DCPharm
Research type
Research Study
Full title
The role of clinical pharmacists in providing care for people living with dementia in primary care
IRAS ID
318185
Contact name
Nathan Davies
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University College London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Z6364106/2022/04/114 , Data Protection Registration
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 10 months, 31 days
Research summary
BACKGROUND: Pharmacists working in primary care, the community and with GPs is not new. However, there is a new role of the clinical pharmacist working in primary care. They help support the wider health care team to manage and support long term conditions. There are plans to employ more clinical pharmacists over the next few years in primary care. Many people living with dementia, live in the community with care provided form their general practice. People with dementia often have multiple health conditions and are on several medications. There is potential for a clinical pharmacist to support people living with dementia with their care and medications. However, little research has explored the new role of the clinical pharmacist, and we are not aware of any research to understand how they can help people living with dementia and their unpaid carers (family and friends).
AIMS: In our study we aim to understand what support and future work is needed within clinical pharmacy in primary care and dementia, training needs, and identify future priorities for research. Specifically, we aim to:
• Understand the backgrounds and training received by current clinical pharmacists working in primary care
• By talking to clinical pharmacists understand what their role is in caring for people living with dementia and their families
• By talking to people living with dementia and family carers (this may include friends) understand their experience of clinical pharmacists in primary care
• Identify training and development needs for clinical pharmacists to provide care for people living with dementia.VALUE: We will co-produce with stakeholders a list of priorities for research. We will have a clearer understanding of what clinical pharmacists do in general practice, an understanding of their role, and potential in supporting people living with dementia and their carers. This study will provide some of the first data on the clinical pharmacist role and experiences in primary care, and the first study to explore their role in relation to dementia. We will seek to work with organisations like NHS England and Innovation, Health Education England, UK Clinical Pharmacy Association UKCPA, and The King’s Fund to develop an overview of our findings. This will inform policy that will support discussion of the role clinical pharmacists and involvement in their support of people living with dementia and carers.
REC name
London - Queen Square Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/LO/0054
Date of REC Opinion
30 Jan 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion