Design and implementation of an educational partnership between community pharmacists and consumer educators in mental health care.
OBJECTIVE
To design and implement an interactive education program to improve the skill and confidence of community pharmacists in providing pharmaceutical services to people with mental illnesses.


METHODS
A literature review was conducted and key stakeholders were consulted to design a partnership that involved community pharmacists and consumer educators. The partnership was designed so that all participants shared equal status. This facilitated mutual recognition of each others' skills.


RESULTS
Four 2-hour training sessions were conducted over a 2-week period in March 2005. Seven pharmacists, 5 consumer educators, and 1 caregiver educator participated in the partnership. Pharmacists indicated that their participation caused them to reflect on their own medication counseling techniques. Consumer educators reported that speaking about their experiences aided their recovery.


CONCLUSIONS
Developing a better understanding and improved communication between community pharmacists and people with mental illnesses is an important aspect of facilitating a concordant approach to patient counseling. Implementing mental health education programs utilizing consumer educators in pharmacy schools is a promising area for further research.
Bell
J Simon
JS
Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
Whitehead
Paula
P
Aslani
Parisa
P
Sacker
Sue
S
Chen
Timothy F
TF
D003256:Community Participation; D003376:Counseling; D004513:Education, Pharmacy, Continuing; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D008603:Mental Health; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology