Table 2 Representative extracts of the review themes
Theme | Extract | Reference |
|---|---|---|
Awareness of the GPPs | Most patients exhibited a lack of awareness regarding the integration of pharmacists within the general practice. As reported by a patient, ‘I had been coming to this practice for 24 years and I didn’t know that there was a pharmacist here. It’s possibly not my fault, they don’t advertise, promote, they don’t explain enough… I got a text [message] saying make an appointment with the pharmacist… [I was thinking] What are they talking about? Where?’ Patients were not sure about the purpose of seeing the GPP and were reluctant to attend the appointment with the GPP. As indicated by one patient, ‘The doctor just told me ‘I’m going to do an appointment for you to see the pharmacist’ and that’s it and I haven’t any idea what’s going on, just they told me ‘bring all your tablets with you.’ | Karampatakis et al. [17]; Donaghy et al. [40]; McCahon et al. [41]; Tan et al. [44] |
Accessibility to the GPPs | Patients reported that it was easier to get an appointment with a GPP within a week compared to a GP. ‘I got this appointment quite quick, so, whereas if it was a doctor I think it was another 2 weeks or something, which, because it was only to review my medication, I felt that’s quite a long time to wait just for that, so this is a good way of doing it.’ The fact that GPPs were only accessible for a specific number of hours each week and on specific days was considered a drawback of GPPs’ services in the practice by some patients, ‘…but she might not be there on the day that you need them.’ | |
Benefits and challenges for patients | An advantage highlighted by some patients was the opportunity for their medicines to be examined holistically during the HMR, ‘It’s a very good plan in the sense that the patient gets to have a real comprehensive overview of all the medicines they’ve been prescribed…it’s always good to refer to somebody who is more trained, particularly in the various effects of medicines.’ Some patients felt it was difficult to attend their appointments with the GPP, ‘…just another one of the millions of other appointments I have regarding what’s going on with me at the moment.’ | |
GPP integration into general practice | Patients thought that the GPP’s personality and skills had an impact on how successfully they integrated into the general practice. ‘[The practice pharmacist] was very, very patient and she gave the impression she really knew what she was talking about…she could explain everything.’ Patients expressed satisfaction with a combination of the GPP and GP providing care. ‘So [pharmacist CP1] has been working with [nurse 1] and [healthcare assistant 1] first of all, in like a threesome, to get my tachycardia so that it wouldn’t be a problem. So, I have been seeing her [pharmacist CP1] regularly. I find it is a combination of everybody really because I can’t remember the last time I saw the doctor. It was either [pharmacist CP1], or [nurse 1]. Between the three of you, you have all sorted me. It’s very rare I bother the doctor. You are doing him out of a job.’ | Mann et al. [18]; Tan et al. [44] |