Margaret Watson - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Margaret Watson

Research paper thumbnail of “What counts can’t always be measured”: a qualitative exploration of general practitioners’ conceptualisation of quality for community pharmacy services

BMC Family Practice

Background The expansion of community pharmacy services is one solution to relieve pressure on ge... more Background The expansion of community pharmacy services is one solution to relieve pressure on general practice in the United Kingdom (UK). There is a paucity of research of general practitioners’ (GPs’) perspectives of quality of care in the community pharmacy sector. The purpose of this study was to explore GPs’: Conceptualisation of quality for community pharmacy services, including the management of acute (low acuity) conditions and defining indispensable aspects of the patient experience (‘always events’) Opinions regarding whether and how to measure quality in the community pharmacy sector Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with GPs in the UK. GPs were recruited using the snowballing technique and professional networks. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using an interpretive approach. Results Interviews were completed with 20 GPs from Scotland (n = 8) and England (n = 12). Multidimensional and inter-related concepts of quality were identifi...

Research paper thumbnail of A systematic review using the Theoretical Domains Framework to identify barriers and facilitators to the adoption of prescribing guidelines

International Journal of Pharmacy Practice

Objectives Evidence-based guidelines have the potential to reduce variation and increase prescrib... more Objectives Evidence-based guidelines have the potential to reduce variation and increase prescribing quality. Identifying the key determinants to their uptake, using a theory-based approach, may assist in the design of successful interventions to increase their adoption into practice. This systematic review investigated barriers and facilitators identified using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to the implementation of prescribing guidelines. Methods Electronic databases (EMBASE, PubMed) were searched. Studies were included if they used the TDF to identify key determinants of guideline implementation. Only studies published in English were included. Key findings Of the 407 studies identified, 15 were included. A range of patient populations and therapeutic categories were represented. Multiple determinants were identified that affected guideline implementation, with similarities and differences identified across studies. Barriers to guideline adoption included time restrictio...

Research paper thumbnail of A multiple methods study on the pharmaceutical care needs of older people with sensory impairment and polypharmacy

Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy

Research paper thumbnail of You are still a human being, you still have needs, you still have wants': a qualitative exploration of patients' experiences and views of HIV support

Journal of public health (Oxford, England), Jan 28, 2018

The importance of patient involvement in service redesign is gaining increasing recognition, part... more The importance of patient involvement in service redesign is gaining increasing recognition, particularly for chronic conditions. This study explored the experience, views and needs of people living with HIV to identify areas for improvement and service development. Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted with people living with HIV being treated in two clinics in Grampian, Scotland. The topic guide was developed, based on a proposed care pathway, which emphasized support systems. Thematic analysis was undertaken. A total of 14 people living with HIV participated, with time since diagnosis ranging from <1 to >15 years. Most were males, white British and were men who had sex with men. Interviewees highlighted the need for different types of support throughout different stages of the HIV journey, including timely provision of information, post-diagnosis follow-up support, peer support, family support, and support regarding employment, benefits and housing. Many i...

Research paper thumbnail of A mixed-methods evaluation of a community pharmacy signposting service to a commercial weight-loss provider

Public health nutrition, 2018

Community pharmacies could provide access for clients to commercial weight management organizatio... more Community pharmacies could provide access for clients to commercial weight management organizations. We evaluated recruitment, referral and outcomes of adults provided with free vouchers by community pharmacies to attend Scottish Slimmers classes. Prospective cohort design with qualitative interviews with clients and pharmacy personnel. Scottish Slimmers collected weight and attendance data. Pharmacies in Aberdeen City, Scotland. Clients aged ≥18 years with BMI≥30 kg/m2. Ten of twenty-three pharmacies were recruited; eight successfully recruited clients. Of 129 clients recruited, ninety-seven (75 %) attended at least one class and fifty-one (40 %) attended all twelve classes. At baseline, clients' mean weight was 99·4 (sd 17·5) kg, mean BMI was 37·8 (sd 6·0) kg/m2. After 12 weeks, mean weight change was -3·7 % (last observation carried forward) or -2·8 % (baseline observation carried forward) for all ninety-seven clients. Client interviews indicated that many individuals would h...

