Pharmacy Daily | Pharmacists critical to diabetes care

PHARMACISTS are being urged to take on a key role in educating and supporting patients with diabetes, as part of a National Diabetes Week 2020 campaign.

With diabetes patients visiting pharmacists seven to 14-times more frequently than any other health provider, diabetes educator, Kirrily Chambers, said the profession is well placed to improve medication use.

"Understanding diabetes is a complex and complicated health condition, and most people learn in their own time," she said.

"Pharmacists can help in this journey since they will normally see the person frequently and knowing when to refer is also a critical part of the health care team.

"Pharmacists help patients understand why they are taking their medication and that type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition which means over time they will need an increase in dose of tablets and maybe long term insulin."

Chambers also addressed how pharmacists can help diabetes patients with their mental and emotional health.

"Like any health professional it is very important that we are careful with our language with individuals with diabetes so as not to make a person feel guilty for having it," she said.

"Correct language, I believe, is one way we can help reduce the mental burden of chronic health conditions including diabetes and if pharmacists make correct language a focus, we remove the guilt and open channels of communication which allows people to feel comfortable to ask questions and learn more when they need to."

Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) National President, Dr Chris Freeman, welcomed the Federal Government's decision to invest $47 million in research to fast track new treatments for diabetes and heart diabetes, adding his praise for the role pharmacists play in supporting patients.

"Pharmacists play a very important role as part of the diabetes care team from screening for the disease through to treatment and medication management," he said.

"As medicines experts pharmacists assist patients in understanding their diabetes medicines, improve self-monitoring, and blood glucose control ultimately reducing the risk of a patient developing complications associated with diabetes."