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Training your team and ensuring everyone's knowledge is up-to-date are important CPD triggers. We suggest that you get the team together for a training session based on the activities below and discuss the various ways in which you can offer customers and patients added care in this category.

Subject: coughs, colds and flu

This Train Your Team checklist provides support and information to run a team training session on coughs, colds and flu. This content can also be used for your own CPD.

Reflection

• Can the pharmacy team explain in a sensitive manner why it is important not to misuse antibiotics?
• Can the pharmacy team explain the advantages and disadvantages of the different types of cough, cold and flu products for a customer’s specific symptoms (e.g. cough or cold alone or a combination of symptoms)?
• Can we give appropriate advice on personal and household hygiene for reducing the risk of passing on colds?
• Do we practise good hygiene in the pharmacy if we come into contact with someone who has a cold?
• Is the pharmacy team confident in its ability to pass on tips for helping to prevent the transmission of colds and coughs?
• Do I want to provide flu vaccinations in the pharmacy (if I don’t already)?
  
  

Training checklist

Ensure support staff understand the following key points:

• How they can be champions of appropriate antibiotic use
• The value of self-treating colds and flu
• The benefits of visiting a pharmacy first unless cold and flu symptoms are serious
• The red flag symptoms of respiratory illnesses
• Specific hygiene tips to reduce passing on colds and coughs
• When to refer to the pharmacist.

Action. I will:

• Consider how we can further raise awareness in the pharmacy that antibiotics are not generally needed for the treatment of coughs, colds and flu
• Ensure we have clearly visible information in the pharmacy on eligibility for the flu vaccine
• Train my pharmacy assistants to ensure that they can meet the points in the training checklist.

Practice points

• Flu vaccination for children is available. Which children are eligible and which children should not have the vaccine? See: www.nhs.uk/conditions/vaccinations/pages/child-fluvaccine.aspx
• Is antibiotic resistance of relevance to pet owners? If so, how?