The benefits of Community 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