After struggling with COVID, Hemant Petal is back to good health, and now he is on a mission to reduce "health inequalities".
Speaking at the SIGMA Conference 2023, he spoke about his new role as Clinical Lead, Health Inequalities and Population Health Management, SE Essex Alliance,
Essex ICB.
"So, my new role is outside pharmacy, nothing to do with pharmacy. But it is important, I feel that I share some of my insights about the work that I'm doing that
might benefit you," he said.
Elaborating on the role of integrated care boards (ICBs), he said that they are designed to enhance coordination and collaboration across different healthcare
providers and settings.
The representatives from hospitals, community services, retail and social care meet on a monthly basis to "look at where there are issues to be resolved, perhaps
what can be done to improve the healthcare services."
There is a clear opportunity for community pharmacists and their teams to lead best practice when it comes to supporting the ongoing health needs of older
people. As the global population continues to age, the demand for specialised healthcare services tailored to the elderly is rapidly increasing. Community
pharmacists, with their accessible locations and frequent interactions with patients, are uniquely positioned to play a pivotal role in addressing this growing need.
The ageing population presents a complex set of health challenges, including multiple chronic conditions, polypharmacy, and increased susceptibility to adverse
drug reactions. Community pharmacists, armed with their extensive knowledge of medications and their effects, can serve as the first line of defence in managing
these issues. By leveraging their expertise, they can implement best practices that not only improve the quality of life for older individuals but also reduce the
burden on the broader healthcare system.
One of the primary areas where community pharmacists can make a significant impact is in medication management. As people age, they often find themselves taking
multiple medications for various conditions. This polypharmacy can lead to dangerous drug interactions, side effects, and compliance issues. Community
pharmacists can lead the way in implementing comprehensive medication reviews, ensuring that each patient's drug regimen is optimised for their specific needs
and minimising potential risks.
In a groundbreaking move towards modernising healthcare, England's National Health Service (NHS) has successfully implemented digital prescriptions,
as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its latest regional digital health report.
Since January 2024, patients across England have had access to their prescription information through the NHS App, marking a significant leap in healthcare
accessibility and efficiency.
With over 33 million registered users, representing 75 per cent of the adult population, the NHS App has become a vital tool in managing healthcare online.
The introduction of digital prescriptions allows users to order repeat prescriptions online without the need for a GP visit.
This innovation has witnessed a surge in digital requests, with over 3.1 million repeat prescriptions processed monthly.
A community pharmacist, Viral Doshi was honoured with the British Citizen Award (BCA) on Thursday (26 January) at the Palace of Westminster for transforming
his community centre into vaccination hub during Covid-19 pandemic.
Viral was presented with his Medal of Honour by Liam Sargeant, Senior Company Communications Manager, from supporters P&G and TV presenter and Patron of the BCA,
Nick Knowles, who hosted the event.
At the height of the pandemic, Viral obtained approval to transform his community centre into a vaccination hub. Located in the heart of a multi-ethnic population,
with social deprivation, surrounded by wards experiencing high rates of Covid-19. His determination to increase uptake and reduce vaccination hesitancy, led to
80,000 vaccinations being administered, the overall highest vaccination uptake in North West London.
Viral is a passionate advocate for the role that GP practices and community pharmacies can play in supporting the health agenda. His objective, to provide better
choice and access for the community have been fully met and appreciated by patients. His initiatives led to a dramatic increase in the clinical skills, knowledge
and services offered by local community pharmacies around a variety of health topics. This enabled pharmacies to adopt a holistic health approach to working with
their communities.
With more than half of the UK population experiencing gum problems and many not believing their condition warrants treatment, there is a significant need for
an oral care range that promotes good gum health and prevents future issues.
Corsodyl is set to launch a new Gum Strength & Protect line, featuring two toothpastes and a daily mouthwash which are clinically proven to protect against gum
problems.
This range aims to meet the growing consumer demand for oral care solutions that help proactively manage gum health and prevent issues related to poor oral hygiene.
The Corsodyl Gum Strength & Protect line is designed to strengthen the gum seal around teeth, offering long-lasting protection.
The product is enriched with hyaluronic acid, a key building block for strong gums, and includes IPMP (Isopropyl Methylphenol) and zinc as antibacterial active
ingredients.
