Effectiveness of a tailored training programme in behaviour change counselling for community pharmacists: A pilot study
Thomas, T.; Passfield, L.; Coulton, S.; Crone, D.
Patient education and counseling 99(1): 132-138
2016
ISSN/ISBN: 1873-5134 PMID: 26349934 DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2015.08.004Document Number: 340391
To undertake a pilot study assessing effectiveness of a tailored training programme in behaviour change counselling (BCC) for community pharmacists on, their competence and confidence in delivering behaviour change consultations, skill retention over time and impact on practice. Community pharmacists (N=87) attending Primary Care Trust training were given study information and invited to take part. Baseline BCC competence of consenting pharmacists (n=17) was assessed using the Behaviour Change Counselling Index (BECCI). Following BCC training, competence was reassessed at 1, 3 and 6 months. Friedman's test was used to compare median BECCI item scores at baseline and after 6 months. Structured interviews were conducted to assess pharmacists' confidence in BCC consultations after training. Baseline BECCI scores of 0-2 demonstrated pharmacists had not reached competence threshold. Six months after training, BECCI scores improved significantly from baseline (p<0.05). Competence in delivering BCC (scores of 3-4) was achieved at 3 months, but lost at 6 months for some items. After training, pharmacists felt confident in delivering BCC. Training pharmacists enabled them to deliver BCC competently and confidently. BCC aligns with pharmacist-patient consultations. It took 3 months to achieve competence. Ongoing support may be needed to maintain competence long-term.