FUNDING, education and support are needed to ensure pharmacists and pharmacy staff are equipped to deliver harm minimisation services, research reveals.
The study, published in Addiction and Mental Health in Pharmacy, involved 28 stakeholders including pharmacy staff and patients, and found that community pharmacies could be viewed as well-placed to support harm minimisation services as they are widely distributed and accessible healthcare destinations.
"Some interviewed stakeholders believed that community pharmacies were underutilised in the provision of harm minimisation and related patient care services, such as support with pain and oral health management and monitoring for infections," the authors said.
"Despite these opinions from stakeholders, interviewed consumers focused solely on the role involving opioid treatment programs (OTP) and needle and syringe programs (NSP).
"This narrow view of the role of community pharmacy is similar to the findings of the 2012 harm minimisation literature review that identified roles in OTP and provision of sterile needles.
"Some pharmacists described personal benefits from providing harm minimisation services in terms of increased job satisfaction and client rapport.
"Being supportive and non-judgemental were viewed as essential by pharmacists, and stakeholders emphasised the importance of accessible, friendly, and holistic services that incorporate patient-centred care.
"However, stigma was identified as a barrier, with pharmacy staff and consumers sharing stories about consumers feeling stigmatised or staff interacting with these consumers differently compared to other pharmacy consumers."
Financial issues were raised by both patients and pharmacists, with the authors noting that there have been ongoing calls from the pharmacy and medical professions, for the Federal Government to subsidise OTP.
The authors from Griffith University and the Pharmacy Guild of Australia concluded that community pharmacies were "a valuable healthcare destination that could expand delivery of harm minimisation services".
"There is a need for better strategies at local and national levels to facilitate the harm minimisation role of community pharmacies," they said.
"Community pharmacists have an opportunity to engage consumers requiring support in harm minimisation, explaining their professional obligations to confidentiality and to foster a trusting relationship.
"Better collaboration and sustained linkage between pharmacies and relevant organisations or providers in this sector is vital for the provision of holistic care for these consumers."
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 03 May 21
To see the full newsletter, see the embedded issue below or CLICK HERE to download Pharmacy Daily from 03 May 21
