Why Community Pharmacy?
Adrian Zacher
CEO & Founder, BSPSS Charity | Sleep Scientist | WHO FIDES Health Advocate | Advancing Sleep Expertise in Community Pharmacy
Community pharmacy was often (sometimes without PPE - because none was available), helping patients directly throughout the pandemic.
They vaccinated thousands and worked tirelessly. Putting patients before themselves.
And they continue to do so. Indeed, there are many unsung pharmacists and staff continuing to do this today. I salute you!
Recently, I was asked:
Why would you, coming from a dental and sleep background, choose to focus on community pharmacy?
The sleep advice front line
We all know how accessible and helpful community pharmacists and their super staff are.
We EXPECT them to be there - precisely when we need them.
Often, we don’t book. We just pop in and talk.
But when we suspect pharmacists have little formal education about sleep, and we see scary statistics as in the below infographic, I want to help.
In fact, I feel compelled to help pharmacists help their patients.
Help people access appropriate and timely sleep advice.
Happily, I've been joined by some fantastic sleep and pharmacy professionals who all share this passion.
Together we co-founded, and I have the honour to be CEO of the:
Our tagline is:
Plugging the disconnect between the patient and sleep expertise, at the first healthcare professional interaction.
That says it all.
I hope this brief post goes some way to explain why community pharmacy.
Have you had a good experience in community pharmacy?
Let's applaud these heroes, and equip them for the consequences repeated lockdowns have had upon the Nation's sleep.
Clinical Scientist PhD RPSGT EST FHEA, HCPC registered. Senior Lecturer in Sleep Physiology, experienced in adult & paediatric sleep medicine. #UWESleepMed
3 年Pharmacists are highly-trained frontline healthcare professionals, with the added bonus of being easy to access for the majority of people. They are perfectly placed to advise and signpost on sleep-related problems, meaning patients get timely, evidence-based advice whilst taking pressure off primary care and specialist sleep services - win/win/win!
Former Founder of WyeSleep and The Sleep Retreat.
3 年It makes so much sense for pharmacy staff to be properly trained and supported in the knowledge of sleep issues. They are trusted by the public to give evidence-based professional advice, so this seems an obvious and natural progression in sleep service provision.