Insights From Pharmacists in the United Kingdom on the Management of Medication Adherence in Hypertension: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

OBJECTIVE: To explore perceptions, behaviours and barriers of pharmacists in the United Kingdom regarding medication adherence management in hypertension. METHODS: A cross-sectional online questionnaire, adapted from the European Ascertaining Barriers for Compliance (ABC) project, was distributed to UK-registered pharmacists between January and June 2024. The survey included 19 questions across six domains: participant characteristics, beliefs, adherence assessment methods, interventions, barriers, and training. Descriptive analysis was performed. RESULTS: Seventy-six pharmacists responded (53.9% male; 35.5% hospital, 31.6% primary care, 26.3% community). Nearly all (97.4%) agreed that patients' concerns affect adherence. Assessment relied mainly on asking about missed doses (60.5% frequently/always), while objective methods were rarely used, including chemical adherence testing (67.1% never), electronic monitoring (79.8%), and questionnaires (55.4%). Key barriers were high workload (56.6%), limited consultation time (52.6%), and poor interprofessional coordination (51.3%). Most respondents reported insufficient training: 77.3% wanted more undergraduate training and 60.5% had none post-registration; 86.7% did not use guideline recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: UK pharmacists recognise the importance of adherence but lack the time, tools and training to assess it systematically. Addressing system-level barriers and strengthening adherence education are essential to support their expanding role in hypertension management.