Community pharmacists' perceptions of the skin conditions they encounter and how they view their role in dermatological care

Abstract

To explore pharmacists' perceptions of the skin conditions they encounter, sources of postgraduate dermatological training and views of their role in the management of patients with skin problems. A self-completion questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 3500 community pharmacists in England and Wales. Seventy-eight per cent of pharmacists felt that patients sought their advice on problems about dry skin on a weekly basis. A total of 64.8% had undertaken postgraduate training in dermatology and the majority agreed that they played an important role in managing patients with skin problems. Pharmacists routinely encounter a small number of skin conditions and believe they can contribute towards the care of patients with skin diseases.