The effectiveness of en masse withdrawal. An untrusting customer’s run on the bank? A vociferous workers’ union strike? A globally observed ethical boycott? None of the aforementioned attract welcome publicity, but what if your controversial initiative faces virtually unanimous opposition scarcely moments after its unveiling...
With high blood pressure thought to affect as many as one in five people in Northern Ireland, thousands of people throughout the country could be suffering from the condition without realising it. Gordons Chemists have made blood pressure testing a priority for their health promotion strategy, introducing free testing events at ...
But that motto isn’t just for patients. If requests to contribute to community initiatives in health promotion are anything to go by, pharmacy is certainly at the top of most organisations’ lists for those to consult. This month NIPinF has heard about such projects drawing on the expertise of pharmacists from across Northern...
| Springing Into Action |
 |
 |
 |
| Written by Laure James - Editor Pharmacy in Focus | |
| Tuesday, 16 September 2008 12:38 | |
|
Described by its participants as “hugely valuable” and “an excellent community initiative”, it would seem as though another Building the Community Pharmacy Partnership (BCPP) funded programme is already proving a success. The Springwell Project, a health promotion drive aimed at those in need of advice and support on a range of health and wellbeing matters, is supported with the professional input from Sheelin McKeagney, McKeagney’s Pharmacy, who currently shares his expertise with around a dozen female programme subscribers. Philomena Horner, project co-ordinator of the Springwell Centre, a family centre situated in the heart of Lurgan, is delighted to have joined forced with McKeagneys Pharmacy in founding and running the project. She also praised the support she had received so far from the BCPP’s governing group, the Community Development and Health Network. “When we recognised a need for a health based project, we contacted the CDHN who were fantastic,” she explained. “Through their BCPP division they have enabled us to have a working relationship with our pharmacist. We knew of Sheelin and his work in the community before but since the project he has become a friend of the Centre and to the women. Sheelin is interested and the classes are good quality and engaging.” The Springwell Centre offers many services ranging from crèche services to personal development courses. “Between themselves, Sheelin and the women came up with the course content which ranges from sessions on childhood conditions to the promotion and management of good mental health,” Philomena added. “The pharmacist introduced each topic and other providers had input into the sessions.” The group have been awarded another Level 2 BCPP grant and five women from the last project will become peer educators in the new phase. "The involvement with the Springwell Centre has been from a professional perspective, very satisfying and interesting,” Sheelin told NIPinF. “It gave the pharmacy staff a great opportunity to work closely with members of our local community, learn what makes them ‘tick’ and to see what their health needs really are. Health professionals, not least of all pharmacists, are most comfortable within their own practices, and it's only by getting out into the real world that we get to see the actual issues which create health problems for the people for whom we provide care. “The past year has been a true partnership, with a genuine exchange of information from ourselves in the pharmacy to the group and an unequivocal, clear message back from the group about the realities of the types of health issues in the community which we serve. The new funding grant will allow us to build up a new cohort of participants and build on last year’s experience." |