BCPP
BUIlDIng ThE CoMMUnITy PhArMACy PArTnErShIP (BCPP) IS All ABoUT PhArMACy AnD ThE CoMMUnITy WorKIng In hArMony, BUT A rECEnT CoUnTy DoWn ProJECT TooK ‘hArMony’ To A nEW lEVEl.
BCPP project hits the right note! T
he right Key is a not-for-profit musical performance organisation that brings
positive social change for people at the margins of society. The organisation, which is based at its recovery Café in Dromore, delivers ‘singing for health’ workshops to improve the health, well-being and quality of life of disadvantaged people, such as recovering alcoholics and addicts, ex-prisoners, elderly people, dementia sufferers and their carers, and those suffering from mental health problems.
In addition to a counselling service, clothes bank and food bank, The right Key also opens the café one day a week, providing a hot meal for the elderly, and giving them the opportunity to meet and socialise.
for the group’s BCPP level 1 project – which was run in conjunction with pharmacist Cathy Thompson-Murphy from Johnston’s Pharmacy in Dromore - they decided to focus on working with a group of recovering alcoholics.
The five-session programme, which took place over five months, explored health-related issues that were relevant to the group and included topics such as the mental and physical impact of long-term alcohol abuse, healthier lifestyles, the benefits of
18 - PhArMACy In foCUS
exercise, pharmacy services and over- the-counter medication.
‘from the outset,’ says Cathy Thompson-Murphy, ‘the core group was involved in all aspects of the project, and was totally active in planning and setting the agenda, which focused on smoking, mental health, alcohol misuse, pain management, insomnia and vitamins; all topics that were relevant to them.
‘The sessions were entirely based on the subjects that this group – which comprised around fifteen individuals – wanted to talk about. Mental health was a very important issue for them, with many having suffered – or currently suffering – from anxiety, stress and depression. Some were also experiencing problems that are generally associated with these conditions, such as sleep difficulties and relaxation, so we talked a lot about ways in which they could help themselves relax without medication.
‘What struck me in particular was that this group was very proactive in wanting to help themselves. They were all extremely positive in their attitude to both what we were doing and to how they could improve their own lives through things like exercise.
‘We also covered issues such as prescribed medicine and possible
interactions. This was such a vital topic to cover since, while many of the participants were on prescribed medication, some didn’t know what they were taking the medication for! This type of knowledge is vital for compliance and so I felt that answering their questions and providing this information was extremely important in empowering them to look after their health and to keep safe.
‘The fellowship among the group was fantastic. In fact, although we ran the sessions prior to the group singing workshops, I stayed on for some of them, which I found very enjoyable. I’d never come across this type of thing before but I could really see why they all found it such a positive and uplifting experience. Even those who were a little more reserved than others were participating and there’s no doubt that, over the course of the project, I could see the participants getting more and more out of both the sessions and the workshops. The singing was amazing and the joy that everyone got out of it was almost palpable. In light of the fact that many had been dealing with mental health issues as a result of recovery from their addictions, just watching the positivity and joy emanating from the workshops was a clear indication of how much a
person’s mental state can be affected by doing something positive.
‘one thing that I think became very clear during the project was that, prior to it, many people hadn’t fully understood the service that the community pharmacist could provide. By the end of the sessions, however, quite a few said that they would now access their local pharmacist for information. This simple recognition of the fact that help and support are easily accessible in the local community definitely added to the ‘empowerment’ that BCPP projects can provide. This project definitely had a promising effect on the participants’ view of their health and personal circumstances. By providing them with the information that they wanted, the group members went away with a better understanding of how to improve their health by making healthy changes to the way they live.’
As a result of the success of this level 1 project, The right Key went on to apply for a level 2 project. The application was successful and a new project will soon begin which will focus on bringing about positive change and reducing isolation in a group of mixed gender older people.
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