INTRODUCTION Recognition of the need to reduce harm and optimise patient outcomes from the use of medicines is contributing to an evolution of pharmacy practice in primary health care internationally. This evolution is changing community pharmacy and leading to new models of care that enable pharmacist contribution beyond traditional realms. There is little information about the extent of these changes in New Zealand. AIM The aim of this study was to investigate emerging roles of pharmacists in primary health care. METHODS A 10-question electronic survey was used to collect quantitative data about location, employment and roles of pharmacists practising in primary health care. RESULTS There were 467 survey responses. Although most pharmacists are employed by (78%, n = 357/458) and located in (84%, n = 393/467) community pharmacies, small numbers are dispersed widely across the primary health care sector. Of the 7% (n = 31/467) working in general practices, most are employed by Primary Health Organisations or District Health Boards. Limited cognitive pharmacy service provision is evident in the sector overall, but is much greater for pharmacists spending time located within general practices. DISCUSSION The large proportion of pharmacists practising in community pharmacies emphasises the importance of the Community Pharmacy Services Agreement in facilitating increased cognitive pharmacy service provision to optimise patient outcomes. The small numbers of pharmacists located elsewhere in the primary health care sector suggest there is scope to improve collaboration and integration in these areas. Flexible funding models that promote innovation and support sustainable practice change are key.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
12
23%
Nursing and Health Professions
5
9%
Medicine and Dentistry
4
8%
Business, Management and Accounting
2
4%
Psychology
2
4%
Other
5
9%
Unknown
23
43%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 03 September 2017.
All research outputs
#22,698,204
of 27,788,586 outputs
Outputs from Journal of Primary Health Care
#255
of 333 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#258,297
of 330,544 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Journal of Primary Health Care
#8
of 10 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 27,788,586 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 10th percentile – i.e., 10% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 333 research outputs from this source. They receive a mean Attention Score of 4.8. This one is in the 12th percentile – i.e., 12% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 330,544 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one is in the 11th percentile – i.e., 11% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
We're also able to compare this research output to 10 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has scored higher than 2 of them.
