Recommendations for research

The guideline committee has made the following recommendations for research.

Key recommendations for research

1 Referral within a formal care pathway

Is referral from a community pharmacy within a formal local care pathway framework more effective and cost effective than signposting alone in improving access to, and uptake of, services by underserved groups and the general population?

For a short explanation of why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale section on health and wellbeing hubs.

More details about how this research could be conducted can be found in recommendations for research: in detail.

2 Health and wellbeing interventions

How effective and cost effective are awareness raising, advice and education or behavioural support interventions delivered by community pharmacy teams to improve health and behavioural outcomes in underserved groups and the general population?

For a short explanation of why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale sections on awareness raising and providing information, advice and education, and behavioural support.

More details about how this research could be conducted can be found in recommendations for research: in detail.

3 Addressing health inequalities

What are the barriers to and facilitators for increasing access to community pharmacy services by underserved groups? How should health and wellbeing interventions be tailored to increase service uptake in underserved groups?

For a short explanation of why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale section on addressing health inequalities.

More details about how this research could be conducted can be found in recommendations for research: in detail.

4 Characteristics of a person delivering an intervention

How do the professional characteristics of pharmacy staff affect the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of delivering information, advice, education or behavioural support to underserved groups and the general population? (Characteristics include, for example, job roles such as health champion, as well as competencies and level of training.)

For a short explanation of why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale section on ensure consistent, high-quality services.

More details about how this research could be conducted can be found in recommendations for research: in detail.

5 Patient activation

How effective and cost effective is advice, education or behavioural support offered by community pharmacy teams to improve patient activation and measures of behaviour and health changes, particularly in areas where activation levels are lower? This includes evaluating factors such as frequency, intensity and duration of the intervention.

For a short explanation of why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale section on behavioural support.

More details about how this research could be conducted can be found in recommendations for research: in detail.

Other recommendations for research

Local social prescribing interventions

How effective and cost effective is it for community pharmacy teams to provide local social prescribing interventions? What is the differential impact in both effectiveness and cost effectiveness of community pharmacies carrying out this activity compared with providing only referral or signposting to these interventions?

  • National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)