Mental Health and Community Pharmacy Project

The  Mental  Health  and  Community  Pharmacy  Project, run by Griffith University, is seeking community pharmacy starff to participate in a study to improve the role of the local pharmacy in meeting the needs of people with mental illness.
The project is  funded  by  the  Australian Government Department of Health as part of the Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement Research and Development Program managed by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.  Aligned  with  the  Australian  Government’s  focus  on  mental  health  as  a  National  Health Priority Area, the  Mental Health and Community Pharmacy Project  assists pharmacy staff  to  improve  their skills to work with  mental health consumers  to get the best out of their medication.
Having  already  seen  success  with  a  first  round  of  online  and  face-to-face  training workshops, the pilot program will  conclude  by training  a  further 100 pharmacies across Queensland, WA and Northern NSW.
“We are seeking community pharmacy staff interested in working with consumers, carers, GPs  and  mental  health  professionals  to  improve  optimal  medicines  management  and health  outcomes  through  pharmacy  professional  services,”  says  study  leader  Professor Amanda Wheeler from the Griffith Health Institute.
The training is about building strong communication skills, assisting pharmacy staff to develop a medication support plan to assist mental health consumers with their medication management and to evaluate the intervention’s effectiveness in a naturalistic pharmacy setting.
“To date, the research team has spoken with over 250 consumers and carers about their needs and pharmacy experience. This research capitalises on current consumer opinion that describes community pharmacy as a more relaxed environment for consumers, one where information about treatment and other services can be freely discussed.”
Professor Wheeler stressed that the training  is about pharmacies supporting the role of the GP. “This is about pharmacists working collaboratively with GPs and other mental health professionals to ensure consumers get the best out of their medication.”
Pharmacy staff participating in the training receive professional development points and financial compensation, with subsidised travel and accommodation for anyone outside of the capital cities. GPs will also benefit from professional development points, along with reimbursement for referrals to thei r community pharmacy.
Workshop dates for the training comprise: Brisbane – 4th and 19th February; Perth – 19th February; Sydney – 22nd February.
Pharmacy staff and other health professionals interested in taking part in the study or consumers and carers that feel they could benefit from a medication support plan are asked to contact the Griffith team via www.mentalhealthproject.com.au