Abstract
BackgroundPrimary health care (PHC) re-engineering forms a crucial part of South Africa’s National Health Insurance (NHI), with pharmaceutical services and care being crucial to treatment outcomes. However, owing to a shortage of pharmacists within PHC clinics, task-shifting of the dispensing process to pharmacist’s assistants and nurses is common practice. The implications of this task-shifting process on the provision of pharmaceutical services and care remains largely unstudied.AimThe study aimed to explore the pharmacist-based, pharmacist’s assistant-based and nurse-based dispensing models within the PHC setting.SettingThe Nelson Mandela Bay Health District, South Africa.MethodsA mixed methods approach was utilised comprising of Phase 1: a pharmaceutical services audit to analyse pharmaceutical service provision and Phase 2: semi-structured interviews to describe the pharmaceutical care provision within each dispensing model thematically.ResultsPharmaceutical services partially fulfilled minimum standards within all models, however, challenges exist that limit the quality of these services. Phase 2 showed that the provision of pharmaceutical care within all models was restricted by context-related constraints, thus patient-centred activities to underpin pharmaceutical services were limited.ConclusionAlthough pharmaceutical services may have been available for all models, compromised quality of these services impacted overall quality of care. Limited pharmaceutical care provision was evident within each dispensing model. The results raised concerns about the current utilisation of pharmacy personnel, including the pharmacist, within the PHC setting. Further opportunities exist, if constraints allow, for the pharmacist to contribute to better patient-centred care.
Highlights
IntroductionSince 1994, South Africa has made progress towards a more equitable and united healthcare system for all South Africans, based on ideals of Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC)
Since 1994, South Africa has made progress towards a more equitable and united healthcare system for all South Africans, based on ideals of Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC). These attempts have culminated in the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI), with primary health care (PHC) re-engineering being a major emphasis in the preparatory first phase of implementation
Strengthening health systems aligned to PHC core principles promotes patient-centred health systems, providing care closer to patients aligned with social determinants of health.[3,4]
Summary
Since 1994, South Africa has made progress towards a more equitable and united healthcare system for all South Africans, based on ideals of Universal Healthcare Coverage (UHC) These attempts have culminated in the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI), with primary health care (PHC) re-engineering being a major emphasis in the preparatory first phase of implementation. Owing to a shortage of pharmacists within PHC clinics, taskshifting of the dispensing process to pharmacist’s assistants and nurses is common practice. The implications of this task-shifting process on the provision of pharmaceutical services and care remains largely unstudied
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