Making the most of your pharmacy
Download (PDF 178.35 KB)Summary of report content
As part of one of their 2017/18 priorities, ‘prevention and primary care,’ Healthwatch Bucks wanted to find out what people in Buckinghamshire knew about the services offered by their community pharmacy and to understand what services they use and, as importantly, why they might not use them. A survey was developed with input from the local council and the local Pharmaceutical Committee. Healthwatch Bucks staff visited 11 venues or events across the country, and the survey was also posted online on the Healthwatch website. The results varied according to age group.
Regarding the awareness of the services offered, nearly everyone said they visited a community pharmacy for themselves or someone else. 98% of the people knew that their pharmacy dispensed medicines, this was higher in the 46+ age group. People who knew that pharmacies also offered a wider list of nine services (such as the New Medicines Service, help to stop smoking, sexual health services and home delivery) ranged between around 40 and 60% though 77% said they knew a pharmacy that offered the ‘flu vaccination. 77% said they had gone to a pharmacy for advice when they, or a family member, have had a minor condition. The majority of people (95%) said that they hadn’t been to the pharmacy for any advice for a healthy lifestyle.
Recommendations made were:
The Buckinghamshire Local Pharmaceutical Committee (that represents community pharmacy contractors) and community pharmacies should review these detailed findings to understand more about the specific groups who don’t know about their services so that they can focus their awareness raising efforts effectively and do more to ensure people in all age groups know about the range of services pharmacies offer that could help ease pressures on other parts of primary care and A&E in view of the low interest.
In view of the low interest/awareness of healthy lifestyle advice, commissioners of public health services work with Buckinghamshire Local Pharmaceutical Committee look at how to raise awareness of the services on offer that can help people to stay healthy.
Community pharmacy contractors check the patient feedback on the HW website at regular intervals and use it to improve their service.