Group items tagged

A new report based on research from pharmacists across England by Sanofi, has called for the introduction of a 'national self-care strategy' to relieve the burden currently faced by health services. The new report, titled 'Driving a self-care revolution in the UK', explores the views of pharmacists, patients and doctors on self-care and the support needed to deliver it more effectively. While self-care policy measures are estimated to increase monetary savings for healthcare systems and national economies by 16%, this report highlights the right tools and resources are not yet in place to enable pharmacists to play a greater role in delivering self-care advice and medicines to patients. "As many as 77% of pharmacists said they would support the creation of a National Self-Care Strategy to provide national leadership on improving understanding of self-care and encourage its use among both patients and clinicians," the report said. According to the report, currently, 33% of pharmacists working for independent or small pharmacy chains do not have the resources to support patients with self-care, alongside their other roles. "To tackle this, close to half (45%) of pharmacists believe greater emphasis by primary care practitioners on the benefits of self-care would leave pharmacists in a better place to support patients. Similarly, 42% believe that training and recruiting more pharmacists would improve their capacity to deliver self-care advice."

The Self-Care Strategy Group (SCSG) has written to Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, urging the new Labour government to fully realize self-care's benefits. With PAGB serving as the secretariat for the Group, signatories of the letter also include CPE, RPS, CCA, NPA, the Dispensing Doctors' Association, the National Association of Primary Care, the Patient Information Forum, and the Self Care Forum. The nine members highlight the importance of collaborative efforts to build an NHS fit for the future. In the letter, the group emphasises the potential of self-care to alleviate pressure on primary and emergency healthcare services. They call for expanded prescribing rights, optimised digital health tools, and streamlined referral processes between primary, diagnostic, and specialist care services.

The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) has released a handbook today (February 23) on guidance for pharmacists on supporting self-care. The handbook, "Empowering self-care: A handbook for pharmacists", covers six areas of self-care - sore throat, gastrointestinal complaints, musculoskeletal pain, fever in children, sexual health and disinfection. Commenting on the release, Rúben Viegas, co-author of the handbook, said: Community pharmacists already help people in self-care by giving advice on non-prescription medicines, nutrition, physical activity and lifestyle choices, but this new resource from FIP offers added support for these professional services that demonstrate our profession's commitment to primary health care." The publication, also intended as an advocacy resource for FIP's member organisations, discusses latest trends and strategies in self-care and explores innovations adopted across several practice areas. It aims to provide pharmacists with concise guidance on coaching practices and person-centred approaches to promote self-care.

Pharmacists globally are broadening their roles to support self-care, aiming to enhance patient health outcomes through increased contributions and proactive behaviours, according to a new report. However, significant barriers, including inadequate funding and limited access to patient records, impede the optimisation of self-care activities and outcomes improvement in this area, the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) said in its report. The FIP report, titled 'Community Pharmacy Insights: Supporting the Need for Self-Care,' gathers insights from 238 respondents across 55 countries with the aim of providing evidence-based policy support for workforce development. Nearly all respondents (93.2 per cent) indicated that pharmacists should actively engage in providing self-care support, FIP said. Furthermore, 48.9 per cent supported the involvement of pharmacy technicians, while 39.2 per cent endorsed the participation of pharmacy assistants and other team members in offering self-care support.

More than half of people (52%) do not feel confident in treating backache and less than half (44%) uses community pharmacists' advice as their first step on self-treatable conditions, a self-care attitudes 2022 survey has revealed. PAGB, the consumer healthcare association, surveyed over 2,000 adults across the UK about their attitudes towards self-care and access to health services. According to the survey, the public is in favour of self-care but many people lack the confidence and knowledge to care for the most common self-treatable conditions including backaches, headaches, diarrhoea and constipation. Four in five respondents (79%) said that people should take more responsibility for their own health and three-quarters (73%) believe that the NHS should make self-treatment easier. Behaviours around the current use of pharmacy varied - with less than half (44%) using community pharmacists as their first step in in getting advice on self-treatable conditions - but longer term attitudes were encouraging, with 69% supporting the idea of GPs being able to make referrals to pharmacists. Respondents also supported expanding the role of pharmacists so that their skills can be better utilised.

Over the last few years, we've seen the aftermath of Covid-19, with the demand for consumer health products being unprecedented and unpredictable, placing pressure on supply chains and labour market. In turn, the industry has experienced acute shortages across the healthcare sector, placing huge pressure on pharmacists, doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. Europe has an estimated shortage of around 50,000 public-sector doctors[1], which is set to increase in the coming years. While this shortage stems from several complex problems, there is a hidden force that could play a key part in helping to alleviate this burden. That force is the potential of self-care. Encouragingly, last month the UK government recognised the unique role that self-care can play through the introduction of its Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care. Through this, it has pledged to empower patients to manage their own health through several commitments, including improving accessibility to online tools and reclassifying medicines to make formerly prescribed options available over the counter.

