There’s lots of attention on pharmacy, and their teams, playing a pivotal role in the community to save the NHS. Often community pharmacies are the first point of contact, and for some, their only point of contact, with a health care professional. It’s safe to say that Pharmacy is the ‘Heart of the Community!’.
Since we have taken this title, our pharmacy teams need to make sure we look after the publics’ heart health. More than the pharmacist, the front line pharmacy team, are in contact with the community more frequently. It’s important to invest in training to get the best out of your community’s health.
Training is a huge role. By simply placing an iPad in-front of your team to read & learn does not cut it anymore. If we want our pharmacy team to engage, deliver and recommend, not just products, but health & well-being services; we must be ready to pledge to play our part in supporting their training needs.
Each team member will have a different way to take in information. Using a variety of media formats really helps all types of learning methods. Video clips, on-line training tools, role plays and group discussions are a great starting point. Always have a summary sheet with key information and a flow diagram of a ‘perfect’ client consultation. This acts as a great reference tool.
February is a great month to get your team heart focused. Services are the future of pharmacy, and it is surprising how many key services are related with heart health.
Get your team engaged with your Stop Smoking Service. Brief interventions are a great way to get them thinking their way to a quit date. It’s surprising how many of our day to day clients still smoke. We won’t know who is a smoker till we ask them. It’s as simple as asking ‘Do you smoke?’ when there is a purchase of a cough mixture. Once established as a smoker, the 30 second brief intervention does wonders.
NHS Health Checks cover a wide range of sign posting to self care. This service is targeted towards 40 – 74 years old. This doesn’t mean you don’t offer the same service privately out of this NHS target group. Your clients are ready to pay to get healthier, especially if its available without an appointment.
Weight management clinics are a great way to get involved within the community. Through other services you could measure BMI and explain the risks of their BMI. Most clients would enrol to a weight management clinic knowing that a pharmacist is looking after them. Weekly weigh ins are a great motivating tool. It also gets your clients visiting frequently. During these weekly sessions, it is important to take blood pressure readings and use a Type 2 diabetes screening tool. There is a vast opportunity to
get involved with the community by engaging with local groups, gyms, and, local activities such as healthy walks. This local knowledge will help your client succeed, and get you more clients too.
It’s important to realise that there are several products available to recommend alongside. One of great importance is Omega 3. Getting your team to understand that the body needs its intake will only happen through training. They must understand the good facts on good fats, and their role in heart health. Understanding the types will guide them to a good product choice. Use your local sales rep to organise a team training. This can build skills to improve performance, and is a great team building exercise.
Get ready for heart health month, and keep your pharmacy at the heart of your community.
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