Research paper thumbnail of A scoping review of the pharmaceutical care needs of people with sensory loss

The International journal of pharmacy practice, Jan 19, 2018

This scoping review collated evidence of the pharmaceutical care needs of people with sensory los... more This scoping review collated evidence of the pharmaceutical care needs of people with sensory loss (SL). Electronic databases were searched with no limit on year of publication: Medline (1946); Embase; Cinahl (1979); and Web of Science (1985). Search terms included the following: pharmacy; sight/hearing/dual impairment. Studies were included if they involved people with SL requiring pharmaceutical care and/or pharmacists/pharmacy support staff providing pharmaceutical care for people with SL. All study designs were eligible. This was a scoping review, and as such, the quality of studies was not formally evaluated. Eleven studies were included. People with SL had lower levels of medication knowledge than their peers without SL. People with SL were identified as being at higher risk of iatrogenic harm than people without SL. Communication was a barrier to the provision of pharmaceutical care for people with hearing loss, with pharmacists relying on the provision of written information...

Research paper thumbnail of A simulated patient study assessing over the counter supply and counseling in Jordan: responding to headache complaints

International journal of clinical pharmacy, Jan 2, 2018

Background Community pharmacists are the most accessible health professionals for patients seekin... more Background Community pharmacists are the most accessible health professionals for patients seeking advice on minor ailments and over the counter supply. Objectives To assess the management of patients seeking advice for headache in community pharmacies in Jordan. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted using simulated patient in three cities in Jordan. A trained simulated patient enacted an advice-seeking scenario for the treatment of a headache. The visits were evaluated using pre-defined criteria relating to content and communication skills. Results Of 72 community pharmacies invited, 50 (69.4%) agreed to participate. Of these, 38 (76%) pharmacies were visited. The median duration of the visit was 2 min (20 s-4 min). All visits resulted in selling a drug. Paracetamol combinations often with caffeine were recommended in over 50% of visits. Drug sale recommendations were often made without obtaining essential information about symptoms or patient medical history. Only brand nam...

Research paper thumbnail of Using the Human Factors Framework to understand the origins of medication safety problems in community pharmacy in Saudi Arabia: A qualitative study

Research in social & administrative pharmacy : RSAP, Jan 17, 2018

Community pharmacy practice in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) faces many challenges. In KSA, t... more Community pharmacy practice in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) faces many challenges. In KSA, there is a lack of empirical research about medication safety in this setting. To explore the safety problems associated with medication supply from community pharmacies in KSA and compare different stakeholder perspectives. Four focus groups and individual interviews were conducted in Riyadh, KSA, in February-May 2013. All group discussions were recorded, transcribed and translated from Arabic into English, except the professional group, which was conducted in English. Thematic analysis was performed using the Human Factors Framework (HFF). The groups comprised "professionals" (n = 8; one female), community pharmacists (n = 4; all male) and two pharmacy user groups (females, n = 11 and males, n = 8). Medication safety problems identified were categorised into nine categories representing the HFF. Seven main themes were identified from these categories: commercial pressure on co...

Research paper thumbnail of Public risk perception of non-prescription medicines and information disclosure during consultations: a suitable target for intervention?

The International journal of pharmacy practice, Jan 10, 2018

Optimisation of non-prescription medicine (NPM) supply from community pharmacies could reduce dem... more Optimisation of non-prescription medicine (NPM) supply from community pharmacies could reduce demand on other healthcare providers, including general practitioners and emergency department personnel. Outcomes can be maximised if patients disclose relevant information, for example concomitant medication, during pharmacy-based consultations. Strategies to promote information disclosure are needed. This study used the psychometric paradigm of risk to explore whether the public's risk perception of NPMs was associated with information disclosure. This national, cross-sectional population study used a random sample of 3000 adults (aged ≥ 18 years) from the Scottish Electoral register. Postal questionnaires collected data on risk perceptions, information disclosure and demographic information. Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine constructs to which the risk questions could be grouped. Factors were scored and the scores compared across demographics. Just over half (57%) o...

Research paper thumbnail of Motivational, volitional and multiple goal predictors of walking in people with type 2 diabetes

Psychology of Sport and Exercise

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the safe and effective supply and use of non-prescription medicines

International Journal of Pharmacy Practice

Research paper thumbnail of Using the Medical Research Council (UK) framework for the development and evaluation of randomised controlled trials for complex interventions to improve health

International Journal of Pharmacy Practice

Research paper thumbnail of Pharmacist dispensing error: The effect of neighbourhood density and time pressure on accurate visual perception of drug names

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting

ABSTRACT Objective: Two potential causes of dispensing error; neighbourhood density and time pres... more ABSTRACT Objective: Two potential causes of dispensing error; neighbourhood density and time pressure, were analysed using a lab-based dispensing task.

