Evaluation of a national community pharmacy public
health campaign to raise awareness of diabetes risk and
healthy lifestyle choices
Brennan N. and Hinchliffe A. Public Health Wales
Key messages
 Early diagnosis of diabetes is important to prevent complications
 Community pharmacists can identify patients at high risk of
diabetes using a validated risk questionnaire
 Patients are willing to access the service
 Greater use of community pharmacies could help address health
inequities
Background
Community pharmacies in Wales are more likely to be located in areas of
higher deprivation and therefore greater use of the community pharmacy
network for public health activities could help reduce health inequities. 1
Within the Community Pharmacy contractual framework (2005) each
pharmacy is required to participate in up to six public health campaigns
each year as directed by their Local Health Board.
In 2011 the Chief Pharmacists at each of the seven Health Boards in
Wales agreed, for the first time, to support a national pharmacy
campaign. The campaign was designed by Diabetes UK Cymru and
Community Pharmacy Wales and facilitated by Public Health Wales.
Objectives
The campaign objectives were:
 To identify people at high risk of developing or already having
diabetes

To raise awareness of how a healthy lifestyle can prevent diabetes

To highlight the opportunity afforded through the community
pharmacy contractual framework to reach people with healthy
lifestyle messages
Approach
For two weeks in June 2011 pharmacies offered a diabetes risk
assessment to customers using a validated risk assessment questionnaire.
1
Hinchliffe A. Distribution of community pharmacies and deprivation in Wales Public Health Wales 2012
Available at:
http://www2.nphs.wales.nhs.uk:8080/pharmaceuticalphtdocs.nsf/61c1e930f9121fd080256f2a004937ed/db8
1e21d6dd7e3a38025798900523f74/$FILE/Distribution%20of%20community%20pharmacies%20and%20depriv
ation%20in%20Wales%20v1.doc [Accessed 3rd May 2012]
Those with scores above a predetermined threshold were advised to
contact their GP for further investigation. Fact sheets promoting healthy
eating and increased exercise were available for all customers.
Results and outcomes
Public Health Wales received returns from 514 (73%) pharmacies,
recording the number of patients assessed at each pharmacy and those
identified as being at high risk.
During the campaign 17,507 people undertook the assessment and 1478
(8.4%) were found to be at high risk i.e. a one in three chance of
developing diabetes in the next ten years. In addition to identifying those
at high risk, the assessment provided pharmacy staff with an opportunity
to discuss with patients how healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk
of diabetes. The campaign attracted widespread media coverage with
nearly 50 radio, TV and newspaper articles helping to raise awareness of
diabetes and how to prevent it. Factors contributing to this successful
media coverage included the national nature of the campaign and the
partnership with Diabetes UK Cymru and Community Pharmacy Wales.
Poster presented at:
The Welsh Public Health conference Together for Public Health 18th July
2012, Cardiff
The Faculty of Public Health conference 2012, 19th July 2012, Cardiff