Objectives: Mental illness is an important public health issue internationally. As people with mild-to-moderate illness are usually cared for in primary health care, pharmacists are well placed to play an important role. The study objectives were to explore community pharmacists' perceptions of their role in primary mental health care and the barriers and facilitators to the provision of care in New Zealand.
Methods: Fifteen face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with practising pharmacists nationally. Interviews were audio-taped and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed iteratively using an inductive thematic approach.
Key findings: Support offered to patients with mild-to-moderate mental illness ranged from solely dispensing to providing more holistic, patient-centred care. Three key themes were identified with the potential to influence whether participants were willing and able to support patients. These were pharmacists' beliefs about their role in primary mental health care, their perception of patients' needs and the environmental context in which they were practising. The connection to the local community and the philosophy of the business owner were contexts that strongly influenced the support provided.
Conclusions: Community pharmacists have a valuable contribution and role to play in supporting primary mental health care extending well beyond medicines supply and the provision of advice about medicines. Advocacy roles including health system navigation and much broader social support are also possible. The philosophy of the business owner and the actual impact this has on a pharmacist's practice and the time available to support patients is likely to be influential.
Keywords: New Zealand; common mental illness; community pharmacist; pharmacy; primary care.
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