Research paper thumbnail of Quality improvement of community pharmacy services: a prioritisation exercise

The International journal of pharmacy practice, Jan 27, 2017

Effective strategies are needed to translate knowledge (evidence) into practice to improve the qu... more Effective strategies are needed to translate knowledge (evidence) into practice to improve the quality of community pharmacy services. We report the first step of a novel knowledge translation process which involved the systematic identification and prioritisation of community pharmacy services in Scotland which were perceived to require improvement and/or guideline development. This process involved three stages and a stakeholder group comprising community pharmacists, policy makers, lay and pharmacy organisation representatives. A modified nominal group technique (NGT) was used for topic generation (August 2013) followed by an electronic Delphi survey (eDelphi), October-December 2013) and topic rationalisation (December 2013) based on feasibility, acceptability, and potential impact for practice improvement. In total, 63 items were identified during the modified NGT which were categorised into 20 topics to form the starting point of the eDelphi. In total, 74 individuals (mostly co...

Research paper thumbnail of Tele-pharmacy in rural Scotland: a proof of concept study

The International journal of pharmacy practice, 2017

Technology enables medical services to be provided to rural communities. This proof of concept st... more Technology enables medical services to be provided to rural communities. This proof of concept study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of delivering community pharmacy services (CPS; including advice, sale of over-the-counter products and dispensing of prescriptions) by tele-technology (the Telepharmacy Robotic Supply Service (TPRSS)) to a rural population in Scotland. Data collection included the following: postal surveys to local residents; focus groups/ interviews with pharmacists, other healthcare professionals (HCPs) and service users, at baseline and follow-up; TPRSS logs. Interviews/focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Descriptive statistics were reported for survey data. Qualitative results: Pre-installation: residents expressed satisfaction with current pharmacy access. HCPs believed the TPRSS would improve pharmacy access and reduce pressure on GPs. Concerns included costs, confidentiality, patient safety and 'fear' of t...

Research paper thumbnail of Do patients have worse outcomes in heart failure than in cancer? A primary care-based cohort study with 10-year follow-up in Scotland

European journal of heart failure, Sep 3, 2017

This study was designed to evaluate whether survival rates in patients with heart failure (HF) ar... more This study was designed to evaluate whether survival rates in patients with heart failure (HF) are better than those in patients with diagnoses of the four most common cancers in men and women, respectively, in a contemporary primary care cohort in the community in Scotland. Data were obtained from the Primary Care Clinical Informatics Unit from a database of 1.75 million people registered with 393 general practices in Scotland. Sex-specific survival modelling was undertaken using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for potential confounders. A total of 56 658 subjects were eligible for inclusion in the study. These represented a total of 147 938 person-years of follow-up (median follow-up: 2.04 years). In men, HF (reference group; 5-year survival: 55.8%) had worse mortality outcomes than prostate cancer [hazard ratio (HR) 0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.57-0.65; 5-year survival: 68.3%], and bladder cancer (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.81-0.96; 5-year survival: 57.3%), but better ou...

Research paper thumbnail of The effect of medications which cause inflammation of the gastro-oesophageal tract on cancer risk: a nested case-control study of routine Scottish data

International journal of cancer, Apr 24, 2017

Bisphosphonate, tetracycline and spironolactone use has been shown to increase gastro-oesophageal... more Bisphosphonate, tetracycline and spironolactone use has been shown to increase gastro-oesophageal inflammation, an accepted risk factor for cancer. However, evidence of the effect of these medications on gastro-oesophageal cancer risk are mixed or missing entirely. Therefore, we conducted a nested case-control study using the Primary Care Clinical Information Unit Research (PCCIUR) database from Scotland. Cases with oesophageal or gastric cancer between 1999 and 2011 were matched to up to five controls based on age, gender, year of diagnosis and general practice. Medication use was ascertained using electronic prescribing records. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for the association between medication use and cancer risk after adjustment for comorbidities and other medication use. A similar proportion of gastro-oesophageal cancer cases received bisphosphonates (3.9% vs. 3.5%), tetracycline (6.0% vs. 6.0%) and spironolactone (1.4% vs. 1.1%) comp...

