PARTNERSHIP


Outreach project benefits the community


NORThERN IRElAND hAS ThE hIghEST RATE Of ACqUIRED BRAIN INjURy IN ThE Uk. ThANkS TO A RECENT BUIlDINg COmmUNITy PhARmACy PARTNERShIP PROjECT, PATIENTS IN EAST BElfAST ARE BEINg hElPED TO REACh ThEIR fUll POTENTIAl.


B


rain Injury matters is a charity dedicated to supporting people with an acquired brain injury


(ABI). Causes of brain injury can include meningitis, stroke and road traffic accidents. In the majority of circumstances, the cause of the brain injury is a sudden and unexpected event, but the impact on the person and their carers is both significant and long term.


with NI having the highest rate of ABI in the Uk, it’s obvious that help is needed right across the community to help patients to rebuild their lives. As such, Brain Injury matters is focussed on supporting those with an ABI to reach their full potential in the community.


In order to do this, the charity has recently completed a level 3 Building Community Pharmacy Partnership


(BCPP) project, partnering with medicare Pharmacy group for the third consecutive year.


Pharmacist Rebecca Adair, who works in the chain’s Comber Road branch in East Belfast, worked in conjunction with Brain Injury matters to develop a varied programme, which was specifically targeted at participants aged twenty and above.


The focus of the sessions, which were led by Rebecca, was on the prevention and management of mental health issues.


‘People with an ABI may experience a range of psychiatric symptoms, such as depression, anxiety disorders, mood disorders or panic disorders and the incidence of these is significantly higher than in the general public,’ Rebecca told Pif.


‘for that reason, through a series of interactive discussions, I explored the reasons why mental health is affected after a brain injury, whether that is from the physical injury to the brain itself, or because of the need to re-adapt to life post ABI. The aim was to highlight the rationale for such reactions, with participants not only sharing their own experiences with others through group discussion, but also obtaining reassurance from peers.’


Rebecca also tailored discussions around medications, which were


10 - PhARmACy IN fOCUS


relevant to the group participants, exploring why they were prescribed in the first place, how the medicine works and the common side effects that they may experience.


Rebecca also facilitated time for one- to-one discussions with her, which enabled patients to deal with any personal medication questions that they may have had. It also provided the opportunity for a more detailed medication review.


As stroke is a leading cause of ABI, Rebecca also talked to the group about how to recognise the signs of a stroke, building on the ‘Act fAST’ public health campaign. Similarly, participants are at higher risk of a seizure after a brain injury, so the group was asked to consider what they would do should one of their colleagues experience such an episode.


The project also featured music therapy sessions, which have proven vital to the promotion of positive mental health. Bi-monthly sessions led by community musician, Seonaid murray, gave the group the opportunity to use their voices and to play percussion instruments. These sessions enabled them to both relax and express themselves while recreating popular and well- known music.


Over the course of the project, Rebecca also talked to the group about other activities, which have been shown to encourage positive mental health. These included arts workshops and talks by, among others, Rebound Physio, Disability Sport and dietitians from the Belfast health and Social Care Trust, who led interactive sessions.


‘A follow-up BCPP evaluation,’ Rebecca concluded,’has shown that the project had a positive effect on engaging participants to discuss mental health problems. It also reinforced the role of the pharmacist as an accessible healthcare professional, who is available for advice on a range of ailments and topics, and to signpost to other organisations and support groups when required.’


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