A mixed methods exploration of the role of general practice-based pharmacists

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: justify; line-height: 150%; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Practice-based pharmacists (PBPs) have been introduced into general practice across the United Kingdom (UK) to relieve some of the pressures within primary care. There is little existing UK literature that has explored healthcare professionals’ views about PBP integration and how this role has evolved. Therefore, this thesis aimed to explore the role of PBPs in primary care in Northern Ireland and their impact on the delivery of care in general practice. A mixed methods approach(i.e. systematic review, quantitative and qualitative evaluations, and a Delphi consensus exercise) was used across the four studies contained in this thesis. The systematic review identified a paucity of evidence with only nine studies meeting the inclusion criteria. Furthermore, the review found that PBP-led interventions such as medication reviews had improved a number of outcomes(e.g. reduced the number of medicines-related problems and improved appropriateness of prescribing). The quantitative cross-sectional study reported that the majority of general practitioners (GPs) had positive views about the role of PBPs and positive attitudes towards collaboration with PBPs. The qualitative study corroborated the questionnaire study findings and found that PBPs had integrated well and were perceived to have had a positive impact on primary healthcare delivery. In the Delphi study, consensus was reached to include 11 clinical skills in the core set and no consensus was reached on nine clinical skills. The work contained in this thesis has added to the evidence base regarding PBPs’ role and their impact in primary care and the findings may have implications for future developments in order to extend integration of PBPs within general practice. Future research should also explore patients’ views of the role of the CP and that of the PBP.</p><p class="MsoNormal"/>

Name dc:type.qualificationname

Doctor of Philosophy

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

Doctoral Thesis

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Queen's University Belfast

Year dc:date.issued

2022

Author dc:creator

• Hasan Ibrahim, Ameerah

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Barry, Heather
• Hughes, Carmel

• Medicines optimisation
• older people
• polypharmacy
• multimorbidity
• general practice
• general practitioners
• primary health care
• pharmacists
• clinical skills

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

oai:pure.qub.ac.uk/portal:studenttheses/582ef7e8-1a04-4181-9165-52dd02e79410

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:pure.qub.ac.uk/portal:studenttheses/582ef7e8-1a04-4181-9165-52dd02e79410