Early Intervention Community Sleep Support (EICSS)
Key take away messages:
- EICSS aims to improve access to sleep support without overloading the NHS
- Evidence-based signposting to appropriate care is a key role for pharmacy
- The pharmacist is the right person to query inappropriate prescriptions of ‘Z’ drugs
Early Intervention Community Sleep Support (EICSS)
The Beginning:
In early 2023, we began (in a TOP SECRET location!) our:
‘Early Intervention Community Pharmacy Sleep Support’ pilot service evaluation or ‘EICSS’.
This new pharmacist-led clinical service helps people with suspected sleep issues, access appropriate care at the earliest possible opportunity.
Meeting people where they are – typically presenting for OTC ‘sleep aids’.
Evidence and Expertise:
Utilising an evidence-based approach the sleep-trained pharmacist assesses, screens, recognises, signposts and facilitates care for adults experiencing sleep issues involving:
- Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS)
- Insomnia
The EICSS draws on research and expertise from Newcastle University.
Joining the Dots:
Early Intervention Community Sleep Support can only be a success if people know support is available.
To this end, the BSPSS has begun a ‘Sleep Aware’ campaign. The intention being to ‘join the dots’ between community needs and community resources:
Meeting People Where They Are:
We are:
- Providing earliest possible sleep support, in what is typically the most accessible setting (namely the community pharmacy)
- Assessing and signposting adult patients to appropriate care (not just the GP!) in line with NICE guidelines
- Facilitating (where appropriate) home sleep apnoea testing and/or adult cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia at an earlier time in the patient’s journey
We don’t expect to get it 100% right:
That would mean we have nothing to learn!
And would be rather boring (yawn). But we will learn from our mistakes – the crises that sleep represents, necessitates action.
We absolutely expect problems:
We want to uncover the bugs, including how this is paid for.
It’s time for ACTION.
Connect systems and processes:
We want to build the connections, open up the dialogue and drive change for the better. Systems and processes need joining up to benefit the patient and save the NHS and the patient money.
Learn more about us our board and scientific advisors, and our mission, aims and objectives.
Offer this in your pharmacy:
If you’d like to offer evidence-based sleep services in your pharmacy, then please get in touch, we want to help you – to help people with suspected sleep disorders.
Pragmatism:
We consider the Early Intervention Community Sleep Support Service (EICSS) the correct and pragmatic approach to the public health crises that sleep disorders represent.
Collaboration:
We want to work with anyone in any organisation or body that can influence the EICSS positively.
We’re volunteers doing this because it’s the right thing to do.
