Quality standard

Quality statement 2: Expertise and services available from community pharmacy teams

Quality statement 2: Expertise and services available from community pharmacy teams

Quality statement

Community pharmacies and commissioners work together to raise awareness of the health and wellbeing expertise and services available from community pharmacy teams.

Rationale

Community pharmacies have the potential to play a greater role in health promotion, prevention, early recognition of ill health and managing minor illness. Community pharmacy teams are made up of highly skilled, knowledgeable and easily accessible professionals who provide NHS services. They can also be a link into the wider health and care network. Raising awareness of their skills, knowledge and responsibilities among members of the public and health and social care practitioners should improve confidence in the support they provide. It should also help to overcome barriers to taking full advantage of this valuable resource.

Quality measures

Structure

a) Evidence of local initiatives to raise awareness of the health and wellbeing expertise and services available from community pharmacy teams among members of the public.

Data source: Local data collection, for example, review of activities carried out by partners within the primary care network to raise awareness of the health and wellbeing expertise and services available from community pharmacy teams.

b) Evidence of local initiatives to raise awareness of the health and wellbeing expertise and services available from community pharmacy teams among health and social care practitioners.

Data source: Local data collection, for example, review of the primary care network's activity to increase awareness of the role of community pharmacies.

Outcome

a) Uptake of referrals into community pharmacy.

Numerator – number in the denominator presenting to community pharmacy after the referral.

Denominator – number of referrals from GP practices and NHS111 into community pharmacy.

Data source: Local data collection, for example, review of pharmacy systems recording inward referrals.

b) Public understanding of the support available from local community pharmacies.

Data source: Local data collection, for example, review of information recorded as part of the Community Pharmacy Patient Questionnaire.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers (such as community pharmacies, primary care networks, general practices, NHS 111, A&E departments, social care providers, and community and voluntary sector organisations) work together to raise awareness of the health and wellbeing expertise and services available from community pharmacy teams among members of the public and health and social care practitioners. They ensure that they raise the profile of the teams and inspire confidence in the teams as a valuable resource for health and wellbeing support.

Health and social care practitioners (such as community pharmacy teams, GPs, NHS 111 and A&E staff, social care workers, and community and voluntary sector staff) recognise that community pharmacy is often the most appropriate service for people with a minor illness. They are confident that community pharmacy teams have the expertise to provide people with the support they need. They acknowledge community pharmacy teams as a valuable and accessible resource that is key in supporting the health and wellbeing of the local population.

Commissioners (such as NHS England, clinical commissioning groups and local authorities) take proactive steps to ensure that local health and social care providers as well as members of the public understand that community pharmacy teams are highly skilled, knowledgeable and easily accessible professionals providing important health and wellbeing services.

People learn about the services and support they can get from local community pharmacy teams from promotional activities, awareness-raising campaigns, GPs, healthcare professionals or social care workers. They are encouraged to use community pharmacies as the first port of call for advice on health and wellbeing and for minor illness, instead of seeing their GP or going to A&E.

Equality and diversity considerations

Initiatives and activities used to raise awareness of services that can be provided by community pharmacies need to be tailored to the local populations. Pharmacists and their role may be perceived differently by people from different cultural backgrounds. This may influence people's use of the services offered. Different messages and different languages may be required to ensure that the uptake of services improves. Also, a proactive approach is needed for people who are housebound.