More pharmacies sought for program
Those involved with a community pharmacy initiative designed to increase and improve mental health and addictions care for Nova Scotians are hoping to see more pharmacies become involved, particularly in western Nova Scotia and the eastern shore of the province where gaps exist.
“I did a fair amount of outreach to some pharmacies down there
(in southwestern N.S.) and couldn’t get them to bite,” says Laura Miller, Bloom Program coordinator. “We’re heard from patients in the area who have said we’d really like to have this program.”
The Bloom Program offers a free, six-month program to eligible patients to receive extra care and counselling from their community pharmacist for their mental health and addictions care. Patients get help understanding their medications and how to address side effects. They receive guidance on how to navigate through the health-care system, including community support services offered in their area.
Heading into 2020, there were 37 pharmacies in Nova Scotia involved in the program. A training session was held Dec. 6 for new pharmacists, which could increase the number of involved pharmacies to 58.
“But western N.S. is lacking and those who took part in the training in December are not from the region,” says Miller.
The program began as a pilot project through Dalhousie University in 2014. It was studied for more than a year and deemed to be successful.
“Patients really liked it. Pharmacists really liked it,” Miller says. The initiative was then presented to province. The Nova Scotia Health Authority agreed to take it on. It is funded through the Department of Health and Wellness.
Pharmacists don’t diagnose individuals or provide mental health or addictions counselling, but offer support in other ways.
“It may be that you’re not on a medication and you feel you need one. The initial interview would be to gather as much information as we can and establish goals. We may call the central intake line to get you into the system, or we may call your family doctor and say there is a patient identifying these issues. I’m going to send you a letter of what we’ve discussed and I would recommend that you meet with the person and see what’s needed,” says Miller.
“The central intake line can also help the pharmacist and patient decide what’s needed. It may be that they can manage with a community mental health team or it may be that they need an immediate appointment,” Miller says. “A goal of the Bloom Program is definitely navigation of the system.”
Pharmacists can also schedule one-on-one time with a person to go over their medication(s), beyond the few minutes they may have available when someone is getting a prescription filled.
“It creates an opportunity for more tailored care. If they’re on a medication and they don’t feel it’s working for them . . . that’s definitely within the purview of the pharmacist to take them in and say let’s talk about what worked well with this medication and what didn’t, what your goals are, what you’re trying to achieve,” Miller says. “If the patient needs to be on a medication, we’ll get them on the best option for them. We will help them taper off medications they no longer want to be on or are no longer beneficial for them.”
“Education is a big part of the Bloom Program. It can include family education as well, if the patient is comfortable with it,” she adds.
There is no age restriction for accessing the Bloom Program. More information about the program can be found at bloomprogram.ca.
Asked if she feels some pharmacists are reluctant to get involved because they worry about extra workload, Miller says is a common misconception about the program. She notes some pharmacies approach this from a team perspective, as opposed to just one pharmacist. She also says participating pharmacies also have the support of the provincial coordinator.
“I have a background in addiction and mental health. If they’re having a problem where they’re up against a wall and they can’t find a solution for a patient, they can call me and run it by me.”
Miller intends to keep reaching out to pharmacies. There is also contact information included on the program’s website if they want to reach out to her.
“I hope when people read this article they say, our region needs this type of service and I’m going to step up and be part of it,” she says. “What I’ve seen in the past six months is pharmacists find this work really rewarding . . . and they feel as if they are making a difference in the lives of patients who really need it and appreciate it.”