Advice Provided in British Community Pharmacies: What People Want and What They Get

Abstract

The notion of pharmacists as general health advisors does not appear to be shared by the public and may be at odds with how the public view and use pharmacies. Protocols to guide staff may be improved by including the consumer perspective. Most consumers have previous experience of their ailments and use pharmacies as one of several resources available to them to treat their minor illness, having made their own diagnosis and assessment before entering the pharmacy. The scope for giving new advice is therefore limited. The broader role of community pharmacies merits further attention.