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| Pharmacies 'could play greater role' | Pharmacies 'could play greater role' |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Pharmacies should be providing a wider range of health services because of their excellent reach into communities, researchers say. | Pharmacies should be providing a wider range of health services because of their excellent reach into communities, researchers say. |
| A study by Durham University suggests 89% of England's population live within a 20-minute walk of a pharmacy. | A study by Durham University suggests 89% of England's population live within a 20-minute walk of a pharmacy. |
| In deprived areas, the proportion was nearly 100%. | In deprived areas, the proportion was nearly 100%. |
| The researchers said with more support pharmacies could provide everything from blood-pressure checks and diabetes screening to lifestyle advice. | The researchers said with more support pharmacies could provide everything from blood-pressure checks and diabetes screening to lifestyle advice. |
| Some pharmacies already do this, but researchers said it very much depended on whether local health bosses were willing to fund them. | Some pharmacies already do this, but researchers said it very much depended on whether local health bosses were willing to fund them. |
| Lead author Dr Adam Todd said: "These results show that pharmacies are well-placed in the community to deliver public health services. | Lead author Dr Adam Todd said: "These results show that pharmacies are well-placed in the community to deliver public health services. |
| "This is particularly important for the poorest areas where more people die from conditions such as smoking, alcohol misuse and obesity compared to people from more affluent areas. | "This is particularly important for the poorest areas where more people die from conditions such as smoking, alcohol misuse and obesity compared to people from more affluent areas. |
| "With easy access without patients needing to make an appointment, the results suggest there is a potential for community pharmacies to deliver public health interventions to areas which need it most." | "With easy access without patients needing to make an appointment, the results suggest there is a potential for community pharmacies to deliver public health interventions to areas which need it most." |
| 'Huge potential' | 'Huge potential' |
| The paper - published in the BMJ Open journal - said pharmacies could play a particularly vital role because the often-quoted inverse care law did not seem to apply. | The paper - published in the BMJ Open journal - said pharmacies could play a particularly vital role because the often-quoted inverse care law did not seem to apply. |
| That refers to the fact that the areas with the best health services tended to be the ones with the least health problems. | That refers to the fact that the areas with the best health services tended to be the ones with the least health problems. |
| But as the deprived areas had the better access to pharmacies, the reverse was true, the study, which used a postcode analysis, said. | |
| English Pharmacy Board chair Dr David Branford said the study demonstrated the "huge potential" the sector could have. | English Pharmacy Board chair Dr David Branford said the study demonstrated the "huge potential" the sector could have. |
| "The less formal approach and sheer convenience provided by a High Street presence means they are a beacon of wellbeing and advice to many who would simply never engage with other healthcare settings." | "The less formal approach and sheer convenience provided by a High Street presence means they are a beacon of wellbeing and advice to many who would simply never engage with other healthcare settings." |
| NHS England has already called for pharmacies to get more involved in delivering care with the review of urgent and emergency care last year suggesting up to a fifth of GP appointments could be dealt with by pharmacies or through better self-care. | NHS England has already called for pharmacies to get more involved in delivering care with the review of urgent and emergency care last year suggesting up to a fifth of GP appointments could be dealt with by pharmacies or through better self-care. |
| A Department of Health spokeswoman said the number of pharmacies had increased by nearly 2,000 since 2005 to 11,500. | |
| "Community pharmacies are an integral part of the NHS," she added. |