Diary of a Representation Pharmacist by Mairead Conlon
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his month I have prepared presentations on Smoking Cessation and Pain and these are available for members on UCA website
DocStore. If you have any suggestions for further presentations, please let me know.
UCA posts/shares daily and weekly on UCA Twitter and Facebook feeds – consider sharing your pharmacy’s posts with UCA to widen your reach and if you would like any advice on using social media please give me a call. UCA recently took part in the very successful #pharmacy24 @wepharmacists campaign on twitter which promoted community pharmacy across the UK.
Pre-Registration Trainees For the 16-17 placement year, the PSNI deadline for applications is now closed, so there are unlikely to be any further students available. The intake is down this year by 40 students with a number of placements going unfilled unfortunately.
UCA will continue to work on your behalf to attract students into independent placements in Northern Ireland and following on from my Pre-
Sara Watson, Employee Member
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have been a pharmacist manager in a rural community for twelve
years. The changing landscape of primary care pharmacy, and specifically the development of an enhanced role for pharmacists, means that this is an opportune time for us to come together. As a membership body of the UCA we can provide a collective view from primary care pharmacists to influence the wider strategic direction of our profession. I'm glad to be part of this early phase of work to help the membership become established.
Reg Placement talks in December for the 17-18 intake year and the QUB Careers Day I have had the opportunity to talk directly to a number of students about their Pre-reg choices.
Communication I had the pleasure of attending UCA Local meetings in Enniskillen and Belfast in February and a local CPD event in Armagh in March. It was great to meet so many pharmacists for the first time and some old friends too.
I also attended the CPNI event in Stormont highlighting some of the vital services pharmacy provides and spoke to a number of MLAs. Representing the UCA, I am working with a number of other bodies representing pharmacy to co-ordinate pharmacy messages to the public and other healthcare professionals.
Representatives had a photo op at a No Smoking Day event at Harrisons Healthcare in Belfast attended by local MLA Emma Pengelly. UCA and its charity partner AgeNI are working on joint initiatives which we will update you on
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soon. Don’t forget, if you would like a local AgeNI representative to provide your pharmacy with information and signposting cards, or if you would like to host an AgeNI event in your pharmacy, give UCA a call on 028 9065 6576. Plus, look out for the AgeNI Information Pack which will be sent out to pharmacies soon via AAH.
New Pharmacist membership UCA now offers Pharmacist Membership. Opening membership up to all pharmacists across Northern Ireland, allows UCA to offer support and representation to the whole sector.
In a challenging pharmacy environment, bringing all pharmacists under the one umbrella is a positive step towards ensuring that everyone working within the sector is working together to promote and develop pharmacy.
The membership is developing and we are interested in hearing your views on how we can support you, so please email me on
Thomas Hughes MPS, Employee Member
n this time of great change for our profession, I felt it more important than ever to be involved in shaping the future of our employee pharmacists and supporting each other. Whilst some of us may be involved in large pharmacy groups and receive
professional and HR support, there is still a large void for our independent pharmacists. I feel it's important that we receive relevant, clear communication, so that we as a profession can make informed decisions when it does come to making decisions that will impact our future. I'm excited about how we can work in conjunction with our pharmacist contract employers to strengthen and share ideas about 'on-the-ground' initiatives such as new service roll-outs, pilot schemes, and learn from other associate membership bodies elsewhere in the UK.
We have a strong history of producing great pharmacists in NI, so why not gather that talent pool together in a united voice and create something unique, to move pharmacy forward in NI, to better ourselves as individuals, but also to represent the Pharmacy profession so that we get the recognition and reward we deserve and are capable of!
Mairead Conlon, Representation Pharmacist
mairead@uca.org.uk or call the UCA office on 028 9065 6576.
UCA is also holding a series of workshops across Northern Ireland, specifically for employee pharmacists, to develop understanding of what issues are of interest to you. At the workshop you will also get the opportunity to hear from an expert on how to boost your professional profile. It promises to be a great evening and we would be delighted to see you there. Details of the dates & venues are below .
Developing your Professional Profile workshops for all pharmacists
Dunsilly Hotel, Antrim Thurs 2nd June 7-9.30pm Dinner from 6.30pm
Wellington Park Hotel, Belfast Thurs 9th June 7-9.30pm Dinner from 6.30pm
City Hotel, Armagh Mon 20th June 7-9.30pm Dinner from 6.30pm
Keynote speakers at the event included deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness; Kevin Kingston, Chief Executive of Danske Bank and Glyn Roberts, Chief Executive of NIIRTA.
Assembly Election - Who has your vote? L
pharmacy in terms of services and IT. Launched by Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MLA and Danske Bank, the Plan can be viewed on NIIRTA’s website:
www.niirta.com
Silver Birch Hotel, Omagh Thurs 23rd June 7-9.30pm Dinner from 6.30pm
ocal retail representative organisation NIIRTA recently launched its Plan giving an Alternative Programme for Government from 2016-2021. UCA were invited to submit its recommendations to the Department of Health, among a total of 97 recommendations to help create a more stable economy. The main priorities outlined to DHSSPS are to develop integrated working relationships within healthcare and to support community
White Horse, L’Derry Thurs 30th June 7-9.30pm Dinner from 6.30pm
Tel: 028 9065 6576
www.uca.org.uk
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