Public trust pharmacists regarding health advice, GPhC survey finds
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The vast majority of people trust health advice from a pharmacist, according to an Ipsos MORI survey for the GPhC.
Pharmacy use in England, Scotland and Wales is relatively high, with almost four in five respondents saying they had visited a pharmacy at least once in the last 12 months. So-called medicinal transactions were listed as the commonest reason for a visit (65 per cent of respondents last visited a pharmacy to fill/pick up a prescription). But only 9 per cent of respondents said they had visited a pharmacy for advice about a health problem.
Almost nine in ten (87 per cent) of respondents said they trusted health advice from a pharmacist either a great deal or fair amount. Perceptions of pharmacy staff were generally positive, with the majority of respondents stating they were treated with respect (83 per cent) and were provided with the required information and advice (76 per cent).
€This report provides us with a useful insight into how pharmacy is perceived by patients and the general public,€ says GPhC chief executive Duncan Rudkin. €This report will support our ongoing work around refocusing a number of our functions, and in particular the development of our regulatory and pharmacy standards, our prototype inspections model and our guidance.€