The role
of pharmacy has changed dramatically during the last decades,
which has led to new demands on pharmacy personnel.
Objective: This study aims at exploring the attitudes of Swedish
pharmacy personnel on their role as public health promoters and
to look at the opportunities and obstacles they identify in the
efforts to widen the pharmacy remit to include a wider health
approach.
Method Eight focus group discussions were conducted with a strategic
sample of pharmacy personnel working in two counties in Sweden.
The discussions were transcribed verbatim and analysed by qualitative
inductive analysis.
Results Five themes were identified, “Pharmacy activities impact
on public health”, “The employer, Apoteket AB”, “The new role
welcomed”, “Obstacles in the new role”, and “Need of change and
support”.
Conclusion The concept of pharmacy personnel as public health
promoters was not initially in the mindset of the participants.
In the process of discussion, the impact of traditional pharmacy
practice as well as new pharmacy based initiatives on public health
gradually became more obvious to them. The findings show a pharmacy
staff involved in a process of change. The participants have not
yet landed in their new role as public health promoters and the
study shows that practical as well as conceptual support is needed
in order for pharmacy personnel to play a more important role
in public health.
