Abstract
Background and aims
Community pharmacies have a central role in the provision of opiate substitution therapy (OST) for drug misusers, offering accessible, additional health services within recovery-oriented systems of care. However, little is known about the patients receiving OST, availability and uptake of related services and associated pharmacy characteristics. We aimed to describe OST in terms of patients, pharmacies and services within the UK’s largest health authority, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Scotland.
Methods
Patients completed semi-structured questionnaires and pharmacists provided summary statistics relating to OST provision.
Results
Responses from 508 patients receiving OST from 111 participating pharmacies revealed an established patient population, with 89 % (449/507) aged 30 years or above and 80 % (387/484) attending the same pharmacy for 1 year or more. Methadone was the main form of OST (96 % (487/508), with 97 % (491/504) receiving supervision. Within pharmacies, OST consumption was supervised in one of four main areas: consultation room, dispensing hatch, quiet/private area or over the counter. Location of supervision was considered suitably private by 96 % of patients. Positive staff attitudes, privacy and the provision of additional health services were key factors influencing choice of pharmacy. Additional health services were offered to 75 % of patients and included information provision (43 %), signposting to other health care providers (72 %) and a Scottish service offering free advice and medicines for minor ailments (74 %).
Conclusion
Patients and pharmacists have developed working relationships, enabling access to multiple services associated with health gain and harm reduction. Further development of enhanced services in community pharmacies is merited.
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Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank Alex Adam, Janine Glen, Susie Heywood, Graeme Morrison and David Thomson for their assistance with data collation, literature review and manuscript development.
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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Ethical approval
Ethical approval and informed consent were not required for this study as it was an evaluation of a current service provided by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (NHS GG&C). Research and Development (R&D) Management Approval was obtained prior to the initiation of the study. The study was undertaken in accordance with the ethical standards of NHS GG&C R&D and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.
Appendix 1 OST patient questionnaire
Appendix 1 OST patient questionnaire
This questionnaire relates to the community pharmacy services offered to patients receiving either Methadone, Suboxone, Subutex or Disulfiram from a community pharmacy. Your views on this service are important and will support us to improve and develop the service. Thank you very much for completing this questionnaire, it should only take five to ten minutes to complete.
The information is confidential and completely anonymous. All data will be used in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
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Laird, A., Hunter, C., Sardar, C.M. et al. Community pharmacy-based opiate substitution treatment and related health services: a study of 508 patients and 111 pharmacies. J Public Health 24, 193–207 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-016-0714-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-016-0714-y