PHARM+ Community Pharmacies

What are Community Pharmacies?

The Community Pharmacy is an important part of the primary healthcare system, serving the community by providing dispensing services and health advice on minor ailment and chronic disease, empowering the public in self-managing their health.

Community pharmacists also offer expert advice on medication use, side effects, and interactions, promoting safe and effective medication use through patient education. Additionally, pharmacists participate in public health initiatives like medication management services and smoking cessation, contributing to the overall health and well-being of the community.

Unlike most healthcare service providers, Community Pharmacies offer readily accessible, walk-in consultations with medication experts. They fill the gap by providing personalised advice, preventive health services, and collaboration with other providers, ultimately contributing to improved medication adherence, reduced healthcare burden, and empowered the general populace in managing their own well-being.

What is Self-Care & Minor Ailment Service (MAS)?

Minor ailments are generally defined as non-complicated medical conditions that can be reasonably self-diagnosed and self-managed with over-the-counter medications. With the support of community pharmacists, professional and reliable health advice can be provided to facilitate the management of these conditions.

The service aims to provide easily accessible, timely and affordable healthcare services for individuals with common and self-limiting health conditions, including individualized advice on use of over-the-counter medications and lifestyle modifications. It also aims to facilitate early detection and referral of conditions requiring further medical attention or support from other professionals.

What minor ailments can be handled in community pharmacy?

Categories	Examples
Gastro-intestinal Discomfort	Indigestion, heartburn, bloating, gastric reflux, constipation, diarrhea, hemorrhoid
Respiratory Tract Infections	Cold and flu symptoms such as fever, headache, sore throat, cough, runny nose, blocked nose
Nasal Cavity Discomfort	Allergy symptoms such as itchy nose, runny nose, blocked nose, sneeze
Eye Discomfort	Dry eyes, red eyes, itchy eyes, eyelid inflammation, stye
Oral Health	Mouth ulcers, gum inflammation, cold sore
Women’s Health	Vaginal thrush
Skin Conditions	Athletes foot, ringworm, fungal nail infections, scalp conditions, acne, eczema, dry skin, contact dermatitis, insect bites, verrucas
Pain	Back pain, joint pain, muscle pain

Service Target

This service targets individuals with minor ailments and their caregivers.

What is Medication Management Services (MMS)?

MMS is a person-centered community pharmacist-led service in optimizing patient’s medication use and improving health outcome by focusing and reviewing on the accessibility, appropriateness, effectiveness, safety and adherence of the medication therapy. It aims to equip patients and/or caregivers with better knowledge and health literacy for self‑management and shared decision‑making, to systematically assess and refine medication regimens, and to support them through a holistic approach that also addresses psychosocial needs and links them with relevant community resources.

What issues could Medication Management Services address?

Community pharmacists help to handle enquiries and resolve difficulties in medication management, for example:

Effectiveness and side effects of medications
How to manage adverse drug reaction
Tips on proper use of medications
Consolidate medication history
Potential drug interaction
How to manage missing of dose
How to schedule time to take the medications
Whether medications be cut or crushed
How to store the medications
How to handle expired medications
How to make good use of pill box and technology for health management

Service Target

This service targets individuals who are:

Polypharmacy (Taking five or more chronic medications)
Taking high risk medication(s) such as antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antidiabetic medications, drugs used in central nervous system and immunosuppressants
Having changes in medication therapy recently (e.g. recent hospitalization, initiated on new medication)