PHARMACY CAN DO MORE FOR PATIENTS WITH JOINT PAIN,REGARDLESS OF DIAGNOSIS

摘要

Pharmacy teams have the potential to play a bigger role in front line assessment of joint pain.In the rheumatology clinic,the majority of individual diagnoses are made by talcing a history-tests only play a small part and X-rays play a very small part in the diagnosis of joint pain conditions.With appropriate training,pharmacy teams can effectively categorise joint pain,allowing them to recommend best management options and signpost patients to relevant healthcare professionals and community/support services.Musculoskeletal problems have a massive impact on an individual's life and ability to work,particularly affecting their mobility and participation in valued activities12.The impact on an individual's life is much worse if the pain is not well controlled3.At present,musculoskeletal conditions make up at least 20% of primary care consultations in the UK and many people do not seek help.We need more front line workers if we are to successfully help with the problem of musculoskeletal pain.