A1 - Integration of community pharmacy into primary health care: challenges due to COVID-19 and opportunities for the future
TRANSLATION PROVIDED FROM ENGLISH INTO SPANISH
Organised in collaboration with FIP’s Community Pharmacy Section
Chair(s)
Introduction
Community pharmacies and pharmacists often operate independently of other health care providers. Thus, they remain overlooked or excluded during integration processes of health care systems. The call and drive for integration of pharmacy within primary health care appears to be supported by community pharmacies and is actively promulgated by international professional organisations. The need for increased integration of community pharmacy into primary care has become even more important, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. There are excellent examples where community pharmacies have been included as part of the COVID-19 pandemic government policy response. Community pharmacy has shown exemplary courage and effort, remaining accessible to provide the health and medication needs of the population. This professional behaviour at a global level has resulted in a change of usual practices and an acceleration in the introduction of new technology and services. The economic advantages of using an established health care resource, such as the existing community pharmacy network would contribute to the sustainability of the health care system.
Programme
| 14:00 – 14:10 | Introduction by the chair | |
| 14:10 – 14:30 |
COVID-19: Redefining the reach of community pharmacists |
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| 14:30 – 14:50 | 2 years of pandemic: challenges and opportunities for Spanish pharmacy Ms Carolina Martinez-Berganza, General Pharmaceutical Council of Spain, Spain |
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| 14:50 – 15:20 | Panel discussion, with the previous speakers and with: Dr Lars-Åke Söderlund (Co-Chair FIP Programme Committee, Sweden), Mrs Manjiri Sandeep Gharat (FIP Vice President, India) and Mr Daragh Connolly (CPS President, Ireland) |
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| 15:20 – 15:30 | Conclusion by the chair |
Learning Objectives
- To conceptualize and define how community pharmacy could be better integrated into primary care, public health, and social services.
- To describe the opportunities, challenges and benefits of an integrated community pharmacy network and ways it could contribute to the efficiency, efficacy, and sustainability of primary health care systems across the globe.
