Abstract
Community pharmacists are well placed to have a role in health pro motion. Most pharmacists already provide advice on health — either on a one-to-one basis through counselling, or through displaying leaflets. This paper reports on a practical system which helped pharmacists provide patients with individualised information relevant to their needs. Pharmacy customers with upper gastrointestinal disease received information booklets and a lifestyle questionnaire. After computer analysis of the completed questionnaire, pharmacists gave patients a personalised letter of advice. This method was used and studied in seven pharmacies for six months, after which patients and pharmacists were interviewed. Results confirmed that pharmacists have a clear role to play in health promotion. Patients were ready to receive lifestyle advice in areas not normally considered part of the traditional pharmacist's remit.
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