Not all pharmacists are well prepared for the recently introduced code word ‘mask 19’, with which victims of domestic violence can ask for help from their pharmacy. That writes Faithful Thursday. Some of the pharmacists say they have not had enough training to receive victims properly, according to a tour of the newspaper.
Faithful asked 25 pharmacists across the country about their experiences with the initiative launched on May 1. In order to be able to deal adequately with the code word, pharmacists consider training from the professional and trade association KNMP to be necessary.
Pharmacists wonder, among other things, whether they can properly estimate the seriousness of the situation if there is a potential victim at the counter. “When do you call 112, for example, and when to the Safe at Home helpline?” A pharmacist told Faithful.
Aris Prins, chairman of KNMP, emphasizes in the newspaper that the profession mainly functions as a ‘conduit’. “All the assistants have to do is call the pharmacist. And in almost all cases they only have to call Safe at Home: only in the event of an emergency it is 112. ”
Prins indicates that the sector organization is developing further training for pharmacists. The training should be available later this year.
Hasty communication due to early launch
The pharmacists also mention the hasty communication of KNMP around ‘mask 19’. The profession received a message about the initiative the evening before the announcement on 1 May. The actual launch date of ‘mask 19’ was scheduled a week later, but was brought forward after the NRC had indicated that he would publish the initiative.
Only a day later did the pharmacists receive an email with additional explanations and a step-by-step plan for the codeword.
Prins acknowledges the hasty communication surrounding the codeword. “When NRC already received signals about the word and would publish it the next day, VWS decided to announce it a week earlier. But we still wanted to inform the pharmacists earlier: hence the hasty mail on Thursday evening,” said the chairman.
Not known how often ‘mask 19’ has been used
In the tour early Faithful pharmacists also have practical experience with the code word. Almost all pharmacists surveyed indicated that they did not yet have any practical experience with ‘mask 19’, one practice indicated that they had been notified.
It is not known how often the codeword has been used since it was introduced almost two weeks ago. That is deliberately not kept up to date, says Prins in the newspaper. “It’s not something to put up for sale.”
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