There’s more to community pharmacy and those involved than meets the eye. While shelves are packed with reliable health products and medicines, and pharmacy workers are well equipped to provide helpful advice on an extensive range of health topics, plenty of scope is still there to provide community services.
Customers are becoming more inclined to take holistic approaches when it comes to their mental and physical health. This means looking beyond the pharmacy shelves to help tackle their health goals.
“Pharmacies are not only a hub of information and medications, but also serve as an important pillar for a community, with hundreds relying on the expertise of pharmacy staff to improve their lives daily,” pharmacy assistant James Brown said.
“To strengthen and diversify a pharmacy’s capability will help to increase the positive health outcomes for a community.
“Additionally, by offering an expanded array of services, pharmacies may also be able to help patients identify health problems sooner, allowing for a doctor’s intervention when appropriate.”
This month, Retail Pharmacy Assistants looks beyond the shelves to the types of community services that pharmacies can offer to help promote physical and mental health.
Exercise physiology
Pharmacies could benefit greatly from having an in-house specialist that helps patients with rehabilitation from injury, says Mr Brown
“Alternatively, having regular training from an exercise physiologist will help pharmacy staff build the confidence and knowledge needed to assist their communities with issues regarding injury and rehabilitation,” he said.
“Exercise physiology aims to manage or prevent injury or disease relating to the physical function of the human body.”
Dietitian/nutritionist
“Dietitians provide insights into food and nutrition, guiding patients on how to appropriately manage their diet for certain conditions,” Mr Brown said.
“Having an in-house dietitian may help boost positive patient outcomes, as diet often has a major role in preventing or managing disease states.”
He adds that all pharmacy staff should possess basic knowledge of a healthy diet, “to ensure patients are properly informed on how dietary choices affect health”.
Yoga
Yoga is more than doing a few stretches. It has the potential to relieve physical and mental stress.
Benefits of performing yoga consistently include improved strength, balance and flexibility; back pain relief; easing arthritis symptoms; increased heart health; encouraging relaxation to aid better sleep; improved energy and brightening moods; managing stress; and connecting communities.²
“Yoga is another excellent practise that helps boost general health, particularly helping to reduce stress and improving mental health,” Mr Brown said.
“It’s a low-cost practice that could potentially be implemented in pharmacies, with classes being offered in-house – when it’s safe to so – as well as outdoors such as near a river, or over a conferencing application.
“Activities such as yoga may be offered in conjunction with meditation to appeal to a wider audience and attract people into the pharmacy.”
Walking groups
“Walking around for at least 30 minutes a day is an excellent way to maintain a positive overall state of health, with walking groups being more exciting,” Mr Brown said.
“Nature walks around rivers, bushwalking and just ordinary walking are great at helping you to stay fit and create new friendships.
“Pharmacies can organise charity walks or events that encourage walking to help bring a post-Covid-19 community closer together.”
For more and to read the feature in full as it appears in the October issue of Retail Pharmacy Assistants e-magazine, visit: rpassistants.com.au/magazines/retail-pharmacy-assistants-october-2021/
