Patient views of using community pharmacy services (v1)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
How do patients with respiratory conditions view the use of community pharmacy services for long-term conditions?
IRAS ID
254568
Contact name
Ellen I. Schafheutle
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 23 days
Research summary
Patients with long-term conditions (LTCs) have many healthcare needs that involve assistance and support from healthcare professionals. Long-term conditions are defined as conditions that cannot, at present, be cured; but can be controlled by medication and other therapies. Community pharmacies are the most frequently visited healthcare organisations which make them an ideal location for introducing new services to meet those needs. Although it has been shown that community pharmacy services can be beneficial for patients with LTCs, they are not widely known about or used by patients.
It is important to understand how patients with LTCs would prefer to use community pharmacies and the most effective ways to promote community pharmacy services to patients. In this study, we designed a questionnaire which was informed by findings form a previous focus group study (REC ref:17/NE/0371). The questionnaire will be distributed to patients with respiratory conditions, mainly those with asthma/COPD, as patients with these long-term conditions possess both medication and non-medication related needs which could be met by community pharmacy.
Study participants will be recruited from Greater Manchester and identified by general practices. If response rates are low, patients from the whole of England may be recruited from charity organisations.
This study aims to identify what would influence people with long-term conditions to better use community pharmacy services more regularly within the primary care pathway. The questionnaire will ask patients questions on their current use of community pharmacy, which services they would prefer to get from their pharmacy or from their GP, and what might make them more likely to use community pharmacy instead of their GP. This information will be useful to inform the implementation and development of community pharmacy services that could meet some of the patient needs and reduce GP workload.
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/EM/0372
Date of REC Opinion
15 Nov 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion