Exploring the role of community pharmacy in the management of osteoarthritis: surveys and interviews with people with osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of joint pain and people often self-manage their symptoms before seeking support. Community pharmacies are accessible and well-placed to support people with OA using pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches. Current policy recommends that pharmacies should be integrated into long-term condition management pathways. This study aimed to explore the experiences of people with OA engaging with community pharmacy staff for their joint problems, and their views about an extended community pharmacy role for OA. DESIGN: A multi-method study with surveys of people with OA who were recruited through general practices in two geographical areas of the United Kingdom (UK), followed by qualitative interviews with respondents who consented to further contact. Survey data underwent descriptive statistical analysis, whilst qualitative data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, mapped to the Theoretical Domains Framework. RESULTS: In 450 survey responses and 18 interviews, people with OA reported that current community pharmacy OA care focused on advice about medicines and sometimes included self-care advice. There was support for an extended role for OA management in community pharmacy that focused on explaining the joint problem and its treatment, medicines optimisation and support for self-care (including exercise and weight management). However, there was uncertainty about whether community pharmacists should diagnose OA. A reported key facilitator to this extended role was pharmacy staff training, and barriers included high workloads and limited access to medical records. CONCLUSION: Current community pharmacy care for people with OA could be extended and include a greater focus on supported self-care.