One Size FIts All

Among baggage reclaim carousels across the globe, passengers are reuniting themselves with exactly the same luggage in one country as they so trustingly parted from in another.

The Direct Approach

In a bid to raise awareness about the breadth, variety and indeed complexity of services offered throughout community pharmacies in Northern Ireland, pharmacy contractors Lee Dearn and James McKay joined David McCrea in Dundela Pharmacy to welcome the Health Minister.

The Right Formula

First the Albert Clock was treated to a reinvigorating cleanse, then the Merchant Hotel opened one of Belfast's premier jazz bars but the redevelopment of High Street doesnít stop there. Formula Healthís face-lift has turned heads of customers, commercial businesses and the Lord Mayor alike.

News in Brief

Cost Of A Pint

The 'shocking' cost of alcohol misuse in Northern Ireland was highlighted by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey in June after estimates that its cost to society equates to £679.8million with a range of £500million to £884million. "This research shows that the cost to the Health Service alone may be as high as around £160million each year with a further cost of £82million to Social Services,î the Minister said. ìThese figures are particularly pertinent in the context of my Departmentís very challenging financial situation because this is money that could be spent providing key frontline services."

Heart In Hands

The British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland is appealing to fundraisers to help it reach its target of £80,000 by August. The campaign is to recruit more heart nurses to support patients throughout the province and to reduce secondary care admissions.

Haiti Fundraising

Staff at Holly Villa in the Tyrone and Fermanagh Hospital have raised over £320 for a group who are travelling to Haiti in October to build houses following the earthquake. The Tyrone Haiti Build is a project in conjunction with the Haven Partnership to support those affected by the disaster.

Secondary Care Supported

A new hospital in Omaghs fight for funding has been supported by Health Minister Michael McGimpsey. Speaking at a meeting with the Omagh joint liaison group, the Minister said: "I am fully committed to the development of the new Omagh hospital and will continue to press for the essential funding needed to make this a reality."

Commissioning Together

Pharmacists and GPs must work together to define the gaps in commissioning data, review how they can be filled and to determine the correct level of care provision for a particular area, according to Stephen Foster, the head of the new Healthcare Professionals Commissioning Network. The network is open to any health or social care professional who would like to engage in commissioning. tinyurl.com/HCPnetwork

Review for the Future

Written by Laure James - Editor Pharmacy in Focus
Wednesday, 02 February 2011 13:53
A new facility has been officially opened in Northern Ireland honouring one of the leading evaluators in the field of mental health. The Bamford Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing at the University of Ulster’s Magee Campus, named after the late Professor David Bamford, was unveiled by the Department’s permanent secretary Dr Andrew McCormick. Dr McCormick said that the centre would be a multidisciplinary and multiagency centre for excellence in the field of mental health and wellbeing. “Staff will provide supervisory sessions for trainee mental health professionals which will boost the prestige of current courses in mental health and health promotion,” he said. “It is vital that we continue to modernise our mental health services and this will be an excellent resource for the area.” Dr McCormick paid tribute to Professor Bamford, who chaired the review of Mental Health and Learning Disability. “It is particularly pleasing, not only because of the excellence of service offered by the Centre, but also the symbolism of naming of the Centre after the late Professor David Bamford,” he added. “The key challenge to David was to reform and modernise mental health and learning disability services, and in particular to develop mental health and learning disability community provision, in order to resettle long – stay hospital patients, prevent inappropriate admissions and re-admissions to hospital and focus hospital services on assessment and short-term acute treatment. This centre will go someway to achieving this.”