The role of community pharmacy in the management of age-related musculoskeletal conditions

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions are highly prevalent and result in significant individual, societal and economic burden. With the majority of incidence being due to age-related forms such as arthritis, the prevalence and burden of MSK conditions is set to rise as the population ages. Self-management and lifestyle support are recommended alongside pharmacological management options; however, access to such support and the ways in which it is delivered is highly variable. The community pharmacy setting and its staff are an important space and resource to promote health and wellbeing in the community. If community pharmacy can provide an effective means of lifestyle and self-management support of musculoskeletal conditions, then this could reduce the demand on scarce NHS resources within primary and secondary care. Through collaborating with the Local Professional Network for Pharmacy for Cumbria and the North East, this project will aim to understand the current and future role of community pharmacy. First, a policy document analysis will map the community pharmacy landscape to identify the services it is expected to deliver. Second, a national survey of community pharmacy teams will identify perceived roles, priorities and confidence in delivering services. Third, a multi-site ethnography will identify what currently happens in practice in community pharmacies. The findings will be disseminated to a health professional, public and academic audience. Anticipated project impacts include contributions to academic knowledge and debate; and the potential to optimise community-pharmacy based support for people with MSK conditions, in turn promoting better care and more efficient use of NHS resources.