Co-designing a Community Pharmacy Pharmacogenomics Testing Service In The UK

Abstract

Introduction: Pharmacogenomics (PGx) testing services have been delivered through community pharmacies across the globe, though not yet in the UK. This paper is reporting a focus group study, the first stage of a participatory co-design process to increase the chance of a successful implementation of a PGx service through community pharmacy in the UK.Aim: To identify the barriers and enablers to implementing a community pharmacy based PGx service in the UK.Method: Three focus groups were conducted with community pharmacists (n= 10), prescribers (n= 8) and patients (n=8) in England. The focus groups were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed using the Braun and Clarke six step reflexive thematic analysis approach.Results: The analysis identified five themes about PGx testing in community pharmacies: (1) In- principle receptiveness, (2) Appreciation of the benefits, (3) Lack of implementation resources (4) Ambiguity about implications for implementation and (5) Interprofessional relationship challenges.Conclusion: The identified enablers for implementation of a PGx service were at a macro health system strategic level; the concerns were more at a granular operational procedural level. Overall receptiveness was noted by all three participant groups, and both prescriber and pharmacist groups appreciated the potential benefits for patients and the healthcare system. Prior to implementation in the UK, there is a need to disambiguate health professional’s concerns of the guidance, resources, and knowledge required to set up and deliver the service and to resolve patient concerns about the nature of genomics.

Designing an evidence based community pharmacy service specification for a pharmacogenomic testing service

“…The enablers for implementing a PGx testing service in community pharmacy were identified as: Inprinciple receptiveness and Appreciation of the benefits. The barriers to implementation were identified as: Lack of implementation resources, Ambiguity about implications for implementation and Inter-professional relationship challenges [8].…”