” and
known carers and to evaluate the potential for pharmacies to act as a
gateway for carers.
The project was promoted through the use of posters providing details
of how carers can get help, including asking pharmacists. Cards were
also made available for people to pick up and take away. For a period
of six months each pharmacy was asked to attach a bright yellow sticker
to repeat prescription bags saying: “Are you a carer? Do you need
support? Ask us how … ”
Although numbers of queries were low, the project has now been extended
for a further six months across the 12 pharmacies. The aim is to roll
the project out across all pharmacies in Cardiff and eventually to all
700 pharmacies in Wales. “We also hope to provide this service
as one of the six services funded by the local health boards,” said
Mrs White.
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