What's the problem? Why do some pharmacists provide services to drug users and others won't?

Abstract

Over 80% of Glasgow's community pharmacies provide a supervised methadone service to opiate users, but fewer than this provide a needle exchange service. Postal questionnaires were sent in 1997 and annually from 2000 to 2003 to every pharmacy in Greater Glasgow. The original aim of the questionnaire was to determine the number of pharmacists in Glasgow that dispensed methadone and supervised its consumption, and to determine the pharmacists' attitudes to the provision of this service. As Glasgow has a high number of injecting drug users, two further sections were added to the questionnaire in 2001. These related to pharmacists' willingness to provide needle exchange. Over these years, the community provision of substitute medication and needle exchange service to drug users has grown considerably. In addition, there have been changes in the views and opinions of participating pharmacists in relation to the provision of such services. Reasons for non‐participation include the opinion that other customers would object; business reasons, for example, risks to staff, property, or theft; and premises being unsuitable. By contrast, the pharmacists' decision to offer a supervised consumption of methadone or needle exchange service appears to be based on the recognition of clinical need, rather than potential financial gain.

• Pharmacists
• attitudes
• drug‐users