Tuesday 2nd November 2010 - Published by Kelly Jackson - Communications Executive

Virtual Pharmacist shows patients the way to better health and wellbeing

Patients and customers visiting Birmingham pharmacies can now also access a huge range of information about their health and wellbeing, assisted by an animated, virtual pharmacist and easy-to-use Healthscreens. 

Mr Pharm (pictured) is the friendly, reliable character people see whenever they use one of the touch-sensitive Healthscreens which help them make better decisions about their health and wellbeing.

The screens have been installed in 67 pharmacies across the city by Health Exchange CIC Ltd, in partnership with Heart of Birmingham Primary Care Trust.

Almost 2 million people visit their local pharmacy every day in the UK, for expert advice on simple ailments and illnesses. Mr Pharm is designed to attract visitors to learn more about their health through the Healthscreens, which provide health information, advice and guidance at the touch of a button.

Health Exchange is a Midlands-based social enterprise which promotes healthy lifestyle and tackles health inequality. Health Exchange staff point people in the right direction to find the help and guidance they need, and help people with long-term health conditions to manage their illness effectively.

“Increasingly pharmacies are fulfilling the role of healthy-living centres, and we regard pharmacists as essential partners in helping us promote health and wellbeing within local communities.” says Sue Turton, Operations Director at Health Exchange. “Our Healthscreens were created to enhance the range of help and advice pharmacists offer their customers and patients, exploiting Health Exchange’s extensive resources.”

A key objective for the Healthscreens is to keep the service topical for pharmacists and their customers, and recent developments include a new ‘Diabetes Centre’. Birmingham has one of the highest rates of diabetes in the country, and this service helps people to understand and manage this condition. It includes a diabetes-specific symptom checker - a short questionnaire to help those with a greater risk of Diabetes identify the fact and take appropriate action. It also features videos of local patients and professionals, highlighting the different methods they use to manage this condition.

“In a busy pharmacy many people find it difficult to ask for advice on their condition.” explains John Morrison, Head of Medicines at the Heart of Birmingham Teaching PCT. “The Health Information Touch screens are ideal as it’s a simple tap on the screen to access information on illnesses, ailments, healthy lifestyle, exercise and local events including organised health walks within the local area.”

Health Exchange has also created the Picture Prescription, a tool, accessed through the Healthscreens, which translates written medicine dosage information into a simple pictorial reminder. Devised for pharmacy customers whose first language is not English, this helps pharmacists overcome one of the challenges of prescribing medicines in multi-cultural and multi-ethnic communities such as those in the heart of Birmingham.

Mr Pharm

Mr Pharm