Making Time, Making History, Transforming Lives: Community pharmacy service development and evaluation for people living with learning disabilities

Abstract In the United Kingdom, it is estimated that there are 1.5 million people living with a learning disability (PLWLD) who are at an increased risk of health inequalities resulting in early mortality. Making Time was a community pharmacy service which aimed to support PLWLD. Mixed methods service evaluation with a broadly ethnographic approach was used to evaluate its effectiveness. Qualitative data was gathered using semistructured interviews with pharmacists, service users, and stakeholders. The interviews were analyzed using the framework approach to find recurring themes, and data triangulation was used. Pharmacists were positive about their role in supporting PLWLD; however, communication skills were a major barrier, followed by recruitment/retention in the service. This evaluation suggests the development of a novel approach to involving PLWLD in their care leading to more of a specific and tailored person-centered rather than population-centered model and highlights the importance of mentoring and coaching of healthcare professionals.