Staff in community pharmacies in East Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen have been celebrating achieving the first stage in becoming a Healthy Living Pharmacy.
The Healthy Living Pharmacy accreditation is a concept developed by NHS Portsmouth on the request of the Department of Health. These accredited pharmacies offer a wide range of NHS services, as well as having specialist in-store expertise available for things like stopping smoking, weight loss, contraception, sexual health, advice on alcohol consumption and support for making changes towards a healthier lifestyle.
The scheme is currently at pathfinder status, NHS East Lancashire and NHS Blackburn with Darwen Care Trust Plus have jointly been selected as one of 20 national pathfinder sites in the country; being one of only two sites in the North West to have achieved this.
The two trusts are making good progress in taking forward the Healthy Living Pharmacy concept. Nineteen community pharmacies in East Lancashire and five in Blackburn with Darwen signed up to the first wave of applicants, with another twenty signed up to the second wave. In order to take the first step in being accredited the status of Healthy Living Pharmacy, this has required a member of staff to undertake training to become a qualified Healthy Living Champion.
Dr Vic Standing, regional pharmaceutical advisor for NHS North of England, presented these Healthy Living Champions their certificate from the Royal Society of Public Health.
Dr Standing said: “These members of staff need to be commended and I’m delighted that all the hard work they have put into gaining this qualification is recognised in this way. They have acquired skills in how to deliver interventions in order to protect the health and wellbeing of their patients which will help keep them out of hospital or having an unnecessary visit to the GP or emergency department.”
Mark Collins, Nelson pharmacist and Director of Operations for Pharmacy Pennine Lancashire, said: “People often forget that their local pharmacist is a trained health professional who can offer advice on minor injuries and ailments. Pharmacies are often open late and on weekends, making them more convenient than a trip to hospital. We work closely with other healthcare providers and are well placed to engage with the public to offer convenient advice and support on a range of healthy living initiatives.
“I’m looking forward to when we are able to launch the first accredited Healthy Living Pharmacies in Pennine Lancashire.”
