A PHARMACIST leading the charge to persuade patients to seek out their chemists’ help with medications has won his third award.

Health bosses are increasingly eager for the public to make pharmacies their first port of call for common complaints, ahead of GP and A&E ward attendances.

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This approach has seen Alistair Gray, the clinical services lead pharmacist at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, scoop a series of honours through 2016.

His latest is a ‘best evaluation or monitoring’ prize, for his Refer To Pharmacy scheme, at the Building Better Healthcare Awards.

Alistair said: “A patient can go through a lot while they are in hospital and they are expected to digest and understand a lot of information, which can be stressful.

“Refer-to-Pharmacy not only cuts down the chances of medication errors once the patient has left hospital but it also reduces medication waste.”

Under the system, patients are routinely referred to their pharmacist for medicines support after any hospital discharges.

The solution, adopted by Alistair, was to ensure discharge letters were passed on to pharmacists as well as local GPs.

If successful, this can avoid people being readmitted unnecessarily, especially those with long-term conditions or vulnerable elderly patients who are asked to take a variety of pills.

Alistair added: “In five years’ time I want it to be normal practice across the country to refer patients from hospitals to their community pharmacist.”

He has seen the same work recognised by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.