Local systems need to talk to community pharmacies about how they can help improve population health, a local pharmaceutical committee (LPC) leader has urged.

Pharmacies are well placed to provide anecdotal feedback about their local communities and what they need to their local systems, Shilpa Shah said at the Public Policy Projects (PPP) Integrated Health Forum conference on 5 November.

And she shared examples of how local pharmacies in North East London had helped to tackle local population health challenges.

Conversations about Covid-19 vaccination concerns in Tower Hamlets

'Tower Hamlets was 20% behind the rest of the country in terms of its vaccination numbers. So the public health team came out to us and said, "What can we do?"', Ms Shah told PPP conference delegates.

She said that community pharmacists were hearing concerns from their patients about the possibility of infertility, with particular cultural concerns among Bengali patients, who make up a high proportion of the area's population.

In particular, Ms Shah highlighted misinformation being spread on social media, as well as concerns among female patients about receiving a vaccination from a male doctor and having to show parts of their arm that might normally be covered.

But she said that women 'do come into the pharmacy', including to buy baby formula and other items for their children.

The LPC proposed a service where community pharmacists would 'just talk to people', Ms Shah said.

'It's not about forcing anyone to have a vaccination, but it's literally a consultation where we just try and alleviate your concerns and give you the right information so that you as a patient can make an informed decision,' she explained.

The consultations took place in pharmacies that did not have vaccination sites, so that people did not feel forced into having the vaccination immediately.

The service led to 3,000 consultations, with 48% of those going on to have the Covid-19 vaccination, Ms Shah said.

'That was fantastic, but there was only funding for a small amount of time,' Ms Shah said.

She argued that similar services should be commissioned on an ongoing basis from community pharmacies for a variety of vaccinations.

Managing asthma amid air pollution in Newham

The borough of Newham has some of the highest levels of air pollution in London, with Newham residents estimated to be exposed to a level of airborne particulate matter that is 35% greater than WHO guidelines.

'We were working with the asthma lead for the ICB [Integrated Care Board], who said, "Look, I've got a bit of funding from [the government]. What can we do with it?"' Ms Shah said.

As a result of that conversation, community pharmacies in the area are now being funded to talk to inhaler users aged under 18 about how they can best manage their asthma.

'We're not just having conversations with them about inhaler technique... we're talking to them about: "How do you go to school? Do you walk along the main road? Is there any way that you could walk them through the side roads where there's less traffic, etc? What kind of accommodation are you living in?"' Ms Shah said.

Some GPs have also provided pharmacies with a letter that a family can give to the local housing association highlighting that damp or mould in their home is not helping a child with asthma.

Patients can access the service via GP referrals and walking in to the pharmacy.

Ms Shah said the service had been 'really successful'. But she noted: 'We've only got enough funding for 740 consultations, so we'll help 740 children. Fab. But what about the thousands that we're unable to help?'

Speaking to commissioners, she said: 'When the data is showing you that something has worked, think about investing back into that so it carries on working and doesn't stop.'