The two organisations have teamed up to increase community support to people with disability. The partnership will offer individuals supported by House with No Steps – people living with, caring for and working with those with disability – a dedicated service from pharmacists and staff in all 87 Blooms pharmacies in metropolitan and regional areas of NSW, Queensland, the ACT and Victoria.
These people will be able access to a range of in-store health checks including:
- Sleep apnoea, cholesterol tests, blood pressure and stroke risk assessments, diabetes monitoring and flu clinics
- Medication reviews, support and professional advice
- Free Webster packing or Dose Administration Aids to ensure medical compliance
- Free delivery of medications (where possible)
- The Blooms Loyalty Program which includes 10 per cent discount and a Blooms ID card
Blooms The Chemist pharmacists will also offer their availability to discuss pain management, nutritional, behavioural and hydration issues, and any other matters regarding the quality use of medicines. The pharmacies will also be charged with incident reporting, legibility of orders, medication administration and review, recording and storage, and performing all audits on all House with No Steps services sites, to ensure adherence to all legislative medication and storage requirements.
House with No Steps commitment to supporting Australians living with disability sparked Blooms The Chemist interest in partnering with the not-for-profit organisation.
House with No Steps managing director, Andrew Richardson, said the partnership with Blooms made a lot of sense. “It’s about thinking differently and outside our traditional comfort zone, to the benefit of those who we support.” Richardson added that the group was keen to grow the partnerships into new locations over time. “Because everybody wins, you just have to be confident about the future.”
Blooms The Chemist general manager, operations, Jason Blanchard, said the mutually beneficial, community-focused partnership will enhance the overall health, wellbeing and quality of life of Australians living with disability by making professional healthcare more accessible.
“Our new partnership with this wonderful organisation, with which we share similar values and a geographical footprint, will allow Blooms The Chemist to be the ‘First Call Pharmacy Professionals’ for members of the community living with disability requiring our services and support on an on-going basis.
Caption: Lyn Ainsworth, CEO, The House with No Steps and Phil Smith, CEO, Blooms The Chemist
This article first appeared in the Australian Journal of Pharmacy.