Make better use of your pharmacist
Patients in Chiswick and Brentford encouraged to ‘ask about their medicines’
Patients across Chiswick and Brentford will be encouraged to find out more about the medicines that they take, whilst health professionals are encouraged to help people become more involved in decisions about their healthcare.
The push will form a part of ‘Ask About Medicines Week’ is a UK wide initiative to be held from October 12th – 18th.
Aiming to increase people’s understanding of the medicines that they take, through making it easier to ask questions and access information, the week will encourage patients to have more control over their own health and healthcare by encouraging better understanding of what medicines do and how to make the most appropriate use of them.
As part of the initiative pharmacies will be given credit sized question cards to hand out to patients, prompting them to ask relevant questions. In addition, leaflets and posters in local pharmacies will encourage patients to make better use of highly trained pharmacists.
Janet Cree, Chief Pharmacist for Hounslow Primary Care Trust said:
“There are over 50 pharmacies across Hounslow, each with pharmacists who are available to provide on the spot free and high quality advice to patients about the medicines that they take. We want to encourage patients to make better user of these highly trained health professionals to gain a better understanding of their own health care.Local pharmacist Hardevinder Gorae said, “By asking more questions, patients can gain a greater understanding of what they are taking, and with that greater control over their treatment. More and more we are seeing patients coming into the pharmacy with questions about the medicines they are taking. The more this happens, the more we patients are able to get involved in decisions about their own health care.”
Information about medicines will be also available at NHS Direct on-line.
October 14, 2003
Phamacists in Brentford (NHS web site)
Pharmacists in Chiswick (NHS web site)
Local NHS Trust deny funding crisis