Community pharmacies participate in mandatory weight management campaign

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) and NHS England have agreed that community pharmacy contractors will have to participate in one mandatory national health campaign.

This campaign on weight management commenced from Tuesday (03 January) and will run until Sunday (29January).

PSNC said: “Pharmacies can be required to participate in up to six health campaigns at the request of NHS England per year (1st April to 31st March).

Pharmacies will be involved by displaying and distributing leaflets provided by NHS England.

In addition, pharmacies are required to undertake prescription-linked interventions on major areas of public health concern, such as encouraging smoking cessation.

“Contractors can order pharmacy specific posters, wallet cards (‘info’ cards with a QR code signposting people to the Better Health website and free tips and tools to lose weight) and a dispenser for these cards on the Campaign Resource Centre website. A guidance leaflet to support community pharmacy teams’ conversations with patients is also available,” said PSNC.

“Alternatively, pharmacy teams can choose to use digital resources as part of the campaign, which are available to download on the Campaign Resource Centre website. These include digital screens for pharmacies, web banners and email signatures.”

It added: “As part of the Healthy living support domain of the 2022/23 Pharmacy Quality Scheme, pharmacy teams are required to proactively discuss weight management with a minimum of 25 patients and refer at least four patients (who meets the criteria for referral) to either a Local Authority funded tier 2 weight management service or the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme. Pharmacy teams could use the campaign materials as conversation starters to assist them with meeting these requirements.”