NEWS
TRAINING PACKAGE DELIVERING MEDICATION
Numark has created a ‘Delivering Medication’ training module designed specifically for those in its member pharmacies who deliver medication to customers. Part of the virtual chain’s Counter Excellence free ongoing training programme, the module enables pharmacy employees to carry out the essentials of a delivery service in a regulated environment, understand the key health and safety responsibilities of their role and deliver excellent customer service.
The module was developed following requests from independent pharmacies for Numark to offer this type of training and a printed copy has been distributed to all Numark member pharmacies this month.
Sharron Tommy, Numark’s learning and development co-ordinator, says: “We recognise what an important service the delivery of medication is, not just legal procedures and health and safety, but the person delivering is also the face of the pharmacy. As well as matters like controlled drugs, confidentiality, temperature control and return of medication, the training also covers the importance of customer service skills, dealing with different types of customers, complaint handling and promoting other pharmacy services.”
Delivering Medication is aimed not only just at those who are solely employed to deliver medication, but anyone in the pharmacy who does so occasionally as part of their role. At the end of the training there are some scenarios for the individual to discuss with their manager to check their learning from the module. Numark recommends that those in a sole delivery driver role complete the accompanying action plan and undertake other core Counter Excellence modules to ensure they are fully competent in all relevant areas.
Upon completion of the module there is the option to request a certificate which can boost staff morale and serves as evidence within a GPhC inspection.
Numark members who require additional copies can download them from Numarknet.
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pharmacyinfocus.co.uk Specialist drug access commitment
Health Minister Simon Hamilton has published an analysis of responses to the consultation on the evaluation of the Individual Funding Request (IFR) process.
IFR provides access to unapproved specialist drugs where there is an agreed clinical need but where they are not routinely commissioned. He said: “I would like to thank everyone who took the time to share their views on this important issue. I have heard the concerns raised particularly by patients, survivors and charities about access to specialist drugs. I fully understand how important this issue is.”
The five main recommendations of the evaluation were:
1.That the existing exceptionality criteria should be amended to remove the reference to 95%.
2.That the establishment of regional scrutiny committees should be considered to ensure all IFR applications are subject to regionally consistent clinical input and peer review.
3.That the existing IFR guidance should be revised to include greater transparency.
4.That the Department should establish a Specialist Medicines Fund to meet the costs of administering and maintaining increased access to specialist drugs.
5.In order to resource the new fund, the HSC should re-introduce charging for prescriptions.
The responses to recommendations one to three were almost universally supportive with respondents welcoming the increased access, transparency, consistency and clinical input they would bring.
However, on the creation of a specialist drugs fund and the re- introduction of prescription charges, responses to the consultation were more mixed, with some stakeholders expressing reservations about the scope and practicality of a ring-fenced fund, and a number of respondents making clear their opposition to the
re-introduction of prescription charges to finance such a fund.
The Minister said: “Patients should have access to the drugs they need and I share some respondents concerns that the creation of a specialist drugs fund is not necessarily the best means to achieve this. It is also clear from the responses to the consultation that there is not clear cut support for the re-introduction of prescription charges to finance such a fund. I have already made clear that I do not support the re-introduction of prescription charges at this time. I have decided that these changes will be funded from within the Health and Social Care budget.”
Minister Hamilton concluded: “The responses showed overwhelming support for the first three recommendations to reform the process and I plan to start work on these immediately. I have instructed my officials to set up a task and finish group to progress each of these recommendations and report back to me in the New Year.”
Chancellors Prize for Chris
Congratulations to Professor Chris Scott who won the Vice-Chancellor’s Research Prize for Innovation 2015, presented at the Chief Executives Club Annual Gala Ball at the end of last year.
This prize is was awarded for the pioneering work that Chris has led to develop a potential new anti- inflammatory drug, SAN101, for the treatment of conditions such as sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Speaking after the Gala dinner, Chris highlighted the roles of his team and colleagues stating “I’m thrilled for this recognition for our work to date. Together with Prof Danny McAuley, Dr Adrien Kissenpfennig and Dr Cecilia O’Kane, we have worked as a multi- disciplinary team to develop this project from an original research finding we made 6 years ago. Supported by funding from the Medical Research Council and tireless efforts from our respective teams, we believe that SAN101 could represent an exciting new therapy.”
Chris is now working with QUBIS to map out a development plan and attract funding to bring SAN101 through clinical evaluation, which could be achieved within the next 2-3 years.
Meanwhile, a team of academic staff from the School of Pharmacy have just published research work on their project to further improve upon entrepreneurship and leadership skills which are developed during the MPharm programme.
Professor Chris Scott (second from left) at the Queen's Gala Ceremony
The team, led by Dr Garry Laverty, developed a “Dragon’s Den” style workshop, in which student groups participated to pitch their business ideas.
The workshop, based on the popular BBC TV programme, required students to develop skills in communication, leadership and business promotion.
This project has culminated in the publication of research within the American Journal of Pharmacy Education, and the approach adopted in this workshop resulted in the project reaching the penultimate round of The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Teaching Excellence Awards" at the 10th European Conference on
Innovation and Entrepreneurship - ECIE 2015.
For more information on this exciting Pharmacy Education research, you can view the paper at
http://go.qub.ac.uk/phamacy entrepreneurs
Diary Date
The Future Health Summit & Exhibition will be held from May 26th-27th 2016 at the Croke Park Convention Centre Dublin. Visit
http://www.futurehealthsummit.com
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