Bromley Cross Sector Pharmacy Networking Event: Strengthening Collaboration to Improve Resident Care
On 25 September 2024, healthcare professionals from across Bromley gathered at the Bromley Cross Sector Pharmacy Networking Event. Following the success of last year’s event, this year’s meeting brought together colleagues from acute trusts (e.g. Kings College Hospital), general practices (including Bromley 8 Primary Care Networks), and community services to share knowledge and strengthen collaboration.
The aim was to foster greater integration across sectors to improve care for Bromley residents. With engaging presentations, interactive sessions, and networking opportunities, the event highlighted the importance of collaborative working to deliver better outcomes for the community.
Raj Matharu, Chief Officer at LPC said “This event highlights the critical role that integrated care plays in improving the health and wellbeing of our communities. Community pharmacies need the support of our healthcare partners to succeed, and events like this one allow us to build those vital connections. South East London is leading the way in integrating community pharmacy into the wider primary care family, and it’s through these collaborative efforts that we can effectively address health inequalities, particularly in areas of deprivation. By continuing to work together, we can ensure that everyone receives the care they deserve.”
The programme on the day included updates on tools to improve communication across the healthcare system, examples of initiatives to enhance patient outcomes and safety – like specific clinics in primary care or case studies for medicines reconciliation – and a special learning session on migraine. The event also featured an update about Community Pharmacy, detailing recent developments and the steps being taken to further integrate pharmacies into the local care network.
Conversations also covered the Pharmacy First campaign. This initiative encourages people to use their local pharmacy as the first point of contact for minor health conditions such as sore throats, coughs, and skin conditions. With trained pharmacists available to address common health issues, Pharmacy First plays a vital role in easing the pressure on the wider NHS and allowing patients to access the care they need closer to home. Learn more about how NHS pharmacies support patients and enhance community health through collaborative services on the South East London ICS website.
As winter approaches, pharmacies will play a key role in providing flu and COVID-19 vaccinations. For more details on who is eligible and which pharmacies are offering walk-in vaccinations, please visit our Bromley walk-in vaccination clinics page. Find out more about community pharmacies here.
Throughout the evening, attendees engaged actively in the interactive sessions and exchanged ideas on how best to collaborate in delivering patient care.
As the event wrapped up, attendees fed back “ The learning sessions are really helpful, sometimes its refreshing information and sometimes you learn something new. I work with the speaker every week and still only learnt about this today.” and “The evening was very interactive and informative”.
The Bromley Cross Sector Pharmacy Networking Event was a great success, highlighting the value of integrated care and cross-sector collaboration. Plans for the next event are already underway, with organisers encouraging continued collaboration among all sectors.