Identifying and offering additional pharmacy services to make every contact with people count.

Pharmacy type

Community

Pharmacy context

This is a busy community pharmacy next to a medical centre in the centre of a village. Most people who use the pharmacy are from the local area and a home delivery service is available. The pharmacy dispenses NHS prescriptions, and it sells a range of over-the-counter medicines. The pharmacy carried out COVID-19 vaccinations during the pandemic from an associated premises.

Relevant standards

• 4.1 - The pharmacy services provided are accessible to patients and the public

Why this is notable practice

The pharmacy identifies opportunities to provide additional services for people. And it works proactively with GP surgeries to help seek the best outcomes for people in the local community. This helps reduce pressures on NHS services.

How the pharmacy did this

The pharmacy had created a written template to support records for its hypertension service. This had been extended to include support for a healthy heart campaign by recording the person’s blood pressure readings, weight, and body mass index (BMI). This information was passed onto the person’s GP, with their consent, and meant people who may have not been seen by their GPs over the last few years had their health monitored.

A pharmacy team member shared the idea of the introduction of a hypertension service at the pharmacy’s vaccination service site. This highlighted the opportunity for pharmacy professionals to promote health and wellbeing and make meaningful interventions when they interacted with people through the vaccination service. The concept was adopted under the umbrella of "Making Every Contact Count".

What difference this made to patients

The pharmacy proactively takes opportunities to identify people with health risk factors, which might not otherwise be identified. And it is liaising with their GPs so appropriate action can be taken to improve their health.