All about raising awareness for diabetes screening

Community pharmacies across the UK took their services to the streets recently to raise awareness on diabetes supported by the All About Health programme.

Diabetes Awareness Week, which ran from June 13 to 19, allowed community pharmacists the opportunity to promote their screening services for the condition that is estimated at being undiagnosed in more than half a million people in the UK at present.

C+D award winning Pharmacy Team of the Year and AAH Pharmaceuticals customer, Fishers Chemist from South Norwood London, is very active with its screening services and the recent awareness week was no different.

Pharmacist Ginny Turner-Flynn said: “This year to date we have screened more than 50 patients for diabetes, one of which was referred through to hospital due to a very high fasting blood glucose test and several more to their GP for further treatment.

“It gives us a great sense of satisfaction knowing that these patients may have fallen very ill if we hadn’t have spotted the symptoms and screened them here at our pharmacy.”

In addition to the two referrals, Fishers has signposted 38 per cent of those screened to its weight management programme and 42 per cent to the smoking cessation service.

Ajit Malhi, head of marketing services for the company said: “Fishers is a very forward-thinking pharmacy and its success, both as a thriving pharmacy and as a healthcare provider, demonstrates the real impact which community pharmacy has on people’s lives.

“Spotting the symptoms and offering a diabetes screening service helps to improve patient wellbeing, complements the role of the GP and supports the great work done all over the UK during Diabetes Awareness Week.”