No abstract

ObjectivesTo apply sociological theories to understand public trust in extended services provided by community pharmacists relative to those provided by general practitioners (GPs).DesignQualitative study involving focus groups with members of the public.SettingThe West of Scotland.Participants26 purposively sampled members of the public were involved in one of five focus groups. The groups were composed to represent known groups of users and non-users of community pharmacy, namely mothers with young children, seniors and men.ResultsTrust was seen as being crucial in healthcare settings. Focus group discussions revealed that participants were inclined to draw unfavourable comparisons between pharmacists and GPs. Importantly, participants' trust in GPs was greater than that in pharmacists. Participants considered pharmacists to be primarily involved in medicine supply, and awareness of the pharmacist's extended role was low. Participants were often reluctant to trust pharmacists to deliver unfamiliar services, particularly those perceived to be ‘high risk’. Numerous system-based factors were identified, which reinforce patient trust and confidence in GPs, including GP registration and appointment systems, GPs' expert/gatekeeper role and practice environments. Our data indicate that the nature and context of public interactions with GPs fostered familiarity with a specific GP or practice, which allowed interpersonal trust to develop. By contrast, participants' exposure to community pharmacists was limited. Additionally, a good understanding of the GPs' level of training and role promoted confidence.ConclusionCurrent UK initiatives, which aim to implement a range of pharmacist-led services, are undermined by lack of public trust. It seems improbable that the public will trust pharmacists to deliver unfamiliar services, which are perceived to be ‘high risk’, unless health systems change in a way that promotes trust in pharmacists. This may be achieved by increasing the quality and quantity of patient interactions with pharmacists and gaining GP support for extended pharmacy services.

Workloads have increased in community pharmacy and the work environment has become increasingly stressful. Consideration of the factors shaping community pharmacy point to continued workload increases. This is likely to have a negative impact on pharmacists and conceivably the services they provide. Skilled support staff, supportive management and appropriate resourcing are required to maintain high quality services.

This study suggests that despite recent initiatives to extend the role of community pharmacists many members of the general public continue to prefer a GP-led service. Importantly GPs inspire public confidence as well as offering comprehensive services and private consultation facilities. Improved communication and information sharing between community pharmacists and general practice could support community pharmacist-role expansion.

Objective The sex mix of the pharmacy workforce has altered significantly over the last 60 years such that in 2005 54% of the practising pharmacy workforce was female. After the age of 30 years, part-time working is common and it is often assumed that pharmacy working attracts and suits women because it is flexible and family friendly. This paper aims to explore to what extent that is true. Setting This study was based in the North West of England. Method Face-to-face interviews (n=30) were conducted with women over the age of 30 years who worked as community pharmacists. The interview schedule was designed to explore: interviewees' motivation for choosing pharmacy; employment history; motivation for choosing a particular pattern of working; views of recent changes in pharmacy; and future career plans. Key findings In line with previous studies this sample of female community pharmacists adopted heterogenous work patterns, and personal and extrinsic structural factors were found to influence work patterns. Importantly, there was evidence of a lack of family-friendly practices, with antisocial hours, difficulties accommodating annual leave, and the restrictive legislative framework that necessitates that a pharmacist is always present in a store, all affecting work patterns. Conclusion Our study, in contrast to other studies, suggests that for about half of the women interviewed, community pharmacy working was difficult to combine with family commitments. This finding has implications for employers and workforce planners because an increasing proportion of the community pharmacy workforce is female

No abstract

There is a need for more evidence about how healthcare providers can influence schools and about the most cost-effective use of nurses to support the management of children with diabetes in schools.

Parents and anesthesiologists had a significantly different order of priorities for service attributes.