The benefits ofCommunity Pharmacy delivering

Vascular Risk Assessments

Introductions

[Insert here the names and responsibilities of the persons from the LPC that are present.]

Today's Objective

[e.g. To illustrate the unique nature of community pharmacy in X PCT, and how community pharmacy can assist

the PCT to deliver and hopefully exceed Vascular Risk Assessment

targets]

The challenges of delivering VRA• Primary care capacity

• Delivering access and engaging the public

• Delivering lifestyle interventions

• Inter-professional relationships

Community pharmacy can help the PCT overcome these challenges

Delivering primary care capacity

• Estimate how many VRA screens your pharmacies could deliver

Community pharmacy can deliver VRA capacity

Delivering access and engaging the public

• Most adults use pharmacies– 84% visit pharmacy at least once a year– 78% of visits are for health reasons– 75% have visited within the last 6 months

• Excluding those who report never visiting a pharmacy, an adult visits a pharmacy 16 times a year, of which 13 visits are for health related reasons

• An estimated 1.6 million visits take place daily, of which 1.2 million are for health-related reasons

This footfall provides a massive opportunity to promote VRA and healthy lifestyle messages

Delivering access and engaging the public

• The wide diversity of pharmacy locations enhances access, e.g. high streets and supermarkets

• 99% of the population – even those living in the most deprived areas – can get to a pharmacy within 20 minutes by car and 96% by walking or using public transport

• Long opening hours and opening at weekends increases access

• Pharmacy services can be delivered without the need for appointments

Delivering access and engaging the public

• Add details of the pharmacies within the area – highlight geographical dispersion in target areas and their accessible opening hours

• Add any data that can demonstrate use of local pharmacies by hard to access groups of the population

Delivering access and engaging the public

• Community pharmacies are used by groups who may be infrequent users of GP services:– In particular men and people working

long hours;– Women, aged over 35 and people with

LTCs or disabilities are frequent users of pharmacy;

• Any eligible person who visits a pharmacy could access a VRA, including people not registered with a GP

Consultation facilities

• Over 75% of pharmacies now possess a private consultation area which provides a convenient yet accessible location for VRA

• Add further details on the availability of consultation facilities in your local pharmacies including access to internet enabled computer terminals

Staff competency and training

• Across the country, community pharmacy has already demonstrated its ability to deliver professional screening services to appropriate standards, e.g. diabetes screening and BP measurement

• Pharmacy staff are trained to use POCT equipment, safely handle blood samples and clinical waste

• A trained pharmacist would take the clinical lead and responsibility for this service, including ensuring the competency of pharmacy staff

Staff competency and training

• Community pharmacists and their staff are constantly updating their knowledge through continuing education programmes and CPD

• [Include an update on local training initiatives]

Governance

• A pharmacist will act as clinical lead for the service• All pharmacies are required to comply with

professional and NHS confidentiality and information governance standards

• All pharmacies have professional indemnity insurance in place which would cover this activity

• Pharmacies have experience of carrying out patient experience evaluations

• Community pharmacy uses Standard Operating Procedures for all services provided

POCT equipment

• Use of POCT equipment allows immediate calculation of risk in one appointment – reducing lost to follow up scenarios

• Robust systems will be put in place to guarantee the appropriate use of and the QA of all POCT equipment

Follow up interventions

• Following VRA, a pharmacy is an ideal location for– stop smoking advice– healthy eating and lifestyle advice– weight management programmes

• Pharmacies already provide a signposting service as part of our NHS contract

Integration into the wider NHS VRA programme

• Pharmacies generally have excellent relations with local GP surgeries

• Add details of discussions with LMC/GPs, e.g. discussions on information transfer and referral systems

• The pharmacy service should be integrated into the VRA call and recall system

Summary

Community pharmacy can help X PCT deliver VRA

• Increasing access and choice

• Engaging a different part of the population from general practice

• Engaging hard to access groups

• Helping to minimise health inequalities

Questions & discussion