Research paper thumbnail of What patients want from a pharmacy-led medicines management service

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the supply of non-prescription medicines from community pharmacies in Scotland

International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, Feb 23, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting in the UK: A Retrospective Observational Comparison of Yellow Card Reports Submitted by Patients and Healthcare Professionals

Drug Safety an International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Drug Experience, Sep 1, 2010

In the UK, spontaneous reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) by healthcare profess... more In the UK, spontaneous reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) by healthcare professionals has been in operation since 1964 through the Yellow Card Scheme (YCS). From 2005, patients themselves have been able to submit Yellow Card reports. To compare patient characteristics, suspected drugs and suspected ADRs reported by patients with those reported by healthcare professionals using the YCS. Retrospective observational study in the UK. Participants were patients reported to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), either by themselves, a representative or a healthcare professional, as having one or more suspected ADRs between October 2005 and September 2007. The main outcome measures were ADRs and time taken to report. In total, 26 129 Yellow Card reports from patients and healthcare professionals were received from the MHRA for the 2-year study period (19.8% patient and 80.2% healthcare professional). More Yellow Card reports were made for female than male patients (p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001). Patients reported a significantly higher number of suspected ADRs per report than healthcare professionals (median [interquartile range {IQR}] of 3 [2-5] vs 2 [1-3], respectively; p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001). A higher proportion of patient reports (16.1%) contained more than one suspect drug than healthcare professional reports (9%; p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001). Healthcare professional reports had a higher proportion of ADRs that caused hospitalization (18.8% vs 12.9%), were life threatening (11.1% vs 6.2%) or caused death (2.6% vs 0.7%) than patient reports (all p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001). Patient reporters took a significantly longer time to report their reaction than healthcare professionals (median [IQR] of 104 [27-463] vs 28 [13-75] days respectively; p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001). Direct comparisons of the seriousness of the ADRs were not possible because of important differences between patient and healthcare professional versions of the Yellow Cards. This is the first substantial, published study in…

Research paper thumbnail of “What counts can’t always be measured”: a qualitative exploration of general practitioners’ conceptualisation of quality for community pharmacy services

BMC Family Practice

Background The expansion of community pharmacy services is one solution to relieve pressure on ge... more Background The expansion of community pharmacy services is one solution to relieve pressure on general practice in the United Kingdom (UK). There is a paucity of research of general practitioners’ (GPs’) perspectives of quality of care in the community pharmacy sector. The purpose of this study was to explore GPs’: Conceptualisation of quality for community pharmacy services, including the management of acute (low acuity) conditions and defining indispensable aspects of the patient experience (‘always events’) Opinions regarding whether and how to measure quality in the community pharmacy sector Method Semi-structured interviews were conducted with GPs in the UK. GPs were recruited using the snowballing technique and professional networks. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed using an interpretive approach. Results Interviews were completed with 20 GPs from Scotland (n = 8) and England (n = 12). Multidimensional and inter-related concepts of quality were identifi...

Research paper thumbnail of A systematic review using the Theoretical Domains Framework to identify barriers and facilitators to the adoption of prescribing guidelines

International Journal of Pharmacy Practice

Objectives Evidence-based guidelines have the potential to reduce variation and increase prescrib... more Objectives Evidence-based guidelines have the potential to reduce variation and increase prescribing quality. Identifying the key determinants to their uptake, using a theory-based approach, may assist in the design of successful interventions to increase their adoption into practice. This systematic review investigated barriers and facilitators identified using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to the implementation of prescribing guidelines. Methods Electronic databases (EMBASE, PubMed) were searched. Studies were included if they used the TDF to identify key determinants of guideline implementation. Only studies published in English were included. Key findings Of the 407 studies identified, 15 were included. A range of patient populations and therapeutic categories were represented. Multiple determinants were identified that affected guideline implementation, with similarities and differences identified across studies. Barriers to guideline adoption included time restrictio...

