Thursday 12th December 2024   

Due to popular demand, we at Community Pharmacy Devon have decided to review our communications and bring you a weekly newsletter that will provide a brief overview of important activity.

As always, if you have any feedback or comments, please contact us by email at admin@cpdevon.org.uk.

PCN lead Nicky Slight attended the Thrive Plymouth event that took place on Thursday, November 28, 2024, at the Plymouth Life Centre and marked a decade of efforts addressing health inequalities and fostering well-being in Plymouth.

The event, launched in 2014, targets four key lifestyle factors - smoking, poor diet, alcohol consumption, and physical inactivity - that contribute significantly to preventable diseases and early mortality. Over the past decade, these efforts have led to improvements such as reductions in smoking rates and deaths from major illnesses, as well as increased healthy life expectancy for men. However, challenges remain, including disparities in health outcomes across different areas and rising mental health issues. The event featured a reflection on progress, showcasing the role of Thrive Plymouth’s collaborative network of over 100 organizations, including public health teams, businesses, and community groups.

Nicky said that her highlights of the day were completing over 20 blood pressure checks, two of which required ABPM referral for possible undiagnosed hypertension, handing out 150 Pharmacy First leaflets to Plymouth Age concern to include in their Christmas Hamper drop and networking with other agencies, making new contacts and meeting the New Director of Public Health for Plymouth, Steve Madden, who is indeed a HUGE advocate of Pharmacy having started his career as a Dispenser with Boots at Cribbs Causeway and then decided to go to Pharmacy School.

Going forward, the new Thrive Plymouth plan broadens its scope to include "Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, Healthy Places, and Healthy Communities." This approach emphasises not only individual behaviour change but also systemic factors like the quality of housing, access to green spaces, and community cohesion. By fostering a holistic and inclusive strategy, the program aims to tackle health inequalities at their root causes. The event underscores Plymouth’s commitment to improving health equality and ensuring a better quality of life for all residents, regardless of socioeconomic status or geographical location.

Day Lewis executive director Jay Patel was working a shift as a pharmacist in one of his company’s branches when a hypertension check led to his being diagnosed with a serious heart condition. Mr Patel says he “wouldn’t be alive” if it were not for a “proactively assertive” store team urging him to follow up on an opportune blood pressure check delivered through the NHS case-finding service. Read the story here.

Whether there are issues with prescription supplies when pharmacies and GP surgeries are closed, or you want a refresher on common clinical conditions and ailments services, find the support you need below:

• Controlled drugs
• Emergency supply
• Common clinical conditions and ailments services
• Professional judgement
• Responsible pharmacist toolkit
• MEP
• Managing conflict

Torbay Council want to improve the support offered to Torbay-based pharmacies providing Naloxone and increase the distribution of Naloxone by simplifying our Pharmacy Naloxone model. They would like to standardise the pharmacy Naloxone offer by commissioning 1 type of Naloxone, either Prenoxad (injectable form) or Nyxoid (nasal form). They would value the opinion of any Torbay-based pharmacies to help them decide which type of naloxone to commission within Torbay’s pharmacy contract specification from 2025. Please answer 2 very simple questions using the form here to assist them in this decision.

Below is a brief summary of the benefits and potential challenges for the types of Naloxone being considered (note that the nasal pebble is not being considered as an option for this commission):

·         Fast onset of action (2-5mins).

·         high bioavailability and a long duration of action (typically lasts between 30 and 90minutes).

·         Provides up to 2ml of Naloxone (5 x .4ml doses), tailoring it to the specific needs of the                          individual, reducing risk of aggressive awakening.

·         Requires assembly of a needle for administration - could cause a needle stick injury to the                       person administering the drug.

·         The needle could be removed and used for other purposes by the client.

·         It is invasive as is delivered intramuscularly.

·         Carry case may not be pocket friendly.

·         Non-invasive method.

·         Design supports quicker intervention in overdose situations.

·         Provides total of 3.6 ml of Naloxone (2 x 1.8mg doses).

·         Provided in a compact portable device.

·         Slower onset of action (5-20 mins).

·         Lower bioavailability, meaning less of the drug is absorbed into the bloodstream.

·         Unable to administer in doses, increasing risk of aggression on awakening.

·         Carrying both doses provides less naloxone than carrying 1 injectable naloxone kit.

If you have a positive news story to share with us please send it to admin@cpdevon.org.uk and it will be featured in an upcoming edition of the review. If featured, you will also win a surprise gift for you and your team up to the value of £25!

Click the name you need to email them directly: