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Comparison of pharmacist and public views and experiences of community pharmacy medicines-related services in England
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Comparison of pharmacist and public views and experiences of community pharmacy medicines-related services in England

Ruth M. Rodgers, Shivaun M. Gammie, Ruey Leng Loo, Sarah A. Corlett and Janet Krska
Patient preference and adherence, Vol.10, pp.1749-1758
2016
PMCID: PMC5026175
PMID: 27672313
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Open Access

Abstract

General & Internal Medicine Life Sciences & Biomedicine Medicine, General & Internal Science & Technology
Background: Services provided by community pharmacists designed to support people using medicines are increasing. In England, two national services exist: Medicine Use Reviews (MUR) and New Medicines Service (NMS). Very few studies have been conducted seeking views of the public, rather than service users, on willingness to use these services or expectations of these services, or determined whether views align with pharmacist perceptions. Objective: To compare the perceptions of pharmacists and the general public on medicines-related services, particularly MUR and NMS services. Methods: Two parallel surveys were conducted in one area of England: one involved the general public and was administered using a street survey, and the other was a postal survey of community pharmacists. Similar questionnaires were used, seeking views of services, awareness, reasons for using services, and perceived benefits. Results: Response rates were 47.2% (1,000/2,012 approached) for the public and 40.8% (341/836) for pharmacists. Few people had experienced a discussion in a private consultation room or were aware of the two formal services, although their willingness to use them was high. Pharmacists estimated time spent on service provision as 10 minutes for MUR and 12 minutes for NMS, which aligned with acceptability to both pharmacists and the public. Pharmacists underestimated the willingness of the public to wait for an informal discussion or to make appointments for formal services. Both pharmacists and the public had high expectations that services would be beneficial in terms of increasing knowledge and understanding, but public expectations and experiences of services helping to sort out problems fell well below pharmacists' perceptions. People who had experienced a pharmacy service had different perceptions of pharmacists. Conclusion: Views differed regarding why people use services and key aspects of service delivery. For services to improve, the pharmacy profession needs a better awareness of what the public, especially those with potential to benefit from services, view as acceptable and desirable.

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Citation topics
1 Clinical & Life Sciences
1.14 Nursing
1.14.288 Pharmacovigilance
Web Of Science research areas
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
ESI research areas
Clinical Medicine
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