With the upcoming general election on the horizon, Proprietary Association of Greater Britain (PAGB) is leading the charge to integrate self-care into the core of all political party manifestos. The aim is to ease strains on the NHS and forge a sustainable healthcare system for the future. In a significant move, PAGB unveiled a comprehensive general election toolkit on Wednesday, laying out a compelling argument for the prioritisation of self-care among stakeholders. The toolkit underscores the importance of public interest, potential NHS cost savings, and the economic advantages of the over-the-counter (OTC) sector. Aimed at unlocking the full potential of self-care and nurturing an enabling environment for its implementation, PAGB's toolkit advocates for greater integration of pharmacy services into primary care.

National Health Services (NHS) patients across England are set to experience a significant enhancement in accessing key healthcare services such as community nursing through the expansion of self-referral options that no longer require a GP appointment. The recent announcement is part of the NHS primary care access recovery plan and is set to offer hundreds of thousands more individuals each month the opportunity to refer themselves for essential services such as "incontinence support", "podiatry", or "hearing tests" without GP referrals. This move aims to alleviate the burden on general practitioners through self-referrals for more than 180,000 patients, allowing them to focus their time and resources on patients in need of immediate care and recover the long waiting times. As per the NHS data, approximately 200,000 people per month self-refer themselves which under the new plan will extend to additional critical services tailored to local population needs to "continue modernising GP, expand pharmacy services, and offer patients more choice in how they access care".

GSK Consumer Healthcare has recently unveiled a three-year programme to support the pharmacy profession with additional practical resources, mental health provisions and proposed policy changes as part of its new report Standing with Pharmacists in the Age of Self-Care. The new report summarises findings from a roundtable hosted by GSK Consumer Healthcare in collaboration with the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) earlier this year, which convened the pharmacy community, policy experts, and industry leaders to discuss the critical role of pharmacy in the age of self-care following the Covid-19 pandemic. "We've seen Covid-19 have a significant impact on consumers' understanding of self-care, leading to an increased focus on wellbeing and everyday healthcare. During this time, pharmacies played a vital role in providing care and advice to their patients - particularly with many other health facilities closed. Our research shows that more than half of Europeans are planning to consult their pharmacist more often than before the pandemic. Yet in general, pharmacists remain under-utilised, despite being the most widely distributed health resource in Europe," said Tess Player, global head of expert at GSK Consumer Healthcare.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and the charity Marie Curie have developed a consultation on 'professional standards for palliative and end of life care for community pharmacy'. The consultation will be open for four weeks for community pharmacists, organisations with a role in community pharmacy or palliative/end of life care, or patients or carers with first-hand experience of palliative and end of life care to share their views until 1st December 2022. Through this consultation, Society aims to that ensure the standards are clear, relevant, current, and fit for purpose from the perspective of the community pharmacy team, the wider health team and patients/carers. "The final standards will be published in 2023 and will help community pharmacies across the UK to self-assess and continuously improve their palliative, end of life and bereavement care," said RPS.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has launched a partnership with the charity Marie Curie to develop professional standards in end of life care for community pharmacy. Available for pharmacy teams across the UK, the standards will provide a free, evidence-based framework to help community pharmacies self-assess and continuously improve their end of life and bereavement care for patients and carers. They will enable community pharmacy teams to work together to develop their own practice. RPS is setting up a professional standard steering group which will have community pharmacy experts, experts within the field of palliative and end of life care, lay members, and healthcare professionals who interact with community pharmacy. Elen Jones, director lead for palliative care work at RPS, said: "RPS has a long-term commitment, striving to ensure that people living with life-limiting conditions who are approaching the end of life have timely access to medicines and clinical support from a skilled pharmacy team. "The development of these standards, in partnership with Marie Curie, is a crucial step to support community pharmacy teams to undertake simple quality improvement measures and build upon the care they already provide to this group of patients and carers."

Proprietary Association of Great Britain, PAGB - which represents manufacturers of branded over-the-counter (OTC) medicines, self-care medical devices and food supplements - on Tuesday (12 December) celebrated 40 years of reclassification of medicines. Expanding self-care for common ailments and minor injuries will not only help ease pressure on primary care services, but also provides significant potential savings for the NHS, the consumer healthcare association highlighted during the event. Nurofen (ibuprofen) and Imodium (loperamide) were the first medicines to go through Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)'s switch process in 1983 to make them available over the counter - OTC. Other reclassified medicines which were once available on prescription only include Voltarol (diclofenac dimethylammonium), Canesten (clotrimazole), Nexium (esomeprazole), Nicorette, Nicotinell and Niquitin (nicotine replacement therapies), Regaine (minoxidil), Viagra Connect (sildenafil), Cialis Together (tadalafil) for erectile dysfunction and Gina (estradiol hemihydrate) for the treatment of postmenopausal symptoms such as vaginal dryness.

