Abstract

Objective
To explore the views and attitudes of pharmacy support staff on the Healthy Living Pharmacy (HLP) initiative.

Method
Face to face semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 participants. Participants were recruited by contacting pharmacists in HLPs who nominated support staff for potential participation. Each nominated staff member was then sent an information pack and written consent was obtained prior to interviews. A topic guide was developed which underwent face validity testing and piloting with one participant. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim then analysed using Framework.

Setting
Pharmacy support staff from 12 HLPs in Northumberland. A range of support staff roles and both HLP Champions (n=16) and non-champion (n=5) staff were included in the sample. Interviews took place in national multiple, small chain and independently owned pharmacies.

Key findings
Themes identified from the data included seven parent themes incorporating; factors which could be barriers or facilitators to HLP activity, the process to becoming a HLP from the perspective of pharmacy support staff, changes in pharmacy activity perceived by support staff since accreditation as a HLP, descriptions of integration of public health activity with traditional pharmacy roles by support staff, the views and attitudes of pharmacy staff on the HLP concept, feedback from pharmacy clients to support staff on public health activity and support staff's concerns about becoming a HLP. These themes pointed to four key elements of success for the HLP initiative including local leadership in HLPs, ensuring support staff have the knowledge and skills to deliver public health activity, commissioning for the HLP initiative and engaging pharmacy staff in the HLP programme.

Conclusion
This study adds to the argument that pharmacy staff can be an effective resource to deliver the HLP programme, however they need to be adequately supported to be fully effective.