PHARMACY-BASED vaccination services could be a potential gateway for the expansion of pharmacist-delivered public health services, researchers believe.
A survey of community pharmacists' perceptions of public health conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic, found a lack of consistency regarding the definition of public health amongs participants.
The authors from Griffith University's School of Pharmacy and Pharmacology noted the pharmacists who took part "mostly discussed individual patient screening services".
"Participants appeared to value aspects of public health that they were familiar with or participated in; most commonly primary health prevention measures (i.e. blood pressure monitoring), smoking cessation, needle and syringe programs and vaccination," the authors said.
All participants recognised pharmacist-administered vaccination as an important public health intervention.
"The success of Australian community pharmacy vaccine programs was viewed as a potential gateway to the expansion of public health services.
"In contrast, many participants expressed discomfort with sensitive or unfamiliar service topics, particularly alcohol or sexually transmitted infection screening and opioid replacement programs, with some identifying lack of training and awareness as contributing to their lack of confidence in these unfamiliar areas."
While pharmacists expressed support for taking on a greater role in the provision of public health services, barriers relating to a lack of time, remuneration, training, standard and the unsuitability of some premises were identified.
The authors noted that enablers to a greater role in public helath initiatives included pharmacists' accessibility, and opportunity for new funding models.
The paper was published in the International Journal of Pharmacy Practice.
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