Telepharmacy in rural Scotland: a proof of concept study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Addressing inequalities in the provision of pharmaceutical services in Scotland: a proof of concept study of telepharmacy in rural Scotland
IRAS ID
140963
Contact name
Christine Bond
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Aberdeen
Research summary
Many remote areas have no community pharmacy meaning that local populations are unable to obtain pharmacy services such as advice on healthcare related issues, purchasing over-the-counter medicines, advice on prescribed medicine or the enhanced pharmacy services in the new Community Pharmacy (Scotland) contract.
This study will test the feasibility of installing a tele-pharmacy robot in an existing retail outlet in a remote location. A range of community pharmacy services will be provided via the tele-pharmacy robot. A video-link to the base pharmacy will enable the patient and pharmacist to interact, and the on-site researcher will be a registered pharmacist providing compliance with the regulations.
In this study, we will assess demand for, and expectations of the service, potential for extended uses (eg for NHS 24/out-of-hours) explore barriers to implementation, describe usage, and user and provider experiences of, and satisfaction with, the service and potential future uses, including potential benefits, costs and options.
Prior to introduction of the tele-pharmacy service, we will conduct a postal questionnaire survey of a sample from the electoral register in the area of the remote location. The questionnaire will be informed by a focus group of local residents that will aim to identify local service needs and expectations. The postal survey will collect data about respondents’ current use of medicines and their preferences for the potential tele-pharmacy services that might be provided. The views of the pharmacist(s) providing the service and other stakeholders will also be collected.
Following introduction of the tele-pharmacy service, data will be collected about users’ experiences of the service (patients, professionals, stakeholders) using interviews and self-completed questionnaires. This will be supplemented with data collected by the on-site researcher using non-participant observation of the actual encounters at the remote location.
Findings from this study will inform any future initiatives to introduce similar tele-pharmacy services in rural Scotland.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 1
REC reference
14/NS/0052
Date of REC Opinion
23 Apr 2014
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion