Since March 2020, the world has changed. Huge pressure on the healthcare system due to COVID-19 has meant that other, less severe medical issues have had to take a back seat in terms of diagnosis and treatment while the front line deals with the ramifications of the pandemic.
Not only has the pandemic’s pressure increased the need for pharmacies, but it has also meant that these settings have needed to evolve their practices to respond appropriately to the needs of their communities.
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The First Point of Call for Healthcare
As the COVID-19 outbreak increased pressure on the healthcare services and pushed them to the limit, the general public was told not to attend hospitals unless the circumstances were dire.
For many people, this meant not being able to access healthcare for more minor but still prevalent problems. As a result, pharmacies became a major front-line player and often the first point of contact for those requiring medical advice.
The Provision of Additional Services
Since the pandemic began, pharmacies have had to broaden the services they provide to their communities. This includes but is not limited to identifying and treating minor diseases and ailments and also offering information and advice on treating COVID-19 itself.
Many practitioners have also taken steps to educate themselves further on some common diseases – like diabetes – to enable them to better advise patients while doctors and nurses in busy medical settings were overwhelmed.
Rolling Out Vaccinations
Pharmacists and locum pharmacists, such as those at Workflare, have also been given clearance to administer vaccinations for childhood illnesses. The aim of this is to prevent any outbreaks of preventable conditions – like chicken pox and measles – while hospitals are at capacity.
In turn, pharmacies being given the green light to offer such vaccinations can prevent more pressure from being placed on an already-struggling healthcare system.
Medication Deliveries
A major problem stemming from the pandemic has been the struggle to get vital medication to patients. With the world in lockdown and the most vulnerable in society encouraged to shield completely, the logistics of getting treatment to these same people was one that was previously inconceivable.
Again, it has frequently been down to the community pharmacies themselves to change their way of practice to look after their patients to the best of their ability. While not previously unheard of, the idea of a medication delivery system has certainly been expedited by the pandemic. This, in turn, has put additional pressure on pharmacists to ensure that safety protocols are correctly followed so that all medication is delivered to the correct patient.
Remote Information Services
As an airborne virus, it has been necessary to implement social distancing in society to combat the spread of COVID-19. As such, the pharmacy industry has experienced significant issues with being able to accurately advise and spread information to the community without being in close contact. Therefore, many pharmacy professionals have had to improve their remote information and advice services, often using smart technology to diagnose patients through photos and verbal descriptions as best they can.
Final Thoughts
It is important to remember that pharmacies and those who work within them are front-line workers, just as those who work in other medical settings are. As a result, they have put their own health and safety at risk throughout the pandemic to help their community stay well.
They have adapted and extended practices and services to enable the public to access healthcare during one of the most restricted times in recent memory – and nobody will forget their importance and sacrifice.
