Service case study: LGA publication on NHS health checks features Lewisham community pharmacies (April 2015)

Published on: 3rd September 2015 | Updated on: 28th March 2022

Community pharmacies in Lewisham have been featured in the Local Government Association’s (LGA) publication Checking the health of the nation: Implementing the NHS Health Check Programme as a case study on using community pharmacies to deliver health checks.

The document looks at different ways for local authorities to ensure delivery of NHS Health Checks citing five different avenues as examples, one of which is community pharmacies in Lewisham.

NHS Health Checks are currently being delivered in 17 pharmacies and a quarter of all checks in the borough are provided in community pharmacies.

Staff in the pharmacies have been given direct access to a secure web-based recording system, which allows them to check eligibility and transfer the results securely to the patient’s GP practice.

Pharmacies can also make direct referrals to the Lewisham Lifestyle Hub, which offers access to local programmes such as physical activity taster classes, healthy walks and weight management programmes. In addition, where appropriate, patients have been offered smoking cessation services at the community pharmacy.

An evaluation of the service, which also saw four of the participating pharmacies commissioned to offer spirometry testing to those attending for a health check who were current or recent smokers to assess their risk of lung disease, is available on the Services Database.

Jayesh Patel, CEO of Lambeth, Southwark & Lewisham LPC, said:

“Our relationship with Lewisham CCG, the commissioner, has been key to making this service a success. All of the pharmacies involved have been really keen to deliver the service but the CCG has done excellent work to promote and make patients aware of the service so that it is a demand-led service.”

 

Latest LPCs & Local news

View more LPCs & Local newsSee all