Pharmacy technicians who teach COPD patients how to manage their condition and prevent hospital admissions have received an award for their innovative work.
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Pharmacy Technicians, who run weekly COPD Patient Group Sessions in GP practices, won the Innovation of the Year prize at the health board’s annual Pharmacy Services awards ceremony at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.
The sessions were first introduced just over a year ago as part of NHSGGC’s winter planning as a way of reducing A&E attendances and hospital admissions for COPD exacerbations.
They were so successful that they have continued and rolled out to other areas, having first been introduced in the southside of Glasgow and now operating across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
Fiona McAuley, Pharmacy Technician Team Leader, has led the initiative with eight other colleagues who work closely with multidisciplinary teams and specialist respiratory colleagues.
She told how the informal education sessions are designed to give patients greater control over their conditions and ways to control and prevent attacks.
During the weekly meetings, people are educated about using their inhalers properly, reducing or quitting smoking, vaccinations and their options around pulmonary rehabilitation, while also receiving support from their peers.
Patients may also be given ‘rescue medication cards’ for use in emergencies at weekends or on public holidays which allow them to access antibiotics and steroids when their GP practice is closed.
All of this is aimed at reducing the risk of exacerbations and ultimately preventing them having to be admitted to hospital.
COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) is an inflammatory condition which blocks airflow from the lungs, causing breathing difficulties.
It can’t be reversed and affects around 140,000 people in Scotland and is the second most common reason for emergency hospital admissions.
Patients who have attended the group sessions explained how they have increased their knowledge of their condition, while also helping to reduce isolation.
One said: “Really good work that the team (is) doing – (the) project will really make a difference.”
Another said: “Found it very interesting and learned a lot I haven’t heard before.”
And in further patient feedback, one other person reported: “Good idea getting people together – feel less isolated and don’t feel like the only person with the condition now.”
Similarly, members of the team delivering the sessions said they have been good for their personal and professional development, giving them a sense of achievement.
One said their confidence has improved as a result, while another added: “I have gained more job satisfaction, and it has shown how important our role can be.”
The data-driven COPD interface initiative, which helps identify patients most at risk of exacerbation and hospital admission, has been supported by the NHSGGC-hosted West of Scotland Innovation Hub, and the health board’s eHealth digital directorate.
Fiona said: “The feedback we have received from patients about these sessions has been very positive and that’s what matters most to us.
“Because COPD can’t be reversed, many people may feel there are not a lot of options for them. But our sessions empower them to take control of and manage their conditions as best they can.
“Educating people on ways to stop exacerbations can stop them having to go to A&E or be admitted to hospital, and the peer support element allows them to hear about other people’s experiences.
“We are delighted to have been recognised at the Pharmacy Services awards, and it is a testament to the dedication of the whole team, who run these sessions in addition to the other duties of their jobs.”
Professor Chris Carlin, NHSGGC Consultant Respiratory Physician and Clinical Lead at the West of Scotland Innovation Hub, said: “This is a fantastic example of innovative thinking in the primary care sector.
“Fiona and her team absolutely deserve this recognition.
“Their enthusiasm has built momentum and support for this initiative which can bring benefits both to patients and the health service overall.”
