The International journal of pharmacy practice
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patient co-payments for prescription medicines in Wales were abolished in April 2007 and there has been much speculation on the possible effects. We analysed patient-reported use of medicines before and after abolition of the prescription charge, noting changes in the number of items prescribed, number of non-prescription medicines purchased and participants not collecting all prescribed items (primary non-adherence). ⋯ although the rise in number of items prescribed and fall in number of medicines purchased was generally anticipated, there appeared to be little or no effect for those on the lowest incomes.
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Practice and attitudes regarding the management of childhood diarrhoea among pharmacies in Thailand.
to compare practice behaviour and attitudes of pharmacy personnel in the management of childhood diarrhoea between type I (requiring a pharmacist to be on duty) and type II (pharmacist not required) pharmacies, between those surveyed in 2008 and in 2001, and between new-generation (graduation ≤ 10 years) and old-generation (graduation >10 years) pharmacists. ⋯ practice and attitudes of pharmacy personnel were inappropriate in the management of childhood diarrhoea. Revision of the pharmacy curriculum did not result in improvement of practice as seen by the similarity of practice patterns among the 2001 and 2008 samples. Improvement of knowledge and practice behaviour among providers in pharmacies is needed.
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Pharmacy practice increasingly revolves around obtaining and interpreting information. We investigated whether and how pharmacy practice researchers design their studies in ways that acknowledge verbal communication between pharmacists and patients with diabetes. ⋯ Results reveal a gap in the existing literature. In studies of diabetes, pharmacy practice researchers do not appear to consider the influence of pharmacists' communication skills on health outcomes. Future studies should be designed to incorporate a communication research component.
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Few studies have explored pharmacists' perceptions of their potential role in asthma management. This study aimed to investigate community pharmacists' perceptions of their role in the provision of asthma care, to compare the perceptions of metropolitan and regional pharmacists with regards to their role, to identify barriers to the provision of asthma management services and to explore their level of inter-professional contact. ⋯ Community pharmacists perceived a three-dimensional role in asthma care with regional pharmacists more likely to embrace a broader role in asthma management compared to metropolitan pharmacists. Pharmacists identified time and patient-related factors as the major barriers to the provision of asthma services. Future research should explore barriers and facilitators to expansion of the pharmacist's role in asthma management in a holistic way.
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The aim was to investigate community pharmacists' views on the implementation of the electronic Minor Ailment Service (e-MAS) in Scottish community pharmacies and to quantify the barriers and facilitators to service provision. ⋯ A majority of respondents had positive views towards e-MAS. The benefits agreed upon by the majority of the respondents relate to known facilitators of community pharmacy practice change. Major barriers, namely suspected misuse of the service by some customers and timely process for recording consultation or supply, could affect pharmacists' efficiency in service delivery and need to be addressed. These results could inform similar schemes that may be introduced locally in the UK or elsewhere.