News in Brief

Cost Of A Pint
The 'shocking' cost of alcohol misuse in Northern Ireland was highlighted by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey in June after estimates that its cost to society equates to £679.8million with a range of £500million to £884million. "This research shows that the cost to the Health Service alone may be as high as around £160million each year with a further cost of £82million to Social Services,î the Minister said. ìThese figures are particularly pertinent in the context of my Departmentís very challenging financial situation because this is money that could be spent providing key frontline services."
 
Heart In Hands
The British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland is appealing to fundraisers to help it reach its target of £80,000 by August. The campaign is to recruit more heart nurses to support patients throughout the province and to reduce secondary care admissions.
 
Haiti Fundraising
Staff at Holly Villa in the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital have raised over £320 for a group who are travelling to Haiti in October to build houses following the earthquake. The Tyrone Haiti Build is a project in conjunction with the Haven Partnership to support those affected by the disaster.
 
Secondary Care Supported
A new hospital in Omaghs fight for funding has been supported by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey. Speaking at a meeting with the Omagh joint liaison group, the Minister said: "I am fully committed to the development of the new Omagh hospital and will continue to press for the essential funding needed to make this a reality."
 
Commissioning Together
Pharmacists and GPs must work together to define the gaps in commissioning data, review how they can be filled and to determine the correct level of care provision for a particular area, according to Stephen Foster, the head of the new Healthcare Professionals Commissioning Network. The network is open to any health or social care professional who would like to engage in commissioning. tinyurl.com/HCPnetwork
 
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Striking A Chord PDF Print E-mail
Written by Laure James - Editor Pharmacy in Focus   
Monday, 07 June 2010 14:25
At the frontline of healthcare, community pharmacy is not only highly committed to caring for those who have diagnosed conditions and their symptoms but to also professionally intervene whenever the first indications of ill health are presented. However, sensitively and appropriately recognising the symptoms of depression can be very challenging. One in four UK adults will suffer from depression at some point yet for most, mental health is an off-limits subject.

The Ulster Chemists Association in partnership with Aware Defeat Depression has recently campaigned to raise awareness of how debilitating it can be living with depression, both for sufferers and their families. A number of initiatives have already helped to encourage the public, local politicians and healthcare professionals to change their attitudes towards people with mental health problems. 

On Friday April 30, the UCA hosted Self Care Day, supported by all member pharmacies which gave out leaflets and information about depression and the lifelines available for those who may be in need. UCA president Paula McDaid was delighted with the success of the day. The Ulster Chemists Association is extremely pleased to have been able to support such an important event as Depression Aware Week,î Paula said. ìDepression is an issue that affects not just the sufferers but their families also. The challenge is to change the mindset and enable a more open approach to people with mental health issues and to be more understanding of how they feel in certain environments.

ìDepression is becoming increasingly prevalent, so it is even more important than ever before, that people suffering know where to turn for help. Community Pharmacies can offer patients and families information, support and signposting as well as help with managing their medication. The pharmacy is ideally situated on the high street to promote self care. We are extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to do this through Depression Aware Week's Self Care day.
 
Meanwhile, the charity also officially launched Depression Aware Week last month, welcoming local personality and honorary member Lynda Bryans and Lord Mayor Naomi Long to City Hall in Belfast. The launch also provided the opportunity for the charityís many volunteers to gain recognition and thanks for their continued dedication. UCA Executive Committee member Peter Wright also the Question Time event at Stormont.

I thought it was a very successful event and I was impressed with the understanding of the Health Committee of the needs of those with mental health conditions and I was also impressed that they had a good understanding of how funding is needed at ground level,î Peter told NIPinF. ìThe MLAs on the Health Committee certainly seem to show great interest in this area, described as the ëCinderellaí of health. Funding and resources are available within the Department of Health, it is now of course a question of how to obtain this and how to ensure that voluntary groups and charities are appropriately supported.

From a pharmacy perspective we would be very happy to see funding be made available as there is a continued need for interaction between pharmacy and such organisations, to promote mental health issues in the public. With proper funding, we would be able to strengthen these connections and to care for those with mental health conditions in the community.