Pharmacists & mental health
September 14, 2012
EVERY day, pharmacists across
Australia interact with people who
suffer from psychological or mental
health problems and therefore are
in the prime position to help and
advise this group of patients,
according to the National President
of the Pharmaceutical Society of
Australia, Grant Kardachi.
The comments follow national
R U OK? day yesterday, a mental
health initiative which encourages
Australians to ask each other ‘Are
you okay?’.
“Community pharmacists are in a
position to notice symptoms of
mental health problems in consumers,
and to then offer advice and refer
them for further consultation when
needed,” said Kardachi.
“We are also closely involved in
the day-to-day management of
these patients,” he added.
In light of the initiative, Kardachi
has encouraged pharmacists to ask
consumers they are concerned
about ‘r u ok’.
Meanwhile the PSA is in the final
stages of a Framework for
pharmacists as partners in the
mental health care team.
The framework will detail the
services provided by pharmacists in
the delivery of mental health care
as well as defining future
opportunities.
“These can be broadly categorised
under four phases – health
promotion, early detection and
intervention, minimising illness and
maximising recovery,” said Kardachi.
“In addition, the framework will
explore some of the main barriers
and enablers to pharmacists
becoming partners in the mental
health care team,” Kardachi added.
According to Kardachi the
framework is part of a larger plan
to integrate pharmacists’ skills into
contemporary standards of mental
health care, and to consolidate
pharmacist skills into the mental
health care team.
“The wide-ranging skills and
knowledge of pharmacists need to
be better utilised in the national
health-care system so as to provide
better outcomes for patients
suffering mental health conditions,” he said.
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