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Chapter SIX: CONCLUSION
This chapter draws together all the
strands from the previous chapters,
reiterates the role of the pharmacist in
providing services to substance misusers
and emphasises that services must take
place in a patient-focused,
multidisciplinary context involving a wide
range of agencies both within and outwith
NHSScotland. An overview of the report's
recommendations is given at the
close. |
Conclusion
151. Substance misuse is a chronic relapsing condition
and should be treated as such even though it is
acknowledged that not all clients will meet the "chronic
disease" model. Chronic disease management is one of the
cornerstones of
The Right Medicine1. It is built on the concept of repeat dispensing with
medication review and is part of the process of helping
clients to monitor their condition. It is also about
clients taking ownership of their condition as a partner in
their care.
152. This report has reviewed the role of the
pharmacist, as an essential member of a multidisciplinary
team, in the provision of services to substance misusers.
This has been set in the context of current policy on
drugs, smoking and alcohol. The report reaffirms the
message that pharmacists have a key role to play in
providing a range of services to substance misusers and
that this is best achieved within the context of integrated
care.
The report recommends the establishment of a series
of integrated care pilots for substance misuse based on the
principles of the pharmaceutical care model
schemes. These pilots, which would be designed to
accommodate the different needs of substance misusers,
would both inform and call upon the professionalism and
expertise of a wide range of statutory and voluntary
agencies across Scotland.
153. When designing these pilots, care should be taken
not to lose sight of the role of hospital pharmacists in
providing pharmaceutical care to substance misusers who
require secondary or tertiary care for reasons that may or
may not be related to their substance misuse. There is also
a need to recognise that substance misusers often have
other health problems that require treatment.
154. The "core" services provided by pharmacists in
relation to substance misuse are summarised in the box
below.
CORE SERVICES TO SUBSTANCE
MISUSERS Dispensing of medication for the treatment
of substance misuse and in some instances
supervising the self-administration of these
medicines Health promotion/education and awareness
raising activities in hospitals, community
pharmacies and the wider local community Smoking Cessation Schemes (
SCS) Needle and syringe exchange schemes Advice on the secure handling and storage of
medicines and their disposal and safe
destruction Referral to appropriate agencies Undertaking audit and research and
implementing evidence-based practice. |
Overview of Recommendations
155. The recommendations originating from this report
relate to:
- Pharmacist involvement in national and local policy
development
- Pharmacist involvement in service planning
- The establishment of national and local networks of
pharmacists engaged in the treatment of substance
misuse, led by specialists
- Accessible multi-disciplinary and multi-agency
education and training
- Pharmacist contribution to developing the
evidence-base
- Support for pharmacists' health
education/promotion/harm reduction activities
- Engagement of pharmacists with local communities,
especially schools
- Opportunities afforded by the extension of
prescribing rights and the new community pharmacy
contract
- The establishment of a series of integrated care
pilots to accommodate the different needs of substance
misusers
- Ensuring that legislation designed to protect the
public and patients does not damage the ability to
provide effective care.
A summary of the recommendations is
given at the front of this report. |
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