Research paper thumbnail of A multiple methods study on the pharmaceutical care needs of older people with sensory impairment and polypharmacy

Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy

Research paper thumbnail of You are still a human being, you still have needs, you still have wants': a qualitative exploration of patients' experiences and views of HIV support

Journal of public health (Oxford, England), Jan 28, 2018

The importance of patient involvement in service redesign is gaining increasing recognition, part... more The importance of patient involvement in service redesign is gaining increasing recognition, particularly for chronic conditions. This study explored the experience, views and needs of people living with HIV to identify areas for improvement and service development. Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted with people living with HIV being treated in two clinics in Grampian, Scotland. The topic guide was developed, based on a proposed care pathway, which emphasized support systems. Thematic analysis was undertaken. A total of 14 people living with HIV participated, with time since diagnosis ranging from <1 to >15 years. Most were males, white British and were men who had sex with men. Interviewees highlighted the need for different types of support throughout different stages of the HIV journey, including timely provision of information, post-diagnosis follow-up support, peer support, family support, and support regarding employment, benefits and housing. Many i...

Research paper thumbnail of A mixed-methods evaluation of a community pharmacy signposting service to a commercial weight-loss provider

Public health nutrition, 2018

Community pharmacies could provide access for clients to commercial weight management organizatio... more Community pharmacies could provide access for clients to commercial weight management organizations. We evaluated recruitment, referral and outcomes of adults provided with free vouchers by community pharmacies to attend Scottish Slimmers classes. Prospective cohort design with qualitative interviews with clients and pharmacy personnel. Scottish Slimmers collected weight and attendance data. Pharmacies in Aberdeen City, Scotland. Clients aged ≥18 years with BMI≥30 kg/m2. Ten of twenty-three pharmacies were recruited; eight successfully recruited clients. Of 129 clients recruited, ninety-seven (75 %) attended at least one class and fifty-one (40 %) attended all twelve classes. At baseline, clients' mean weight was 99·4 (sd 17·5) kg, mean BMI was 37·8 (sd 6·0) kg/m2. After 12 weeks, mean weight change was -3·7 % (last observation carried forward) or -2·8 % (baseline observation carried forward) for all ninety-seven clients. Client interviews indicated that many individuals would h...

Research paper thumbnail of A scoping review of the pharmaceutical care needs of people with sensory loss

The International journal of pharmacy practice, Jan 19, 2018

This scoping review collated evidence of the pharmaceutical care needs of people with sensory los... more This scoping review collated evidence of the pharmaceutical care needs of people with sensory loss (SL). Electronic databases were searched with no limit on year of publication: Medline (1946); Embase; Cinahl (1979); and Web of Science (1985). Search terms included the following: pharmacy; sight/hearing/dual impairment. Studies were included if they involved people with SL requiring pharmaceutical care and/or pharmacists/pharmacy support staff providing pharmaceutical care for people with SL. All study designs were eligible. This was a scoping review, and as such, the quality of studies was not formally evaluated. Eleven studies were included. People with SL had lower levels of medication knowledge than their peers without SL. People with SL were identified as being at higher risk of iatrogenic harm than people without SL. Communication was a barrier to the provision of pharmaceutical care for people with hearing loss, with pharmacists relying on the provision of written information...

Research paper thumbnail of A simulated patient study assessing over the counter supply and counseling in Jordan: responding to headache complaints

International journal of clinical pharmacy, Jan 2, 2018

Background Community pharmacists are the most accessible health professionals for patients seekin... more Background Community pharmacists are the most accessible health professionals for patients seeking advice on minor ailments and over the counter supply. Objectives To assess the management of patients seeking advice for headache in community pharmacies in Jordan. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted using simulated patient in three cities in Jordan. A trained simulated patient enacted an advice-seeking scenario for the treatment of a headache. The visits were evaluated using pre-defined criteria relating to content and communication skills. Results Of 72 community pharmacies invited, 50 (69.4%) agreed to participate. Of these, 38 (76%) pharmacies were visited. The median duration of the visit was 2 min (20 s-4 min). All visits resulted in selling a drug. Paracetamol combinations often with caffeine were recommended in over 50% of visits. Drug sale recommendations were often made without obtaining essential information about symptoms or patient medical history. Only brand nam...

