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The purpose of this paper is to examine the mental health literacy (MHL) of British community pharmacists.

A survey instrument was sent by facsimile to a random sample of community pharmacists in England, Scotland and Wales. The survey instrument contained items concerning recognition of the symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, the helpfulness of a range of interventions, mental health stigma and the degree of comfort providing pharmaceutical care to people with mental health problems.

Among community pharmacists (n=329) symptom recognition was high for depression but lower for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Pharmacists showed a preference for evidence-based interventions and support for psychological therapies and physical activity for all three mental health problems. Pharmacists expressed less comfort providing pharmacy services to people with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and depression than cardiovascular disease. Mental health stigma was higher for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder than depression, with many pharmacists holding misperceptions about schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

The study findings indicate the need for enhanced mental health content in the undergraduate pharmacy curriculum which should challenge misperceptions of mental illness.

This is the first study to investigate the MHL of British community pharmacists.

The purpose of this paper is to compare the pharmacy services provided to people taking psychotropic and cardiovascular medications and examine the association between pharmacists’ attitudes towards mental illness and provision of pharmacy services. The paper also considers pharmacists’ opinions of the pharmaceutical care needs of people with mental illness including their physical health.

A survey instrument was sent by facsimile to a random sample of community pharmacists in England and Wales.

Community pharmacists had generally positive attitudes towards mental illness but provided significantly fewer pharmacy services (and were less comfortable providing them) to patients taking psychotropic medications than to patients taking cardiovascular medications. Awareness of the higher prevalence of physical health conditions among people with severe mental illness was not high. Provision of pharmacy services was associated with pharmacists’ attitudes towards mental illness and comfort providing pharmaceutical care. Other factors that may contribute to these disparities in service provision are discussed.

The study findings indicate the need for enhanced mental health education for pharmacy students to improve attitudes, knowledge and confidence in mental health and the inclusion of mental health in pharmacy advanced services.

Few studies have examined the relationship between attitudes towards mental illness and provision of pharmacy services. This was the first study to examine the attitudes of British community pharmacists towards mental illness.