Featured in The West Australian - Your Health Checks

Vaccinations have become an important way of life with the COVID-19 pandemic and with the return of flu season. Across WA, pharmacists have been at the forefront of helping to protect the community and over the past two years Pharmacy 777’s 70 stores have provided more than 400,000 COVID and flu vaccines. 

With the announcement from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) that everyone over 30 is now eligible for a fourth COVID-19 vaccine and that it is recommended for everyone over 50, pharmacists will again be playing a key role in the roll out.

But good health goes well beyond vaccinations and it’s important to keep up with your health care appointments. 

“Pharmacists across the state have risen to the challenge with COVID and flu vaccinations, but that’s just one aspect of their role,” said Pharmacy 777 Managing Director Kim Brotherson. “From health checks to medication management to out-of-hospital support to wound care and beyond, pharmacists are there to support patients – whether they are taking medications or simply need advice.” 

Community pharmacists provide high-quality and easy-access care in metro and regional areas across the state. 

One valuable service that pharmacists provide is health screenings, which can help patients identify any risk factors for chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

Patients can book 20-minute appointments with a Pharmacy 777 pharmacist for a thorough health check, including blood pressure, weight and cholesterol. Patients will also be asked questions about their health and family history, including lifestyle factors such diet and exercise. The results are provided at the end of the appointment and include an assessment of potential risk factors the patient could face over the next five years.  

“This type of preventative care service is key to helping patients live healthy and independent lives, and to providing them with choices -- all while keeping the community safe,” Mr Brotherson said.

Pharmacists are also an important resource for patients who have been discharged from hospital, providing follow-up advice and support, helping patients safely manage their medications, providing dose administration aids and, when needed, home delivery services. 

Turning to a pharmacist for support with a medication can help to reduce the overwhelming problem of medication mismanagement. For example, a Pharmaceutical Society of Australia report finds that 250,000 hospital admissions annually are a result of medication-related problems, and as many as 400,000 emergency department visits are thought to be due to medication-related problems.

Another important and frequent service community pharmacists provide is acute wound care, which includes an assessment and first aid, cleansing and dressing wounds for patients, pain management and aftercare to support the patient’s recovery.

Working collaboratively with GPs and other care providers, pharmacists can support patients in the community throughout their health care journey.  

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