Helping the local community
Helping the local community
As well as engaging with GPs and customers on the benefits of signposting to community pharmacy, it is equally important to reflect on the service you are offering to your customers and ensure that you are consistently providing person-centred care. This is an approach that the World Health Organization (WHO) promotes to help educate and support people to make decisions and participate in their own care.6
To apply this to your pharmacy, think about when you recommend a product to customers for their cold or flu symptoms and other advice you could give to provide a holistic approach.
Consider some of the measures that you could discuss with your customers to help them take more control of their health.
ACTION POINT: Make sure your pharmacy is listed on https://pharmacyflujabs.co.uk to help promote your flu jab service (if you have one).
General hygiene advice to avoid catching a cold in future.
Healthy living advice such as making diet and lifestyle changes to boost their immune system.
Informing customers of how the flu vaccine could help protect them.
Asking customers if they would like to talk about any other issues to show you care about their general wellbeing.
Reminding them that if they have any other concerns or questions, you are always there to help.