Creating Needle‑Phobia‑Friendly Community Pharmacies: A New Standard of Care

Newsroom

Needle phobia affects around one in four people, with significantly higher prevalence among children, people living with disability, neurodivergent individuals, and those who experience heightened pain or anxiety during medical procedures. For many, fear of needles isn’t a minor discomfort — it’s a genuine barrier to care that leads to delayed vaccinations, missed treatments, and avoidance of essential healthcare altogether.

At NeedleCalm™, our mission is to reduce pain, anxiety and healthcare avoidance associated with needle‑based procedures. That’s why we are proud to support initiatives that bring trauma‑informed, inclusive care into everyday healthcare settings.

A first for Australian community pharmacy

We are incredibly proud to have supported Life Pharmacy Orange in the launch of Australia’s first pharmacy‑based, needle‑phobia‑friendly clinic — a community‑led model designed to support people who find injections overwhelming or distressing.

Led by Krysti Lee Patterson, and developed in close collaboration with the Life Pharmacy team, this clinic represents a meaningful shift in how community pharmacies can support vulnerable patients. Rather than treating needle fear as something to be rushed or dismissed, the clinic acknowledges fear as valid — and responds with calm, choice and compassion.

What makes a needle‑phobia‑friendly clinic different?

Needle‑phobia‑friendly clinics are intentionally designed to support both children and adults through vaccinations and injectable medicines in a way that prioritises emotional safety as much as physical care.

At Life Pharmacy Orange, this includes:

  • A calm, non‑judgemental environment that allows patients to move at their own pace
  • Staff trained to recognise needle fear, medical trauma and sensory sensitivity
  • Trauma‑informed communication that avoids minimising or rushing distress
  • Evidence‑based support strategies, including a structured treatment plan to help individuals prepare for their needle procedure
  • Practical anxiety‑reducing strategies before, during and after injections, helping patients feel informed, supported and in control

By reducing pain, distress and fear responses, clinics like this help to break the cycle of avoidance that can follow negative needle experiences — particularly for children, neurodivergent people, and those with disability.

Why initiatives like this matter

Healthcare avoidance due to needle fear is a significant — and often hidden — public health issue. When people delay or avoid injections, they may miss:

  • Routine vaccinations
  • Preventative care
  • Life‑saving medications
  • Ongoing treatment for chronic illness

For many individuals living with disability or neurodivergence, repeated distressing experiences can compound into medical trauma, making future care even more difficult. Creating inclusive, phobia‑aware environments is not just kind — it is clinically and ethically necessary.

This initiative reflects a broader commitment to improving health equity, access, and patient dignity, one community pharmacy at a time.

Community leadership and collaboration

We would like to sincerely acknowledge and thank:

  • Krysti Lee Patterson for her leadership and vision in creating a safer model of care
  • The Life Pharmacy Orange team for their openness to innovation and patient‑centred practice
  • Phil Donato MP for attending the launch and engaging with the clinic firsthand

True change in healthcare happens when clinicians, innovators and community leaders work together — and this clinic is a powerful example of that collaboration in action.

Looking ahead

Community pharmacies are uniquely positioned to play a meaningful role in reducing healthcare avoidance. By embedding trauma‑informed, needle‑phobia‑friendly practices into everyday care, pharmacies can become safe access points for people who have previously felt excluded from the health system.

At NeedleCalm™, we remain committed to working alongside healthcare providers to support calmer procedures, better experiences, and improved outcomes for people of all ages.

Because everyone deserves healthcare that feels safe.

Interested in implementing needle‑phobia‑friendly practices in your pharmacy or clinic? Contact the NeedleCalm™ team to learn how small changes can make a meaningful difference.