Pharmacists’ experiences serving culturally and linguistically diverse patients in the Australian community pharmacy setting

Recommendations for community pharmacy to improve access to medication advice for people from ethnic minority communities: A qualitative person‐centred codesign study

“…Interpreter services were acknowledged as a possible mechanism to support improved access to seeking medicines advice; however, participants recognized the contrast in availability and prevalence of interpreter services in community pharmacies compared to other UK healthcare settings, like General Practice surgeries. This echoes findings from other high‐income countries where community pharmacists have played a role in delivering medicines reviews for patients from ethnic minority communities, including in Australia, 46,55,56 the United States, 57,58 Japan, 59 New Zealand 60 and Denmark 61 . Given the findings from this study, researchers, service commissioners and service designers should next look at mechanisms to better facilitate the provision of interpreter services within community pharmacies.…”

“…[37][38][39][40] To enable culturally appropriate conversations and support the delivery of culturally competent medicines consultations, previously been identified, 41 and questions have been raised about the format, content and optimization of this training too. [42][43][44][45][46] In the updated standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists, the General Pharmaceutical Council placed emphasis on equality, diversity and inclusion to address health inequalities. 47 Future work should address how best to deliver this and further investigate the optimal content of cultural competence training programmes for pharmacists and members of the pharmacy team, to meet the needs of the ethnic minority communities accessing medicines advice.…”

“…To enable culturally appropriate conversations and support the delivery of culturally competent medicines consultations, participants recognized the need to underpin community pharmacy service design and delivery with improved staff training. Knowledge gaps around what cultural competence training is required to support the education of qualified pharmacists and pharmacy students have previously been identified, 41 and questions have been raised about the format, content and optimization of this training too 42–46 . In the updated standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists, the General Pharmaceutical Council placed emphasis on equality, diversity and inclusion to address health inequalities 47 .…”

“…Wider studies based on education have acknowledged the relationship‐building that can result between teaching staff and students from the same ethnic minority communities 63–65 ; where terminology such as ‘belongingness’ and ‘co‐identification’ has been used to describe bridging gaps and creating more inclusive environments. Health‐related parallels may exist that could support the creation of pharmacies as inclusive health‐seeking environments for members of the community 23,46,62 . However, the authors postulate that this approach may only pose as a single‐pronged solution to the growing communication barriers faced amongst an increasingly diverse patient population in the United Kingdom; whereby additional approaches may be needed, depending on the needs of the populations living locally to the community pharmacy.…”

“…Health‐related parallels may exist that could support the creation of pharmacies as inclusive health‐seeking environments for members of the community. 23 , 46 , 62 However, the authors postulate that this approach may only pose as a single‐pronged solution to the growing communication barriers faced amongst an increasingly diverse patient population in the United Kingdom; whereby additional approaches may be needed, depending on the needs of the populations living locally to the community pharmacy.…”