preprints.org > public health and healthcare > public health and health services > doi: 10.20944/preprints202411.0267.v1 (registering DOI)

Preprint Article Version 1 This version is not peer-reviewed

Version 1 : Received: 1 November 2024 / Approved: 5 November 2024 / Online: 5 November 2024 (09:51:30 CET)

Background: In the UK pharmacy professionals (pharmacists and pharmacy technicians) contribute to the delivery of local and national public or population health interventions. Existing literature predominantly focuses on micro-level activities, primarily in community pharmacies typically delivering public health interventions to individuals. Despite their sizeable daily interaction, there is little-known evidence on pharmacy professionals’ (PPs) involvement at meso and macro levels nor to what extent pharmacy professionals have specialist/advanced roles within public health practice. This mixed method study presents recommendations for future action. The study explored pharmacy professionals’ specialist/advanced roles within public health as well as their opportunities and barriers to career development. Method: The study included two surveys (for pharmacy professionals and public health professionals (PhPs)), a call for evidence and two workshops to develop recommendations. Pharmacy professionals (n=128) and public health professionals (n= 54) across the UK participated in the survey. Results: The majority of PP respondents were females (70%); pharmacists (85%), working in primary (33%) or secondary (25%) care settings, mainly based in England (75%), most (63%) lacked formal public health qualifications, although they were involved in a diverse range of public health interventions. The PhPs were mostly females (67%), practicing in England (58%). Both professional groups identified opportunities and barriers to pharmacy professionals' involvement in public health. Almost half or the PhP respondents (44%) stated that they had a pharmacy professional working as part of their current public health teams. Eighty-seven per cent of PhP respondents (45/52) agreed that having pharmacists or pharmacy technicians specialising in public health would be beneficial or very beneficial. Most documents, reports, case histories provided through the call for evidence were unpublished. The workshops generated 94 recommendations, highlighting collaboration and the need to acknowledge pharmacy professionals' contributions to public health. Conclusion: The recommendations for action had three main themes: national strategic approach and commissioning, workforce development and further pharmaceutical public health evidence reviews research.

pharmacy; pharmacoequity; health inequalities; Emergency Preparedness Resilience and Response; community pharmacy; policy

Public Health and Healthcare, Public Health and Health Services

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