Response to Rheumatic Fever Article

Response to Rheumatic Fever Article

I would like to reply in response to the New Zealand Pharmacy Guild article about Community Pharmacy involvement in Rheumatic fever .

The Midland Community Pharmacy Group is part of the Tokoroa Rheumatic Fever Project a pilot project to look at the development of a strategy for rheumatic fever and sore throats across the Waikato and Midland Region. This is a collaborative project between Population Health, the Community, Midlands Health Network and the Midland Community Pharmacy Group.

This project is a way to raise awareness in the community and amongst clinicians on the importance of proper management of sore throats to reduce the incidence of RF, following National Heart Foundation guidelines.

The strategy for Tokoroa is extensive and includes social marketing, and training volunteers from community groups and schools and once trained, these trainers will be responsible for providing information “sore throat matters”, swabbing and sending specimens to labs for testing, collecting lab results, administering atb treatment and liaising with GP’s and nurses. They will be supervised.

Pharmacists are an integral part of this project and will be undertaking swabbing as well as a key contact point for disseminating information about RF and sore throat management.

Regards Cath

Cath Knapton (MSocSci)
CEO Midland Community Pharmacy Group

ENDS

© Scoop Media