Health Champions

Health Champions in Bexley, Bromley & Greenwich

Bexley, Bromley & Greenwich LPC working together with Health Education South London (HESL) have put into place a training programme for pharmacy counter staff to complete the Royal Society of Public Health Understanding Health Improvement level 2 award. Once completed, the staff are referred to as “Health Champions” which is part of the building blocks of the Health Living Pharmacy (HLP) concept developed in Portsmouth and recognised by the Department of Health. Further details on Healthy Living Pharmacies can be found on http://psnc.org.uk/services-commissioning/locally-commissioned-services/healthy-living-pharmacies/

Training sessions were set up and are on going for Health Champions are some of the topics covered were:

Dementia – To develop a better understanding of the role of the healthcare team in the early identification of dementia and to recognise the signs and symptoms of the different types of dementia.

Alcohol – to develop skills and demonstrate attitudes required to offer an alcohol identification and brief advice service. Training was available to pharmacists, pre-registration pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.

Diabetes – training on the role of the pharmacy team in supporting people with diabetes, mainly focused on Type 2 diabetes.

BBG LPC expects he Health Champions to make a considerable contribution to the preventative healthcare agenda over the coming years. HESL has developed a special website for the Health Champions to pilot a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) passport so that BBG Health Champions continue to improve their training and benefit the residents of Bexley, Bromley & Greenwich. The website has further details on http://www.institute-of-pharmacy-management.org.uk/

Raj Matharu (BBG LPC CEO) sits on the PSEL Steering Group on behalf of BBG LPC advised ” This shows a tremendous effort by pharmacy staff. At training meetings they were really enthusiastic to learn and more importantly put into action the skills they learned. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for local commissioners to use this work force for promoting better health and well being in Bexley, Bromley & Greenwich.”  

NHS and Public Health Commissioners wishing to find out more details on how Health Champions can assist in services developed around the patient and local residents should contact Raj Matharu on bbglpc@gmail.com  or call 07914 769 218

For further details on how BBG LPC is working on the training the pharmacy workforce across South London can be found on www.southlondonhealthychampions.co.uk

List of Health Champions in Bexley, Bromley & Greenwich: