16 Mar 2010
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has developed a resource that highlights the opportunities for pharmacy staff to become Health Trainers and Health Trainer Champions.
The Health Trainer programme is a national programme aimed at reducing health inequalities.
The NPA has prepared the Pharmacy Health Trainers Resource in conjunction with the Department of Health’s (DH) Health Trainer Programme team and the DH Medicines, Pharmacy and Industry Group and other pharmacy bodies. The resource has been ratified by The Public Health Leadership Forum for Pharmacy, as one of the three priorities for the work programme for 2009-10.
The resource will raise awareness of the benefits of pharmacy staff being enabled to becoming Health Trainers and Health Trainer Champions, for employers, PCTs and pharmacy staff themselves, supporting members of the public in their local communities.
Gul Root, Principal Pharmaceutical Officer, Department of Health said: “This resource brings to fruition the Pharmacy White Paper commitment to invite pharmacy organisations and employers to put forward proposals for how they can support pharmacy staff to become Health Trainers. Pharmacy staff trained as health trainers or health trainer champions will help to make an important contribution to improving the health and well-being and reducing health inequalities for their local communities, especially from disadvantaged communities by informing, empowering and supporting people to take responsibility for their own health.”
John Turk, NPA Chief Executive said: “The NPA is very pleased to be working with the Department of Health to deliver White Paper commitments. Community pharmacy has always played a role in promoting, maintaining and improving the health of the communities they serve. Health trainer programmes fit well with community pharmacies’ remit and will enhance participating pharmacies’ ability to provide health improvement services and help reduce health inequalities.”
The National Pharmacy Association Pharmacy Health Trainers Resource is available to download from the NPA’s website.
