Exploring the role of community pharmacy in providing advice and support for people with Long COVID: a qualitative study 2025 Fisher, Chew-Graham+

[Andy]

Abstract

Background
Long COVID affects ~2 million people across the UK. People with Long COVID (PwLC) can experience uncertainty around symptom management and prospect of recovery. There are current difficulties in accessing primary care. Community pharmacies could provide a more accessible alternative for PwLC seeking advice about symptom management. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society acknowledge the role that pharmacists could play in supporting PwLC.

Aim
To understand the potential scope for the role of pharmacists in supporting PwLC.

Method
Qualitative semi-structured interviews with PwLC to explore symptom management and current advice and support available; and community pharmacy staff to explore knowledge about Long COVID, and attitudes and beliefs about the potential role of community pharmacy for PwLC. A Patient Advisory Group and Expert Advisory Group are informing all aspects of the research.

Results
Interviews are ongoing. Six have been completed at time of submission (PwLC [n = 5]; pharmacy staff [n = 1]). Early findings suggest PwLC do not engage with community pharmacy staff to manage their symptoms but are open to this in the future. Data from the single pharmacy staff interviewee should be treated tentatively but suggested limited awareness of, and/or contact with, PwLC. Further training was felt to be needed to support identification and signposting. Not all members of community pharmacy are likely to need the same level of training.

Conclusion
Working with the Centre for Postgraduate Pharmacy Education, we will use findings to inform the development of a training resource for community pharmacy staff to better support and signpost PwLC.

Paywall

 

[Turtle]

Doctors avoid learning about LC, so pharmacy staff are doing it for them?

 

[Eleanor]

Interviews are ongoing. Six have been completed at time of submission (PwLC [n = 5]; pharmacy staff [n = 1]). [...]

Data from the single pharmacy staff interviewee should be treated tentatively

yet someone felt the need to publish this at this stage?

 

[Jonathan Edwards]

yet someone felt the need to publish this at this stage?

Dr Chew Graham seems always happy to publish if it shows she is hot on the case of something worthy.

 

[rvallee]

Early findings suggest PwLC do not engage with community pharmacy staff to manage their symptoms but are open to this in the future

Well, we cannot engage with professionals, they have to engage with us. Health care is a 100% supply-side institution. So, you know, there's that, ball is 100% in your court. Although I'm not sure I see much point to this besides research, and that's also not up to us, it would be up to researchers to do it. And very few are.

We'd love to be involved. But patients are never involved other than as token participants. So, you know, there's generally that.

Kind of reminds of me of generations-old aristocracy remarking that peasants rarely come to them with problems, thus the peasants must have few problems. Nevermind the ones rotting in dungeons for daring to bring problems to them.