Basic drug advice not being offered, conference hears

摘要

PHARMACISTS have a huge opportunity to help improve the pharmaceutical care of older people but every pharmacist has to step up to the plate. This was one of the key conclusions of a pharmacy conference held in Glasgow on 20 June 2013. Patient representative Aileen Matthews, of the ALLIANCE Involvement Network, said that despite being treated for diabetes for 20 years she had never received any advice from a pharmacist about her medicines. When a new medicine was started, it was handed to her in a sealed bag. "I was really surprised to read about the length of training pharmacists undertake. You are a major resource on our doorstep that people just aren't aware of," she said.