A pharmacist-led information and advice service based within a voluntary sector drugs service

Abstract

Objectives: To explore the role of an information pharmacist within a voluntary sector drugs service, to establish a pharmacist-led information and advice service within the drugs service and to describe the nature of the use of the pharmacist's service. Method: An intervention study. Setting: A voluntary sector drug dependency agency in Aberdeen, UK. Key findings: The pharmacist service was utilised by staff and service users, making 77 contacts and processing 87 enquiries in 26 weeks. Forty-five of the contacts were with agency staff and 32 were with agency service users. The nature of the 87 enquiries was analysed and defined by 11 distinct categories. These are described in the paper. Conclusions: Pharmacists are increasingly specialising in drug misuse as members of addictions teams, but no study of information provision in this capacity could be found. The success of this service highlights the important role pharmacists can play in providing information and advice to professionals and drug misusers. It also supports the expansion of the pharmacist's role as part of the multidisciplinary team within the voluntary sector. © 2005 The Authors.