Health Destination Pharmacy and Minor Ailments Scheme

Project Member(s): Williams, K., Garcia Cardenas, M.

Funding or Partner Organisation: Pharmaceutical Society of Australia

Start year: 2015

Summary: The benefit of an effective national primary care system is universally recognised to demonstrate one of the strengths of a health care system. Nations with strong primary health care models deliver efficiencies, minimise health inequalities, reduce hospitalisations and ensure more desirable health outcomes. At a global level, governments including UK and Canada endeavour to achieve sustained benefits through investment in primary care sector reform. Such reforms have promoted greater access to health services, greater workforce utilisation and increased emphasis on self-care. Several international studies indicate that the role of pharmacists could be expanded in quality and depth with clinical and economic savings. The first stage of the PSA Health Destination Pharmacy (HDP) Trial (2012-13) objective was to ¿move pharmacists¿ practice away from a focus on throughput of prescriptions and discounting to a consumer-focused model centred on health and quality services.¿ The HDP model provides a platform to underpin a ¿Minor Ailments Scheme¿. Many stakeholders promote self-care and self-medication by optimising the use of Australian community pharmacy. Community pharmacists have had a traditional role in the supply of medications which are used for treating minor ailments. Consumers see community pharmacies as accessible and convenient health care outlets. In addition it has been reported that in Australia 15% of all GP visits involve the treatment of minor ailments. These visits incur avoidable costs to the population and to the Australian Health care system. Community pharmacists are moving, encouraged by policy decisions and remuneration from government, to a more service-orientated approach. This evolution presents the opportunity to build on the positive findings from the HDP trial to strategically position community pharmacy to a broader uptake of the HDP concept with a focus on minor ailment service and facilitating consumer self-care

Publications:

Aly, M, García-Cárdenas, V, Williams, KA & Benrimoj, SI 2019, 'A qualitative study of stakeholder views and experiences of minor ailment services in the United Kingdom', Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, vol. 15, no. 5, pp. 496-504.
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Aly, M, García-Cárdenas, V, Williams, K & Benrimoj, SI 2018, 'A review of international pharmacy-based minor ailment services and proposed service design model', Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, vol. 14, no. 11, pp. 989-998.
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Keywords: Community Pharmacy, pharmacists,. Minor Ailments, Primary health care, Self care

FOR Codes: Primary Health Care, Health Policy Evaluation, Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Evaluation of Health Outcomes, Health Policy Economic Outcomes, Evaluation of health and support services

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.