Community Pharmacies In Ireland Research Articles

Community Pharmacy Needle Exchange Programme: What Can Analysis of the Data Tell Us about the Changing Drug Market in Ireland?

Community Pharmacy Needle Exchanges are a harm reduction measure that have been established in a number of countries to provide access to sterile injecting equipment for people who inject drugs (PWID). To ensure that they are meeting needs, it is important to monitor the use of the services. This study aimed to determine patterns of needle distribution and return in community pharmacies in Ireland over time. The number of pharmacies, needle packs, clean needles and returned packs was obtained from the Health Service Executive (HSE) Planning and Business Information Unit (PBI). Yearly totals were calculated to show patterns from 2015 to 2022. There has been an 18% decline in the number of pharmacies providing the service since 2015, with a 19% decline in the number of packs provided and a 21% decline in the number of packs returned. The proportion of packs returned was 23% in 2015 and 18% in 2022. There has been a 16% decline in the number of sterile needles provided and a 6% reduction in the average number of needles per individual since 2017. Declining needle use and low rates of used needle return (against a backdrop of large numbers of PWID that have not significantly reduced over time) suggest that there is a need to investigate if community pharmacies in Ireland have the scope to improve their harm reduction impact. This raises questions in terms of the need to both improve and adapt the service against a backdrop of changing drug markets. Key recommendations include the need to review the harm reduction services employed by participating pharmacies when providing new equipment and organising the return of used equipment.

Use of pharmacy services in community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults; findings from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)

IntroductionThe role of community pharmacists has evolved in recent years with expansion in pharmacy services offered. The extent to which patients utilise such services in community pharmacies in Ireland is unclear. ObjectiveTo assess pharmacy services use among adults aged ≥56 years in Ireland, and determine the demographic and clinical factors associated with pharmacy services use. MethodsThis cross-sectional study included community-dwelling participants in wave 4 of The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), aged ≥56 years who were self-respondents. TILDA is a nationally representative cohort study, with wave 4 data collected during 2016. TILDA collects participant demographics and health data, in addition to information on the use of several services when visiting the pharmacy in the last 12 months. Characteristics and pharmacy services use were summarised. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association of demographic and health factors with reporting (i) any pharmacy service use and (ii) requesting medicines advice. ResultsAmong 5782 participants (55.5% female, mean age 68 years), 96.6% (5587) reported visiting a pharmacy in the previous 12 months, and almost one fifth of these (1094) utilised at least one non-dispensing pharmacy service. The most common non-dispensing services reported were requesting advice about medications (786, 13.6%), blood pressure monitoring (184, 3.2%), and vaccination (166, 2.9%). Controlling for other factors, female sex (odds ratio (OR) 1.32, 95% CI 1.14–1.52), third-level education (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.51–2.27), higher rates of GP visits, private health insurance (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.07–1.56), higher number of medications, loneliness, and respiratory condition diagnosis (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.14–1.74) were associated with higher likelihood of utilising pharmacy services. The relationship between these factors and requesting medicines advice was similar. ConclusionA high proportion of middle-aged and older adults visit community pharmacy and a fifth utilise specified pharmacy services. Despite advances in the services offered in pharmacies, medicines advice remains at the core of pharmacists' practice.

A qualitative study of the views of healthcare professionals on providing vaccines information to patients

Background Healthcare professionals (HCPs) such as pharmacists, general practitioners and practice nurses are a trusted source of vaccines information for patients in primary care. Global regulators have highlighted the key role of HCPs in fostering confidence in COVID-19 vaccines. Objective This study aims to gain insight into the views and experiences of HCPs on providing vaccines information to patients. Setting Primary care general practice surgeries and community pharmacies in Ireland. Methods Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 HCPs (five General practitioners [GPs], four practice nurses and five community pharmacists) identified through purposive and convenience sampling. The interviews were analysed by inductive thematic analysis. Main outcome measure Participants’ views and experiences of providing vaccines information to patients. Results Five key themes were identified: roles and responsibilities, perception of risk, perception of the public, building a relationship, and emotion. HCPs were motivated by duty and care for their patients. They respected patient autonomy and were driven by their concern for public health. HCPs were influenced by their perception of risk and their perceptions of the public. HCPs practiced patient-centred care by providing tailored vaccines information. They favoured an approach of providing patients with information and support to make their own decision. The topic was emotive; HCPs empathised with patients but were also frustrated by their perceived inability to change some patients’ views. Conclusion The provision of vaccines information by HCPs to patients is multifactorial with participants mindful of patient autonomy and the HCP role to support vaccinations as a public health priority. Participants suggested that education and support on vaccines communication would enable them to support the vaccines uptake in their practice.

Qualitative analysis of community pharmacists' opinions on their involvement in reducing potentially inappropriate prescribing.

Older people are at risk of potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) due to polypharmacy arising from multi-morbidity. Despite available explicit criteria to reduce PIP, it is highly prevalent. Whilst community pharmacists have the required knowledge to help reduce PIP, they are not currently engaged with the problem. This study explores the views of community pharmacists on their potential involvement in reducing PIP and determines the challenges to its implementation. Semi-structured interviews with pharmacists working in community pharmacies in Ireland. The theoretical domains framework (TDF) was used to develop the topic guide and to analyse the transcripts. Domains of highest relevance for PIP reduction were identified based on their frequency or whether the participants emphasised the impact of constructs within a domain. Local ethical approval was obtained. Of 18 participants, 12 were female, median age was 30years (IQR, 27-35) with a median of 6years (IQR, 3-8) of experience. Seven TDF domains were identified as relevant to PIP reduction. Pharmacists were uncertain about their role in reducing PIP and reluctant to challenge physicians' prescribing decisions. Challenges pertained to the environment, knowledge, social influences, professional role and identity. Pharmacists welcomed new responsibilities in reducing PIP as part of their daily practice but expressed a need for removal of social and environmental barriers as well as, provision of relevant guidelines and education about PIP. This study provides useful insights into the target domains for overcoming barriers of pharmacist involvement in reducing PIP.

Prescribing trends for sodium valproate in Ireland

PurposeThis study was undertaken to describe prescribing practice for the anti-convulsant drug (AED) Sodium Valproate (VPA) in an Irish population of woman of childbearing age during the period of the emergence of new data showing a high rate of developmental abnormalities in offspring of women who took VPA during pregnancy. MethodsAll prescriptions dispensed from community pharmacies in Ireland between 2008 and 2013 inclusive were examined for women aged 16-44 years from all three drug reimbursement schemes in Ireland. Numbers of prescriptions and women on AEDs were identified, as was the rural/urban distribution of the drug along with co-prescribing of folic acid and the oral contraceptive pill. All data analysis was conducted using SAS v9.3. ResultsThe rate of prescribing of VPA in Ireland declined slightly from 3.5/1000 per eligible population in 2008 to 3.14/1000 in 2013. While rates of prescribing fell for epilepsy, there appeared to be a rise in prescription for other indications of VPA. In 2013, co-prescription of folic acid or oral contraceptives was relatively low across all community schemes. Finally, an address distant from academic specialist centers predicted a higher exposure to VPA. ConclusionRecently the European Medicine's Agency suggested that alternatives to VPA be considered before prescribing to women of childbearing age. Despite this, the rate of VPA prescribing in Ireland appears to be increasing for indications other than epilepsy. It may be necessary to improve the dissemination of information about the potential negative effects of VPA in this population.

Community pharmacists' role in benzodiazepine supply in Ireland: a questionnaire of pharmacists' views and experiences.

To investigate the views and experiences of community pharmacists in Ireland regarding their role in benzodiazepine supply and the potential for role expansion. A postal questionnaire was issued to a random, geographically stratified sample of community pharmacies in Ireland. The response rate was 37.6%. Pharmacists' awareness of the national source of benzodiazepine guidelines was low (26.6% previously aware). Benzodiazepine prescriptions were frequently encountered in practice and commonly for extended durations of 28 days. Pharmacists' involvement in roles extending beyond dispensing was limited. In the 6 months prior to the questionnaire, fewer than half of pharmacists reported having suggested discontinuation to a patient (43.7%) or having contacted a prescriber about a patient's benzodiazepine use (47.1%). Pharmacists acknowledged their potential to undertake a more extensive role in benzodiazepine supply and expressed willingness to do so in practice. This study adds to the limited body of existing literature regarding community pharmacists' role in benzodiazepine supply. The findings indicate the need to revisit existing benzodiazepine guidelines to improve pharmacists' awareness of them and to address long-term prescribing. The apparent lack of active pharmacist involvement in roles and activities extending beyond dispensing needs to be addressed. Given that most pharmacists encountered benzodiazepine prescriptions at least once daily in practice, they are well positioned to promote safe and appropriate benzodiazepine use. Sizeable proportions of pharmacists expressed willingness to expand upon their existing role and facilitate long-term patients in attempting discontinuation. Further research is needed to explore barriers and facilitators to pharmacists undertaking extended roles in benzodiazepine supply in greater detail.

Frequency and consequences of violence in community pharmacies in Ireland

Violence in community pharmacies in Ireland is thought to be common but underreported. The frequency and consequences of violence has not been studied previously. To establish the frequency and nature of violence in community pharmacies over 12 months, and to investigate the impact of violence on employees and possible consequence for the industry. A two-part survey was distributed to community pharmacies in Ireland in 2011 (n = 200). The first part related to pharmacy demographics, the frequency of various violent events (verbal abuse, threats etc.), the respondents' worry regarding violence and its impact on their co-workers. The second part concerned individual employees' subjective response to a violent event, using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). Fifty-seven per cent of the pharmacies responded, with 77% reporting some violent event (verbal or physical), over the past year. Eighteen per cent reported physical assault, and 63% were worried about workplace violence. There was no association between late night opening hours or pharmacy size and violence frequency. Positive statistically significant correlations were present between all types of violence and absenteeism and employee fear levels. An IES-R score could be calculated for 75 respondents; the median IES-R score was 8 with 19% reporting clinically significant scores. Violence is common in Irish community pharmacies and impacts on employees and the industry.

Identification of risks associated with the prescribing and dispensing of oral anticancer medicines in Ireland

Oral anticancer medicines (OAM) facilitate transfer of cancer care into the community, where safeguards developed in hospitals that control their prescribing, dispensing and administration may not exist. To determine if the systems of prescribing and dispensing OAM in Ireland facilitate clinical verification of the prescription, thereby ensuring treatment is tailored and appropriate for the patient. Randomly selected community pharmacies in Ireland and all Irish hospitals with cancer services. A questionnaire was sent to a random selection of Irish community pharmacists. A different questionnaire was sent to all Irish hospitals treating cancer patients. One hundred OAM prescriptions were retrospectively reviewed, to assess the information presented and the potential barriers to a community pharmacist performing a clinical verification of the prescription. Community pharmacist survey: problems experienced when dispensing OAM and risk factors identified with the current system. Hospital pharmacist survey: proportion of hospitals that clinically verify prescriptions for parenteral versus oral anticancer medicines and associated policies. OAM prescription review: proportion of OAM prescriptions that contained sufficient information for a community pharmacist to clinically verify the prescription and safely dispense the medication. Sixty-four percent of community pharmacist respondents felt they did not have enough information available to them to safely dispense these prescriptions, and 74 % felt that patients are at risk with the current Irish system of prescribing and dispensing OAM. Irish hospitals do not have systems to ensure that all OAM prescriptions are clinically verified by a pharmacist. Seventeen different agents were prescribed on the prescriptions reviewed. The information provided to the community pharmacist would have allowed them to clinically verify 7 % of the OAM prescriptions. Prescriptions for OAM reach the community pharmacist with little chance that they have been clinically verified in the hospital and the medicine reaches the patient with little chance that the community pharmacist has been able to clinically verify it. Healthcare risks are increased when inadequate information about patients and their medicines are available. Appropriate specialist practitioners should be provided nationally to clinically oversee each stage of the OAM use process.

The importance of health literacy in the development of "Self Care" cards for community pharmacies in Ireland

'Self Care''cards play a significant role in delivering health education via community pharmacies in Australia and New Zealand. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate whether such an initiative could have a similar impact in an Irish context. The secondary objective was to understand the importance of health literacy to this initiative. Ten cards were developed for the Irish healthcare setting and trialed as a proof of concept study. The pilot study ran in ten community pharmacies in the greater Cork area for a six-month period. Using a mixed methods approach (Questionnaires & focus group) staff and patient reactions to the initiative were obtained. Concurrent to the pilot study, readability scores of cards (Flesch-Kincaid, Fry, SMOG methods) and the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM) health literacy screening tool was administered to a sample of patients. 88.7% of patient respondents (n=53) liked the concept of the 'Self Care'' cards and 83% of respondents agreed that the use of the card was beneficial to their understanding of their ailment. Focus groups with Pharmacy staff highlighted the importance of appropriate training for the future development of this initiative. An emerging theme from designing the cards was health literacy. The pilot 'Self Care''cards were pitched at too high a literacy level for the general Irish public to understand as determined by readability score methods. It was found that 19.1% of a sample population (n=199) was deemed to have low health literacy skills. The 'Self Care''initiative has the potential to be Pharmacy's contribution to health education in Ireland. The initiative needs to be cognizant of the health literacy framework that equates the skills of individuals to the demands placed upon them.