Research paper thumbnail of Using the Human Factors Framework to understand the origins of medication safety problems in community pharmacy in Saudi Arabia: A qualitative study

Research in social & administrative pharmacy : RSAP, Jan 17, 2018

Community pharmacy practice in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) faces many challenges. In KSA, t... more Community pharmacy practice in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) faces many challenges. In KSA, there is a lack of empirical research about medication safety in this setting. To explore the safety problems associated with medication supply from community pharmacies in KSA and compare different stakeholder perspectives. Four focus groups and individual interviews were conducted in Riyadh, KSA, in February-May 2013. All group discussions were recorded, transcribed and translated from Arabic into English, except the professional group, which was conducted in English. Thematic analysis was performed using the Human Factors Framework (HFF). The groups comprised "professionals" (n = 8; one female), community pharmacists (n = 4; all male) and two pharmacy user groups (females, n = 11 and males, n = 8). Medication safety problems identified were categorised into nine categories representing the HFF. Seven main themes were identified from these categories: commercial pressure on co...

Research paper thumbnail of Public risk perception of non-prescription medicines and information disclosure during consultations: a suitable target for intervention?

The International journal of pharmacy practice, Jan 10, 2018

Optimisation of non-prescription medicine (NPM) supply from community pharmacies could reduce dem... more Optimisation of non-prescription medicine (NPM) supply from community pharmacies could reduce demand on other healthcare providers, including general practitioners and emergency department personnel. Outcomes can be maximised if patients disclose relevant information, for example concomitant medication, during pharmacy-based consultations. Strategies to promote information disclosure are needed. This study used the psychometric paradigm of risk to explore whether the public's risk perception of NPMs was associated with information disclosure. This national, cross-sectional population study used a random sample of 3000 adults (aged ≥ 18 years) from the Scottish Electoral register. Postal questionnaires collected data on risk perceptions, information disclosure and demographic information. Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine constructs to which the risk questions could be grouped. Factors were scored and the scores compared across demographics. Just over half (57%) o...

Research paper thumbnail of Motivational, volitional and multiple goal predictors of walking in people with type 2 diabetes

Psychology of Sport and Exercise

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the safe and effective supply and use of non-prescription medicines

International Journal of Pharmacy Practice

Research paper thumbnail of Using the Medical Research Council (UK) framework for the development and evaluation of randomised controlled trials for complex interventions to improve health

International Journal of Pharmacy Practice

Research paper thumbnail of Pharmacist dispensing error: The effect of neighbourhood density and time pressure on accurate visual perception of drug names

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting

ABSTRACT Objective: Two potential causes of dispensing error; neighbourhood density and time pres... more ABSTRACT Objective: Two potential causes of dispensing error; neighbourhood density and time pressure, were analysed using a lab-based dispensing task.

Research paper thumbnail of Quality improvement of community pharmacy services: a prioritisation exercise

The International journal of pharmacy practice, Jan 27, 2017

Effective strategies are needed to translate knowledge (evidence) into practice to improve the qu... more Effective strategies are needed to translate knowledge (evidence) into practice to improve the quality of community pharmacy services. We report the first step of a novel knowledge translation process which involved the systematic identification and prioritisation of community pharmacy services in Scotland which were perceived to require improvement and/or guideline development. This process involved three stages and a stakeholder group comprising community pharmacists, policy makers, lay and pharmacy organisation representatives. A modified nominal group technique (NGT) was used for topic generation (August 2013) followed by an electronic Delphi survey (eDelphi), October-December 2013) and topic rationalisation (December 2013) based on feasibility, acceptability, and potential impact for practice improvement. In total, 63 items were identified during the modified NGT which were categorised into 20 topics to form the starting point of the eDelphi. In total, 74 individuals (mostly co...

Research paper thumbnail of Tele-pharmacy in rural Scotland: a proof of concept study

The International journal of pharmacy practice, 2017

Technology enables medical services to be provided to rural communities. This proof of concept st... more Technology enables medical services to be provided to rural communities. This proof of concept study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of delivering community pharmacy services (CPS; including advice, sale of over-the-counter products and dispensing of prescriptions) by tele-technology (the Telepharmacy Robotic Supply Service (TPRSS)) to a rural population in Scotland. Data collection included the following: postal surveys to local residents; focus groups/ interviews with pharmacists, other healthcare professionals (HCPs) and service users, at baseline and follow-up; TPRSS logs. Interviews/focus groups were audio-recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Descriptive statistics were reported for survey data. Qualitative results: Pre-installation: residents expressed satisfaction with current pharmacy access. HCPs believed the TPRSS would improve pharmacy access and reduce pressure on GPs. Concerns included costs, confidentiality, patient safety and 'fear' of t...

