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

Signed, Sealed, Delivered

Written by Laure James - Editor Pharmacy in Focus

Monday, 21 March 2011 13:44

It’s one of the most widely offered patient perks in community pharmacy and now prescription collection and delivery services have a more refined framework, designed to give patients and pharmacists greater protection.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland recently published new professional guidance to pharmacists on the provision of these services, designed to assist pharmacists in delivering high quality, safe, and efficacious care to patients. The guidance also supplements the Pharmaceutical Society’s existing professional standards for pharmacists on the matter. “The guidance is the result of a wide-ranging consultation with patients and professionals in 2010,” explained policy advisor Richard Price. “The guidance is primarily targeted at ensuring safe delivery of medicines to patients.

Matters covered within the guidance include the pharmacist’s professional accountability for systems in operation, the need to obtain and record a patient’s consent for prescription collection and/or delivery services and suggestions on maintaining appropriate audit trails. It also looks at appropriate management of risk in relation to the dispensing and delivery of Controlled Drugs within a prescription collection and/or delivery service, ensuring there is contact with patients for the purposes of medicines advice; and collection and delivery services within the context of hospital pharmacy.”

The Society’s registrar Brendan Kerr also believes that the new guidance is robust and representative. “I hope pharmacists in Northern Ireland will find the guidance a useful adjunct to their existing safety and quality frameworks,” he said. “That is its key purpose. I would also like to place on record my thanks to the members of the public, and the profession who contributed to its development throughout 2010.”