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Calverton Pharmacy

We dispense and deliver prescriptions, and supply counter medicines, toiletries and disability aids. We provide Flu, Pneumonia and Travel Vaccinations and medicines. We operate NHS Stop Smoking, Emergency Contraception and Chlamydia Testing and Treatment. We also supply medicines in compliance trays where appropriate and properly funded.

Updated:
7 December 2016
Location:
East of England
Sectors:
Pharmaceutical
Local Alliances:
Luton Dementia Action Alliance

1. Action Plan

1. The National Dementia Declaration lists seven outcomes that the DAA are seeking to achieve for people with dementia and their carers. How would you describe your organisation’s role in delivering better outcomes for people with dementia and their carers?

Community pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare professionals, with local communities being able access help and information without the need for an appointment. This means we have daily contact with a large number of individuals seeking help and advice on a wide range of health topics, for example in relation to medicines use, independent living aids and preventative healthcare measures.

Although there is no cure for dementia, medicines play a key role and people living with dementia are often taking multiple medications. Community pharmacists and their teams can help to reduce some of the difficulties people experience with taking their medicines and help to reduce the impact this can have on the health and social care system.

2. What are the challenges to delivering these outcomes from the perspective of your organisation?

We accept that awareness of dementia in community pharmacy teams such as ours can be improved.

One challenge is to ensure that every member of our team fully understands the condition and outlines of the treatments available for dementia. Another challenge is to ensure our team is confident and competent to support patients with dementia and their carers.

There are also challenges for community pharmacies delivering clinical pharmacy advice visits in residential care homes but we are not active in this part of the community at this time and do not have the necessary relationships with homes in the locality.

Community pharmacies also have a role in the early detection of dementia. Quite often, we encounter and recognise early signs and symptoms of conditions and diseases. We can then have conversations with the patient’s GP to raise awareness of this. We are also in a unique position to offer support, both formal and informal, to carers as we have more frequent contact than many other healthcare professionals.

Currently, we are not commissioned to conduct a formal dementia assessment for patients showing symptoms of the condition.

2. Actions

  • Review medication for those with a dementia diagnosis

    Ensuring the optimal use of prescribed medicines with proven effectiveness.

    Status:
    Implementation

  • Support independence

    Ensuring that people are able to remain as independent as possible and are able to take their medicines using a variety of strategies and aids. For example when people experience physical problems when taking their medicines, such as being unable to remove tablets from packaging, experiencing problems when swallowing tablets or difficulties with remembering when to take medicines.

    Status:
    Implementation

  • Support for carers

    Helping patients, family members and carers manage the behavioural problems associated with the progressive illness safely and appropriately

    Status:
    Implementation

  • Provide advocacy

    Advocating for safe and appropriate treatment with medicines for people with dementia, especially those experiencing poly-pharmacy.

    Status:
    Implementation

  • Review use of antipsychotics

    Being alert to the inappropriate use of antipsychotics in dementia. 

    Status:
    Implementation
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