talkhealth spotlight: The growing role of UK pharmacies
Community pharmacists have always provided expertise in numerous aspects of medicine. From preventing illness to providing trusted health advice, pharmacies have always been a key access point for those with chronic illnesses. However, it’s only now, as we live with the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic, that pharmacies are being recognised as a vital component in primary care.
“Pharmacy first” has always been promoted by numerous NHS trusts and other medical stakeholders for patients with minor illnesses. However, with patients remaining cautious to visit other primary care environments and hospital staff overstretched, patients are only just coming round to the idea.
What’s more, 56% of people live less than 5 minutes from the nearest pharmacy and 98% within 30 minutes. So, not only can patients access an increasing number of services at their local pharmacy but they can access them more easily too.
Over recent years, pharmacists have gained increasing access to patient history and health records. This is mostly due to the UK New Medicine Service.
First introduced in 2011, the service is designed to help those with long-term health conditions learn more about their newly prescribed medicines. NHS Trusts are able to refer patients who would benefit from extra guidance to community pharmacies.
As of September 2021, patients living with a wider range of conditions can access the service, the service can be given to patients and guardians of those taking medications, consultations can be performed virtually or at a patients’ home and a catch-up scheme is going to be introduced to support those who couldn’t access the service during Covid-19.
The scheme has been shown to improve the patients’ adherence by 10%.
Now that your brain is whirring on all things pharmacies, you probably have some brilliant objectives in mind. After all, to ensure that patient care remains at its best in the pharmacy setting, pharmaceutical companies and healthcare brands must innovate.
talkhealth is here to help you gather research and insights so that you can implement care strategies that will get community pharmacies and their patients engaging with their health in brand new ways!
This month’s talkhealth members survey is doing all of the market research for you when it comes to patients and pharmacies. The survey, which covers all the bases from digital pharmacies to bricks and mortar, is designed to encourage our members to share their pharmacy experiences. The findings will help you to formulate new products and care opportunities to suit patients and the service they access at their local pharmacy.
To receive a full report of the survey results email us!
