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Objectives This study aimed to explore community pharmacists’ practices and attitudes towards the provision of healthcare advice regarding preconception and pregnancy. Methods A qualitative focus group study was conducted virtually with community pharmacists around urban areas of London in October 2021. A topic guide was utilised to cover pharmacy practice, barriers and confidence in counselling women, education and training and thoughts on how to improve preconception and pregnancy health services. Focus groups were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Key findings Eleven community pharmacists participated. Three themes were identified: ‘Community Driven Needs’; ‘Needs of Community Pharmacists’; ‘Shared Needs and Understanding’ which were related through a central organising concept of ‘Unmet Needs in Pharmacy-led Preconception and Pregnancy Care’. Community pharmacists are frequently consulted by women before and during pregnancy, however, a discord was uncovered between current pharmacy practice and the needs of the community. A clear need was identified for the incorporation of risk minimisation counselling focusing on smoking, alcohol intake and drug use. Education and organisational factors were reported as challenges to providing advice. Conclusions Community pharmacists can play a pivotal role in providing information and support to women before and during pregnancy. Our findings suggest integration of community pharmacy-led structured counselling may be a useful public health strategy to optimise pregnancy health. Our work highlights educational and organisational barriers which hinder the ability of pharmacists to promote preconception and pregnancy health. These must be addressed, and we provide recommendations for change to both policy and practice.

Background Twenty percent of women in the UK develop perinatal mental health (PMH) problems, which have widespread effects on maternal and child health. Community pharmacists are ideally placed to identify PMH problems and refer to other trained healthcare professionals. Objective This study explored community pharmacists’ attitudes, current counselling practices, and barriers to providing mental health advice to perinatal women. Methods A qualitative focus group study was performed virtually with community pharmacists (n = 11), working in urban settings across London. A topic guide was used to cover current counselling practice, barriers to and confidence in counselling women, and thoughts on potential pharmacist-led perinatal mental health services. The focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic analysis. Results Three themes were identified: Doing Mental Health Care; Willing, but Unable; and Introspection and reflection, which were related through a central organising concept of ‘Perinatal mental health care as a new frontier for community pharmacy’. It was found that while community pharmacists provide mental health advice to perinatal women and their partners, they lacked confidence, which was related to a lack of knowledge and inadequate training opportunities. Organisational barriers were identified including a lack of a formal referral pathway to existing mental health services and other trained healthcare professionals. Perceptions of opportunities and recommendations for service improvement and change were also garnered. Conclusion This study demonstrates community pharmacists have a potential role within community mental healthcare in identification of PMH problems and providing appropriate advice and support. Upskilling community pharmacists in mental health should be considered to increase knowledge and confidence while formal referral pathways to other trained healthcare professionals and existing services should be established and made available to pharmacists.

Discussion of the necessity of the compulsory vaccination of UK patient-facing care workers as an employment conditionality has deflected from the initial and ongoing impact of Coronavirus disease on relatively neglected occupational groups themselves, including community pharmacists. This commentary highlights the relative lack of research investigating the mental health and wellbeing impact of the pandemic on this occupational group in England and urges further study of their needs and experiences to inform evidence-based supportive psychological interventions.

Background Guidelines recommend that asthma treatment should be stepped down to the minimally effective dose that achieves symptom control to prevent medication side effects and reduce unnecessary costs. Little is known about the practice of stepping down and the challenges in primary care, where most asthma patients are managed. Objective To explore views, experiences, barriers and ideas, of doctors, nurses and pharmacists working in primary care, related to step down of asthma medication. Methods Primary care practitioners from across the UK participated in a survey and/or semi-structured interview. Questions explored four main areas: how asthma medication is reviewed, views on asthma guidelines, perceived barriers faced by healthcare workers and facilitators of stepping down. Qualitative content analysis enabled data coding of interview transcripts to identify major themes. Results A total of 274 participants responded to the survey, 29 participated in an interview (12 doctors, 9 nurses, and 8 pharmacists), working in GP practices from across the UK. Nearly half of the survey participants infrequently step down asthma medication (doctors=42.7%, nurses=46.3%). Four major themes related to barriers to stepping down were (i) lack of awareness of the need to step down, (ii) inertia to step down, driven by low confidence in ability, fear of consequences, and concern for who is responsible for stepping down, (iii) self-efficacy of ability to step down, influenced by lack of clear, applied guidance and limited training, and (iv) feasibility of step down, driven by a lack of systematic acceptance of stepping down and time. Strategies proposed to reduce overtreatment included education and training, improved gathering of evidence and guidance, and integrating step down into routine asthma care. Conclusion Failure to implement this guideline recommendation into everyday asthma management is influenced by several contributing factors. Future directions should include addressing evidence gaps, implementing clear and practical guidance, integration of step-down assessment into the asthma review, and education of professionals and patients.

Background Guidelines recommend that asthma treatment should be stepped down to the minimally effective dose that achieves symptom control to prevent medication side effects and reduce unnecessary costs. Little is known about the practice of stepping down and the challenges in primary care, where most asthma patients are managed. Objective To explore views, experiences, barriers and ideas, of doctors, nurses and pharmacists working in primary care, related to step down of asthma medication. Methods Primary care practitioners from across the UK participated in a survey and/or semi-structured interview. Questions explored four main areas: how asthma medication is reviewed, views on asthma guidelines, perceived barriers faced by healthcare workers and facilitators of stepping down. Qualitative content analysis enabled data coding of interview transcripts to identify major themes. Results A total of 274 participants responded to the survey, 29 participated in an interview (12 doctors, 9 nurses, and 8 pharmacists), working in GP practices from across the UK. Nearly half of the survey participants infrequently step down asthma medication (doctors=42.7%, nurses=46.3%). Four major themes related to barriers to stepping down were (i) lack of awareness of the need to step down, (ii) inertia to step down, driven by low confidence in ability, fear of consequences, and concern for who is responsible for stepping down, (iii) self-efficacy of ability to step down, influenced by lack of clear, applied guidance and limited training, and (iv) feasibility of step down, driven by a lack of systematic acceptance of stepping down and time. Strategies proposed to reduce overtreatment included education and training, improved gathering of evidence and guidance, and integrating step down into routine asthma care. Conclusion Failure to implement this guideline recommendation into everyday asthma management is influenced by several contributing factors. Future directions should include addressing evidence gaps, implementing clear and practical guidance, integration of step-down assessment into the asthma review, and education of professionals and patients.

Background: Community pharmacist-led interventions are effective in improving health outcomes; however, their impact in improving preconception and pregnancy health is not clear. This study evaluated the effectiveness of community pharmacist-led interventions which aimed to improve health outcomes of preconception and pregnant women. Methods: A systematic review of the literature, consistent with PRISMA guidelines, was performed. Five electronic databases were searched up to February 2021. Results: Four studies, three in pregnant women and one in preconception women, were identified. The studies focused on improving micronutrient status and smoking cessation. The studies increased knowledge about, and use of, iron supplements, and improved iron status and smoking cessation rates in pregnant women, while improving knowledge regarding, and increasing the use of, preconception folic acid. The studies were ranked as weak to moderate quality. Conclusion: This review provides preliminary evidence for the potential benefit of community pharmacist-led interventions to improve the health of women before and during pregnancy., Pharmacy, 9 (4), ISSN:2226-4787