Community pharmacists' perspectives on pharmaceutical care implementation in New Zealand

There were three objectives to this study: to establish New Zealand community pharmacists' level of understanding of the pharmaceutical care process, to determine their attitudes to the concept of pharmaceutical care; and to determine the barriers to commencing pharmaceutical care practice. Comparisons were made between proprietors (pharmacy owners) and employees, males and females, and younger and older pharmacists.

The research tool was a questionnaire instrument, encompassing a total of 67 questions designed to determine community pharmacists' understanding, attitudes and appreciation of the opportunities and barriers inherent in the pharmaceutical care process. A total of 490 pharmacists representing 286 proprietors and 204 employees randomly selected from the Pharmaceutical Society register were sent a questionnaire.

The total responses numbered 377, which was a 76.9% overall response rate. Over 60% of the pharmacists surveyed had a correct understanding of pharmaceutical care. Approximately the same percentage felt the future of pharmacy would depend on the provision of services other than dispensing. Insufficient time, as a barrier to implementation, was identified by 87% of respondents, and an absence of a reimbursement system by a further 82%. Lack of: therapeutic knowledge; clinical problem solving skills; finance; appropriate space, patient demand; access to patient medical records, and data on the value of PC were identified as major barriers by over 50% of all respondents. There were significant differences in response to a number of issues recorded by males and females, proprietors and employees, and pharmacists above and below the mean sample age of 45 years.

This study found that the community pharmacy environment in New Zealand had a high level of understanding of the pharmaceutical care process, but identified some significant barriers to implementation.