The risk-benefit ratio of fluoxetine in underweight and weight-restored patients with AN is undefined by clinical trials; therefore, clinical experience must be applied for its use in this patient population.
advice participants would like to access through the remote pharmacy, preferred opening hours and a validated tool to measure expectations of service quality 2 . Using the edited electoral role to identify the sample, a pilot of 100 households was undertaken, followed by the main distribution to all households in the immediate area and a random sample from a neighbouring location (total 400). Reminders were sent to nonresponders one and two months after the first mailing. Data was stored and analysed in SPSS (descriptive frequencies).
ResultsThe response rate was 40% (156 completed questionnaires, 13 not deliverable). Respondents were: mostly female (61.5%); aged 50-69 years (38%); employed (57%); retired (32.1%); and had qualifications beyond secondary school (34%). The majority (74%) rated their health as good to excellent, and received regular prescriptions (80%), over half (51%) receiving a prescription monthly or more frequently of which a large majority (83.3%) were dispensed by a community pharmacy, were sent directly from the GP surgery (52.6%) and were collected by the participant themselves (70.5%). Twenty-eight percent of participants claimed to use non-prescription medicines every two months or more frequently, obtained from the supermarket (42.3%) and community pharmacies (39%). More than one third of participants were aware of the minor ailment scheme (37.8%) and almost 60% of these were registered on the scheme. The most common self-treated ailments were coughs/colds/sore throat (54.5%); gastro intestinal tract disorders (20%) and pain (20%). Services that participants would access through the tele-pharmacy were: prescription dispensing service (61.5%); purchase of non-prescription medicines (59%) and the minor ailments service (50.6%). Participants would seek advice through the robotic pharmacy on: prescribed medicine (52.6%); minor illnesses (48.7%); pharmacy and OTC medicines (46.8%) and foreign travel (24.4%). 16.9% would not access any of the services and 18.8% would not seek any advice, using the tele-pharmacy service.
DiscussionRemotely delivering pharmacy services to a rural community would be welcomed by most residents, and the majority would use at least one of the services. The issues arising using this new technology will be investigated from the perspectives of the patients and the health care professionals in the remainder of this study.
References
Focal points• A survey to pharmacy customers investigated their views of pharmacist access to GP records.• The results from this study indicate that 80% of customers would be happy for pharmacists to have access to their GP records for a pharmacy led vaccination service.• Safety, trust in the pharmacist and continuity of care were reasons given for allowing access, whilst confidentiality was the main concern for not allowing access.• The wider roll out of pharmacist access to GP records should be continued.
IntroductionCommunity pharmacists have been campaigning for access to patient general practitioner (GP) records in order to provide t...
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