Brits are increasing relying on over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to prevent or treat common ailments, as the 'care at home trend' has become prominent amongst UK households following the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost three-quarters of Brits (71 per cent) now choose to treat minor ailments at home rather than visit their GP or pharmacist, according to new research. The self-care message promoted by the government and NHS during the pandemic has led to a new generation of consumers who continue to take control of their own health and treat minor ailments themselves. Additionally, the research, commissioned by Lanes Health, revealed that public awareness about preventative treatment has increased, with 70 per cent of Brits claiming that they do their best to prevent the spread of common illnesses since the pandemic.

Diabetes affects over 537 million people worldwide; by 2045, this is estimated to increase to 783 million. [1] With the growing prevalence of diabetes, it's even more important to utilise all options to support people with diabetes (PwDs) in managing their daily life with diabetes. Where do PwDs most often access healthcare support? On average, PwDs visit the pharmacy three-to-eight times more than the general population to obtain medicines and testing supplies.[2] It is clear that pharmacists play an integral role in empowering the self-management needs of PwDs beyond the traditional role of supplying medicines. This relationship, however, may be underutilised. Research suggests there is a lack of broad recognition of pharmacists as a key source of diabetes care, and that resource constraints - particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic - can interfere with patient education provision and training.[3,4] Furthermore, the circumstances and role of the pharmacy vary, nationally and internationally. At Roche Diabetes Care we would like to shine a light on the increasing value of community pharmacists as important figures in the well-being of PwDs.

Approximately 25 million GP appointments and 5 million A&E visits are utilised each year for self-treatable illnesses. If these individuals chose to self-treat using over-the-counter (OTC) medications, the potential savings for NHS could amount to at least £1.7 billion annually, according to a research commissioned by Proprietary Association of Great Britain. The study, conducted by analysts at Frontier Economics, revealed that embracing self-care could bring an additional economic benefit of £350 million annually, as employees would avoid unnecessary time off from work for medical appointments. Apart from the savings resulting from the increased OTC medicine use, the report emphasises the potential benefits of reclassifying more prescription-only medications (POMs). A mere 5 per cent reduction in NHS prescribing levels and spending could lead to an annual cost-saving of £1.4 billion, encompassing both prescription costs and GP appointments, it said. "This substantial amount could greatly alleviate financial pressures on the NHS and offer essential resources for recruiting and training much-needed healthcare professionals."

This new reality, no matter how temporary, is affecting us deeply, and it's more important now than ever to practice some self-care.

With the dawn of a new year and decade, why not take a moment to reflect on a few simple self care tactics and strategies that can alter and improve the course of life.

Bas Vorsteveld has been elected as the new president of PAGB, the trade association representing the manufacturers of branded OTC medicines, self care medical devices and food supplements. Vorsteveld, who is vice president and general Manager of Haleon GB and Ireland, succeeds Neil Lister, managing director UK & Ireland and vice president at Perrigo. PAGB said the appointment comes at a crucial time for the consumer healthcare association as it looks to expand the role of self-care, secure a long-term favourable business environment for members, adapt to environmental challenges and continue to deliver excellent services for members. "We are so pleased to welcome Bas to the role of President. Bas has been actively involved with PAGB as a board member and we're looking forward to continuing our work with him. I have already seen from Bas's time on our Board that he combines great sector knowledge with drive, energy and genuine passion for what we do and we're so excited to have him as our President," Michelle Riddalls, chief executive of PAGB, said. "Bas's input and guidance as our strategy evolves over the coming years will be vital as we respond to new challenges as they emerge and make the most of the opportunities ahead."

Attempts to deal with record waiting lists for hospital treatment caused by the Covid-19 pandemic are at risk of being derailed by a staffing crisis, which is being exacerbated by the Omicron wave, a cross-party lawmakers' report said on Thursday (January 6). The report entitled 'Clearing the backlog caused by the pandemic' calls for a broader national health and care recovery plan - one that would embrace A&E, mental health, GPs, community and social care. Hospitals are facing extreme pressure as they try to catch up on months of operations that have been delayed and suspended during the pandemic, as Covid-19 hospitalizations rise once more and self-isolation hits staffing levels. There is a record 5.8 million waiting list for elective care, the Health and Social Care Committee said, adding that a recent surge in the Omicron variant has pushed cases to record highs and intensified pre-existing issues.

Leading pharmacy group Weldricks has strengthened its commitment to providing the highest quality of care to the communities it serves by implementing the RPS Daffodil Quality Improvement Standards for Community Pharmacy. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) on Monday (20 November) announced that Weldricks will soon be rolling out the Daffodil Standards across half its stores in South Yorkshire. Developed in partnership with UK charity Marie Curie, the RPS Daffodil Standards serve as a framework for improving the quality of palliative and end-of-life care provided by community pharmacy teams. Amy Marlin, Superintendent Pharmacist of Weldricks, commented that the implementation of the RPS Daffodil Standards is "another step forward in our journey to provide the highest quality of care to the communities we serve."