The aim of our campaign is to highlight the crucial role pharmacists play in ensuring people get the most out of their medicines. We urge the public to #talktopharmacy if they have any questions about their medicines.
As pharmacy professionals we already know that medicines are one of the most important interventions in our NHS. We know they can help prevent premature death, cure illness and significantly improve quality of life. We are also all aware that medicines can carry risks as well as benefits. Indeed, our focus on safety and person-centred outcomes is the hallmark of any pharmacist.
However, what we really need to ask ourselves is: ‘Does the public really know all of this?’ and ‘Does the public get a uniformly good experience when approaching the pharmacy profession for help and advice?’ There is absolutely no doubt that good care conversations around medicines are crucial in achieving better outcomes for patients, but have we as a profession managed to win the public over?
Recent research has consistently demonstrated that awareness of the role of the pharmacist and available pharmacy services remains low. Our campaign urges people to talk to pharmacy because the good care we all want to see across our NHS, starts with a conversation. The message of our campaign is simple – care conversations matter.
We encourage all pharmacists to join us in raising awareness about the positive impact of day-to-day interactions in your practice by utilising the campaign poster in your care settings to initiate the conversations and encourage the public to ask questions. We are determined to put pharmacy at the forefront of healthcare and that pharmacy’s contribution will become increasingly visible in our NHS.