Community pharmacy service provision to adults with palliative care needs in their last year of life: a scoping review

Abstract

Introduction The provision of palliative care is central to primary health care delivery. In this setting, community pharmacies often act in a medication supply role, yet their broader involvement in supporting people in the last year of life is less well understood. Aim This study aimed to review the literature on community pharmacies supporting adults with palliative care needs in their last year of life, emphasising challenges to optimising their role and improving equity and service accessibility. Methods A five-stage scoping review using a comprehensive literature search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, and grey literature up to 30 April 2024. Eligible articles were charted, descriptively analysed, and mapped to a bicultural and holistic health care model, Te Whare Tapa Whā Older Person’s Palliative Care model. Results Twenty-five studies from seven countries were reviewed, revealing that community pharmacies provide a range of services to support people with palliative care needs. The main role of community pharmacies resides in Tinana, the physical health domain of Te Whare Tapa Whā Older Person’s Palliative Care model. Challenges experienced by pharmacy staff include communication with palliative care service providers and users, integrating their role into palliative care provision, addressing their educational needs, and managing palliative medication stock. Discussion The role of community pharmacy in providing palliative care is not widely understood. If the challenges identified in these studies can be addressed, there is potential for community pharmacies to offer a more proactive palliative care approach to their communities.