Pharmacy: Summer Survey Report

This is a report by Healthwatch Worcestershire. The report looks at local pharmacy services following a survey with local people.

The majority of the surveys were completed face to face at engagement events across Worcestershire. We particularly targeted events in areas where there are unmet health needs. The survey was also available digitally, with the link shared on our website, social media, and by partner organisations. In addition, SpeakEasy N.O.W., a learning disability support charity, ran nine workshops for their members in groups at locations across Worcestershire. They used key elements of the Survey as a basis for discussions around their member’s experiences of pharmacy services.

A total of 555 people were engaged, including 55 members of Speakeasy NOW, 500 people completed our Survey.

There are recommendations in this report:

1. Further promote information about pharmacy services to the public
2. Promote the additional services that pharmacies can provide
3. Consider how information about pharmacy opening times, including unplanned closures, can be better promoted to the public 
4. Consider targeting information at: students, younger working age population, carers, people with disabilities and sensory impairments and people who are struggling financially
5. Pharmacy First – consider developing targeted information about particular conditions which can be aimed at difference target audiences – e.g. earache aimed at parents, UTI - women, Shingles – older people
6. Promote Prescription Prepayment Certificates, particularly to the 18 – 34 age group
    
7. Provide information in a range of formats, in accordance with the Accessible Information Standard
8. Consider how information can be made available to people whose first language is not English (including British Sign Language), and promote the availability of telephone-based community language interpreting services
9. Ensure all staff have an understanding of possible communication difficulties experienced by people with a learning disability, and are aware of how to communicate information clearly and effectively, in a way that meets people’s individual needs, including checking that people 
   understand the information given before they leave the pharmacy
10. Consider how pharmacies can increase the use of private consultation space, and reduce the discussion of personal information in front of other customers
11. Consider how additional services such as text messaging, delivery and collection services which are valued by patients can be expanded – noting that they are not currently part of the pharmacy contract
12. HW Integrated Care Board to ensure that pharmacies are adequately resourced to deliver existing and additional services.

There are not follow up actions in this report.