Q&A
connections than it is about their experience of disease or disability.
That’s what makes the effect on the health and wellbeing of this group so profound. It makes them feel connected, feel that they are being treated as an equal, feel that they are being involved and engaged, and this gives them a sense of control over their lives and health that some have never felt. This builds confidence and helps them to reconnect with society.
for some, it can be both life changing and life saving. Pharmacists involved have reported a deep sense of personal and professional satisfaction, primarily because it has helped them to increase their skills and knowledge, but also because it has improved working relationships with other organisations and, consequently, has improved the status of the pharmacist in the community.
hoW CAn WE ACCESS hElP In fIllIng oUT PAPErWorK InVolVED In ThE BCPP APPlICATIonS?
We are always at the end of the phone to answer any queries or to help link a pharmacist up with a community. We run funding workshops, which are an opportunity to hear what we do and don’t fund, and we go through the application form page by page with hints and tips. We can also arrange one-to-one visits to advise on the development of a partnership and talk over ideas.
TEll US ABoUT A TyPICAl DAy In yoUr rolE AS STrATEgIC IMPACT MAnAgEr.
There isn’t such thing as a typical day in BCPP. There are waves of funding rounds throughout the year, each followed by screening, preparing contracts, training and visits to projects. We have a robust evaluation system, evaluating each individual project and then we aggregate the data to show the impact at a regional level.
This is a crucial part of the programme. This is how we evidence the way that the projects work (community development process) and how they make a difference. My role is to manage these internal processes and then make the strategic links so that we can share the learning and impact of BCPP.
In the first instance, we report to our funder, the health and Social Care Board, against our three strategic objectives. We also use our data to illustrate how the programme meets CDhn’s strategic vision and other regional policy objectives such as those outlined in the Pharmacy Strategy and the Public health framework.
opportunity to realise the potential of linking with the community.
There is an increasing emphasis on the public health role of pharmacy and I think that stronger links into the community and voluntary sectors will make this easier. from our perspective, it is less about the services delivered and more about
BCPP ProJECTS ArE VEry DIVErSE; ThEy EngAgE WITh MAny DIffErEnT CoMMUnITIES (WoMEn’S groUPS, PEoPlE Who ArE hoMElESS, VICTIMS of VIolEnCE ETC) In DIffErEnT ArEAS (rUrAl AnD UrBAn) AroUnD DIffErEnT ISSUES (PoVErTy, BErEAVEMEnT, SoCIAl ISolATIon), BUT ThE WAy of WorKIng DoESn’T ChAngE. ThE MoST SUCCESSfUl ProJECTS ArE ThE onES WhErE ThE PoWEr BAlAnCE ShIfTS AnD ThE PhArMACIST AnD CoMMUnITy SEE EACh oThEr’S STrEngThS AnD ASSETS.
PhArMACIES PrIDE ThEMSElVES on SErVICE ProVISIon To ThEIr CoMMUnITy. WhAT SErVICES Do yoU fEEl ThEy nEED To DEVEloP goIng forWArD AnD hoW CoUlD BCPP hElP DElIVEr on ThAT nEED?
We feel privileged to facilitate strong partnerships between communities and community pharmacy because we know the fantastic service that pharmacy provides. Pharmacists are the most accessible of our front-line health services and BCPP is an
the way services are delivered; the extent to which the community is engaged, because we know health improves when people feel supported and connected.
I’m not suggesting that every pharmacist needs to be doing BCPP, but I do believe that the learning from BCPP can help shape the delivery of services and see facilitating that as an important part of my role.
Do yoU offEr Any TrAInIng for PhArMACISTS InTErESTED In SETTIng UP A nEW ProJECT?
yes, all of our projects are offered a range of training and support from application stage to the completion of their project. This includes both formal training, such as our group Work Skills and our Monitoring and Evaluation Training, and less formal opportunities, such as CDhn networking events, conferences and other training.
We pride ourselves in being accessible and offer telephone and email support, as well as one-to-one visits with pharmacists who are leading projects to go through all our requirements.
The training we deliver can contribute to pharmacy CPD requirements. They can even write up the sessions they co-facilitate with community and voluntary sector partners as part of the project.
AnD on A lIghTEr noTE…
WhAT IS yoUr fAVoUrITE hoBBy AnD Why?
I have been doing Tae Kwon-Do for the last five years and am only two gradings away from achieving my black belt! It is great exercise and I love the fact that there is progression; you’re always learning and developing your skills. I haven’t been fighting competitively since I had my daughter, but I have two All-Ireland Medals and an nI title.
WhAT IS yoUr fAVoUrITE Song To SIng AT ThE ToP of yoUr VoICE WhEn no onE IS lISTEnIng?
guns and roses - Sweet Child of Mine
ToP ThrEE ThIngS yoU WoUlD TAKE WITh yoU If STrAnDED on A DESErT ISlAnD AnD Why?
I have four small children and rarely get to the bathroom on my own, so the thought of being stranded on a desert island is bliss! I would bring a crime fiction novel, a bottle of red wine and a packet of raspberry ruffles. A very short-term solution to what could be a long-term problem, but I’ve seen ray Mears so how hard can it be?
PhArMACy In foCUS - 51
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