Public Education Chapter (2019/2020)

Ex-Officio:
Mr Parry Zhang

Chairperson:
Ms Lim Shi Min May

Secretary:
Ms Sheree Lim

Members:
Mr Kim Ji Heon             
Mr Soo Yi Hao
Mr Joshua Wong        
Mr Ernest Goh            
Mr Jeremy Choo        
Mr Joel Quek            
Ms Adrienne Chew        
Ms Chuang Xue Fen            
Ms Elaine Lau            
Ms Candace Lee                
Ms June Koh

Introduction

The role of pharmacists in improving the general health of the public is developing rapidly. Today, not only is the profession a trusted link between patients and their doctors, but pharmacists also play the role of an educator as well as a reliable source of information and advice to the community.

Objectives

• Empower members of the public with appropriate information to be better informed about their own health management.
• Establish pharmacists’ role in public health promotion including promotion of health awareness and well-being, disease prevention and identification of ill health.
• Promote and encourage the public to practice safe and effective self-care in the area of self-medication for minor ailments and playing an active role in the management of chronic diseases.
• Organize events and other nation-wide pharmacy campaigns to promote the above goals.

Click HERE for Public Education Chapter's Terms of Reference

Activities

1. Know Your Medicines Webpage

Committee members contribute actively by writing articles related to the safe and appropriate use of medicines, management of minor ailments and chronic conditions, as well as complimentary and alternative medicines to educate the public.

2. PSS Facebook Page and Instagram

PSS is now on Facebook and Instagram! These social media accounts are managed by the committee members to widen outreach and publicise public education efforts. Like us on Facebook

(https://www.facebook.com/pharmaceuticalsocietyofsingapore/) and follow us on Instagram (@pss.knowyourmedicines)!

Please visit our Events Highlights Page to learn more about our public outreach projects!

Public Education Outreach

The Public Education Chapter decided to focus on this medication waste as part of our public education outreach. The chapter came up with a proposal on ‘Medication Take Back Campaign’. The aim is to educate members of the public on how to identify medication waste and the proper methods of their disposal. During the planning process, we had also approached various stakeholders such as the National Environment Agency and the Singapore Environment Council for their advice on the feasibility of this campaign.

After much discussion and budget concerns, the chapter has decided to change the focus of the campaign to address another aspect of medication waste– To Reduce Medication Waste. The aim is to educate and promote behavioural changes in patients’ medication collecting process, in order to reduce the accumulation of medication waste.
 

National Medication Information Workgroup

This year, the Public Education Chapter worked together with the National Medication Information Workgroup to come up with Medication Information Leaflets (MILs) for the public. These MILs are available on HealthHub for the public to access. The main role of Public Education Chapter in this workgroup is to perform health literacy vetting of the leaflets, to ensure that the contents are comprehensible to the public. Hence, in preparation for this role, the chapter members attended a workshop conducted by Dr Audrey Tan (Senior Consultant, Health Promotion, National Healthcare Group) on writing for health literacy and plain language guidelines, to better equip themselves with the skills to perform health literacy vetting.

Currently, there are more than 100 MILs for disease conditions such as Diabetes, Psychiatry and Oncology that have been uploaded onto HealthHub.