Public health

Overview

In recent years there have been rapid developments in the role of pharmacists in improving the general health of the public, often as a result of changes in health policy both in the UK and elsewhere.

While the primary focus of the pharmacist is individual patients, the significant role(s) that pharmacy practice can have in improving health at a population level has been evolving.

There are enhanced expectations that pharmacists should be promoting well-being in their communities and improving patients’ quality of life.

This is underlined by the 2011 White Paper “Healthy Lives Healthy People” which you can view on this link.

It is likely that pharmacy will play an increased role in public health medicine as the Government looks to the profession to act as ‘gatekeepers’ to wellness services. 

Pharmacy in public health touches on a number of areas, such as:

• health education opportunities, health protection and screening
• health prevention and brief interventions
• advanced services (provision of medicines use review and prescription intervention service)
• enhanced services (smoking cessation, diabetes clinics, etc.)

What the group does

This multi-disciplinary group investigates the factors influencing and informing the contribution of pharmacy to public health policy and service provision; as well as evaluating the impact of these services.

This is a watching brief, especially as the period ahead sees the major changes in England as a result of the launch of Public Health England and the localisation of commissioning of services. The establishment of the Government Public Health and Pharmacy Forum is also a key development.

The provision of evidence and practice-based information to these local and national debates is vital.

Areas of expertise

The public health group has a number of areas of interest and expertise including:      

• Public health and social policy for pharmacy development      
• Social pharmacy (ie the integration of legal, ethical, economic, political, social, communicative, and psychological aspects into the evaluation of drugs in order to contribute to their safe and rational use) and policy analysis    
• Public mental health     
• Major public health challenges including obesity
• Organisation and leadership in public health