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The evolution of pharmaceutical care for drug misusers
Helen D Robertson1, Christine Bond1, Catriona Matheson2
1Academic Primary Care, Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Family Practice
|October 28, 2015
Summary
Community pharmacies increasingly provide clinical pharmaceutical care for drug misusers, evolving from simple opiate replacement treatment (ORT) dispensing to active patient monitoring and wider care team engagement. Training in drug misuse and blood-borne diseases has also significantly increased.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacy Practice
- Public Health
- Substance Misuse Management
Background:
- Pharmaceutical care has significantly evolved within community pharmacy settings over the past two decades.
- This evolution includes a growing focus on providing specialized services for individuals misusing drugs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the current provision of community pharmacy services for drug misusers.
- To evaluate past and future training needs for pharmacists in this area.
- To compare current data with historical surveys from 1995, 2000, and 2006.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional postal questionnaire was distributed to 1246 pharmacy managers in Scotland.
- Telephone interviews were conducted with non-respondents to maximize data collection.
- Results were analyzed and compared with data from previous surveys.
Main Results:
- Methadone dispensing by pharmacies increased significantly to 88.5% in 2014.
- Pharmacists reported increased monitoring of opiate replacement treatment (ORT) patients, with 43.4% always reporting non-attendance.
- Training in drug misuse (78.6%) and blood-borne diseases (48.7%) saw significant increases among pharmacists since 1995.
Conclusions:
- Community pharmacy services for drug misusers have shifted towards a more clinical model beyond basic ORT supply.
- Pharmacists are actively monitoring patients, managing minor ailments, and demonstrating increased engagement with multidisciplinary care teams.
- Future training preferences indicate a need for enhanced communication and inter-professional collaboration skills.