Research paper thumbnail of Do patients have worse outcomes in heart failure than in cancer? A primary care-based cohort study with 10-year follow-up in Scotland

European journal of heart failure, Sep 3, 2017

This study was designed to evaluate whether survival rates in patients with heart failure (HF) ar... more This study was designed to evaluate whether survival rates in patients with heart failure (HF) are better than those in patients with diagnoses of the four most common cancers in men and women, respectively, in a contemporary primary care cohort in the community in Scotland. Data were obtained from the Primary Care Clinical Informatics Unit from a database of 1.75 million people registered with 393 general practices in Scotland. Sex-specific survival modelling was undertaken using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for potential confounders. A total of 56 658 subjects were eligible for inclusion in the study. These represented a total of 147 938 person-years of follow-up (median follow-up: 2.04 years). In men, HF (reference group; 5-year survival: 55.8%) had worse mortality outcomes than prostate cancer [hazard ratio (HR) 0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.57-0.65; 5-year survival: 68.3%], and bladder cancer (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.81-0.96; 5-year survival: 57.3%), but better ou...

Research paper thumbnail of The effect of medications which cause inflammation of the gastro-oesophageal tract on cancer risk: a nested case-control study of routine Scottish data

International journal of cancer, Apr 24, 2017

Bisphosphonate, tetracycline and spironolactone use has been shown to increase gastro-oesophageal... more Bisphosphonate, tetracycline and spironolactone use has been shown to increase gastro-oesophageal inflammation, an accepted risk factor for cancer. However, evidence of the effect of these medications on gastro-oesophageal cancer risk are mixed or missing entirely. Therefore, we conducted a nested case-control study using the Primary Care Clinical Information Unit Research (PCCIUR) database from Scotland. Cases with oesophageal or gastric cancer between 1999 and 2011 were matched to up to five controls based on age, gender, year of diagnosis and general practice. Medication use was ascertained using electronic prescribing records. Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for the association between medication use and cancer risk after adjustment for comorbidities and other medication use. A similar proportion of gastro-oesophageal cancer cases received bisphosphonates (3.9% vs. 3.5%), tetracycline (6.0% vs. 6.0%) and spironolactone (1.4% vs. 1.1%) comp...

Research paper thumbnail of What patients want from a pharmacy-led medicines management service

Research paper thumbnail of Exploring the supply of non-prescription medicines from community pharmacies in Scotland

International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, Feb 23, 2008

Research paper thumbnail of Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting in the UK: A Retrospective Observational Comparison of Yellow Card Reports Submitted by Patients and Healthcare Professionals

Drug Safety an International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Drug Experience, Sep 1, 2010

In the UK, spontaneous reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) by healthcare profess... more In the UK, spontaneous reporting of suspected adverse drug reactions (ADRs) by healthcare professionals has been in operation since 1964 through the Yellow Card Scheme (YCS). From 2005, patients themselves have been able to submit Yellow Card reports. To compare patient characteristics, suspected drugs and suspected ADRs reported by patients with those reported by healthcare professionals using the YCS. Retrospective observational study in the UK. Participants were patients reported to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), either by themselves, a representative or a healthcare professional, as having one or more suspected ADRs between October 2005 and September 2007. The main outcome measures were ADRs and time taken to report. In total, 26 129 Yellow Card reports from patients and healthcare professionals were received from the MHRA for the 2-year study period (19.8% patient and 80.2% healthcare professional). More Yellow Card reports were made for female than male patients (p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001). Patients reported a significantly higher number of suspected ADRs per report than healthcare professionals (median [interquartile range {IQR}] of 3 [2-5] vs 2 [1-3], respectively; p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001). A higher proportion of patient reports (16.1%) contained more than one suspect drug than healthcare professional reports (9%; p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001). Healthcare professional reports had a higher proportion of ADRs that caused hospitalization (18.8% vs 12.9%), were life threatening (11.1% vs 6.2%) or caused death (2.6% vs 0.7%) than patient reports (all p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001). Patient reporters took a significantly longer time to report their reaction than healthcare professionals (median [IQR] of 104 [27-463] vs 28 [13-75] days respectively; p &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt; 0.001). Direct comparisons of the seriousness of the ADRs were not possible because of important differences between patient and healthcare professional versions of the Yellow Cards. This is the first substantial, published study in…