To lead the way in modernizing the UK's healthcare, the National Health Service (NHS) digitized the prescriptions. WHO mentioned this in their current
digital regional report. Since January 2024, the NHS App in England has offered patients the opportunity to see statistics about their prescriptions.
This represents a gigantic step in the area of healthcare which can be categorized as another stage in healthcare accessibility and efficiency. Over 33 million
residents have taken the NHS app enabling the users to be 75% of the adult population. The app helps in online management of their health. The use of digital
prescriptions enables patients to order repeated prescriptions online, in which they would past getting an appointment a GP.
Following the publication of a new study by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) that estimates the economic impact and prevelance of hazardous NSAID
prescribing in England, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has underscored the pressing need for enhanced safety measures in medication management.
The study, led by RPS Fellow Rachel Elliott, reveals significant health and financial costs associated with the high-risk prescribing of oral non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) among vulnerable populations.
James Davies, Director for England at the RPS, emphasised the critical findings of the research.
"Improving the safety of NSAID prescribing requires a multi-pronged approach, that educates and supports prescribers on the risk, as well as uses the skills
of pharmacists in the primary care team to help identify higher risk patients and prescribing scenarios," Davies remarked.
The study highlights that NSAIDs, while effective in managing pain and inflammation, are associated with serious adverse events, including gastrointestinal
bleeding, renal dysfunction, and cardiovascular issues.
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There is no doubt that the pandemic has changed the way healthcare professionals work within the primary care setting. The advent of Covid-19 meant that we all
had to rapidly modify the way we supported and met the needs of patients, some of whom saw the services they usually took for granted, virtually cease overnight.
There are around 15 million people in England living with long-term health conditions including asthma. These people have the greatest healthcare needs of the whole
population with 50 per cent of all GP appointments and 70 per cent of all bed days taken by this cohort of patients, and their treatment and care absorbing 70 per
cent of acute and primary care budgets in England.
This situation isn't going to improve any time soon. In the past, most people had a single condition, today multi-morbidity is becoming the norm. At the start of the
pandemic, the Royal College of General Practice and British Medical Association issued guidance to practices on prioritising workload. This included the importance
of maintaining long-term condition reviews in asthma, COPD and diabetes, along with appropriate transition of at-risk warfarin patients. These reviews were deemed as
essential workstreams for patients considered to be at high risk.
Traditionally, the unique skills set of a pharmacist has meant that we have played a major role in supporting these patients. I work with a team of over 90 clinical
pharmacists who, in partnership with individual practices, PCNs, CCGs and STPs, help with the long-term management of people with chronic conditions. But the onset
of Covid-19 meant that we now had to plug a potential gap in service provision, and quickly.
There are few conditions that bring the degree of isolation, embarrassment and self-consciousness that bowel and urinary incontinence does. In the UK, about
14 million adults experience bladder control problems and 6.5 million have bowel control difficulties.
Additionally, there are just under a million children in the UK experiencing continence conditions at any one time. Over £200 million is spent on personal
incontinence products; this is in addition to over three times the same amount spent by the NHS.
With a rapidly ageing population and unaddressed contributing factors, the significant financial burden, but importantly, the impact on the quality of life and
dignity is devastating. We also know that cultural and communication difficulties can create barriers making treatment access and symptom alleviation more difficult.
Considering the demography that this has a greater impact on - patients with a learning disability, non-English speakers and disabled patient - it becomes apparent
this is a form of health inequality. However, pharmacy teams are best placed to tackle this head-on.
Incontinence is the inability to control your bladder or bowel, so you accidentally lose urine from the bladder (urinary incontinence) or faeces from the bowel
(bowel incontinence).
There is a realistic possibility of large waves of Covid-19 infection in the future in Britain and such waves might even be considered likely, epidemiologists who model the Covid-19 pandemic to inform government advice have said.
Prime minister Boris Johnson has ditched legal restrictions in England, saying that, while the pandemic was not over, Britain needs to learn to live with Covid.
The Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling, Operational sub-group (SPI-M-O) said the emergence of new viral variants was the biggest unknown factor in the medium-to-long term, along with waning population immunity and changes in mixing patterns.
"Large future waves of infection that need active management to prevent detrimental pressure on the health and care sector are, at least, a realistic possibility (high confidence) or likely (medium confidence)," SPI-M-O said in a consensus statement published on Friday.