Improving access to support
“The project was driven by a shared recognition of unmet health and wellbeing needs for the families who live in a rural and socially disadvantaged area...”
Spearheaded by Ellie McDowell from Gordons Chemist in Kilkeel and Orla Baldwin from Kingdom Youth Club, this collaboration resulted in participants at the weekly sessions feeling better supported and more confident engaging with healthcare services. It was this positive impact on the local community that won the pair this year’s Working in Partnership Award.
The project was driven by a shared recognition of unmet health and wellbeing needs for the families who live in a rural and socially disadvantaged area. Both the pharmacy and the youth club had identified barriers to accessing healthcare which included a lack of confidence, isolation and poor awareness of the support that is available.
In addition, the team at Gordons recognised there was an increasing demand for advice beyond pharmacy’s traditional dispensing role, while the youth club had identified a need for accessible clinical input within an environment their users trusted and were familiar with.
The partnership helped address the barriers faced by combining the pharmacy’s clinical knowledge with youth club’s community based engagement, in order to improve accessibility, early intervention and co-ordinated support. It also included the support of additional partners including The Well, Mood Matters and the Citizens Advice Bureau to ensure clear referral pathways were in place, further improving access to appropriate health and wellbeing support.
Before establishing the service, both partners spent time identifying potential blockers to attendance and participation in the sessions. This included the caring responsibilities and mental health pressures faced by the families, as well as time constraints posed by working in a busy pharmacy setting.
To mitigate these challenges, they put in place childcare support for the families and ensured the sessions were flexible in terms of their scheduling, with some even held in an evening. Clear communication between both partners and agreed group guidelines enabled them to maintain the service and ensured continued engagement in the project, while protecting core pharmacy services.
The collaboration resulted in an efficient use of resources and delivered a far greater impact than either organisation could have achieved independently.
Improved confidence and collaboration
The benefits impacted everyone, from the families using the service, to the pharmacy and also the youth club. The families now have more confidence using healthcare services as well as improved access and appropriate referrals. Confidence in families accessing pharmacy support increased from 37% to 100% by the end of the programme.
The pharmacy gained an improved understanding of complex patient needs, strengthened referral pathways to GPs and community services and increased confidence in providing person centred support. And finally, the youth club left with an improved awareness of pharmacy services and clinical support options which allows it to now signpost these to other families using their service. The partnership successfully reinforced the role of community pharmacy as a key partner in integrated care delivery.
“The families now have more confidence using healthcare services as well as improved access and appropriate referrals...”
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