NEWS


Pharmacists responding to challenges says PGEU


The Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union has released its Annual Report 2015.


In addition to highlighting significant developments and activities in European community pharmacy in 2015, the report looks to the future and outlines some of the most important issues and changes facing the profession this year and next.


‘The role of the hospice community nurse is an increasingly challenging one,’ said Professor Max Watson, Director of Medical and Care Services at the Hospice, ‘with growing demand and many patients affected by multiple morbidities. Working as independent practitioners in diffi cult clinical situations can be very demanding. ECHO allows hospice community nurses from all our teams to share and learn together. We hope ECHO will really benefi t patients by strengthening nurse knowledge, through peer support and encouragement.


The Report features a message from the outgoing PGEU President Mr Darragh O’Loughlin and a keynote interview with Mr Filip Babylon.


A former PGEU President, Mr Babylon finished his three year term as a representative of healthcare professionals on the Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee of the European Medicines Agency in February 2016.


‘Through attending ECHO clinics I have been amazed at the huge variety of challenges that our nurses regularly face, and very impressed at the skills and attitudes that our teams bring to the care of patients. If ECHO helps our hospice community nurses to sustain the diffi cult work that they are doing, and provides useful and practical information that can be applied in the care of patients, it will have


SIX-MONTH ECHO PILOT PROGRAMME


The PGEU Report is entitled ‘Pharmacy with you throughout life’ and features a number of patient stories emphasising the contribution of community pharmacists in the course of everyone’s life.


From October 2015 until March of this year, the Health & Social Care Board funded a pilot of fi ve ECHO networks covering diabetes, optometry, nursing homes, dermatology for GP trainees and one for supporting carers of palliative care patients.


Launching the report, PGEU Secretary


The Diabetes ECHO is an excellent example of what ECHO looks like in practice.


General, Ms Jūratė Švarcaitė, said, “European community pharmacists are responding to the challenges posed by an ageing society, the burden of chronic diseases, modern lifestyles and economic pressures on health systems.


There are currently more than 83,000 people living with diabetes in Northern Ireland, with rates of approximately fi ve per cent of the general population.


“Modern pharmacy is about patients; our professional mission is to help maximise patients’ outcomes, help healthy individuals to preserve their health at every stage of their life and ultimately to improve our patients’ quality of life."


In NI approximately two thirds of people are looked after solely by primary care through GPs and practice nurses. While these nurses are experienced professionals, their confi dence and knowledge base in diabetes care can vary from practice to practice.


achieved its aim.’ NPA bursary now open


Pharmacists can now apply for the NPA's £10,000 Health Education Foundation bursary.


Since it is estimated that ten per cent of the healthcare budget is spent on delivering diabetes care including the management of complications from diabetes, it’s unsurprising that it’s one of the priority areas for Integrated Care Partnerships (ICPs).


The annual bursary aims to support registered pharmacists who have an interest in developing their skills to undertake research relating to community pharmacy practice and has now been running for six years. It has provided funding for a range of


BCPP Funding Levels 1 and 2


Level 1 funding is for those interested in exploring ideas and needs through a community- pharmacy partnership.


It consists of a maximum of £2,000 for a project that can last up to 6 months.


For this pilot, the Diabetes ECHO trained and supported primary care providers, GPs and practice nurses, to improve their knowledge and skills in the management of patients with diabetes. The ECHOs were held weekly on a Wednesday afternoon from 1.30-3.00pm and covered a curriculum devised by spoke participants including diagnosis, appropriate use of Type 2 agents, use of insulin, and management of diabetes at the end of life.


Closing date for Level 1 applications: Thursday 15th September 2016.


In addition, Level 2 funding is for those seeking to develop a community-pharmacy partnership that will address a range of locally


The ‘hub’ providing the information included diabetologists from the regional diabetes strategy group who had expressed an interest in being involved in the ECHO network, but there was also an ICP Clinical Lead with an interest in


Closing Date: Thursday 17th November 2016.


diabetes, a Trust dietician, a Trust Special Diabetic Pharmacist and a National Care Advisor from Diabetes UK.


projects, including evaluating the role of community pharmacy in preventing hospital admissions and measuring the impact of a community pharmacy health screening programme on a local cardio health scheme.


An application pack can be downloaded from the NPA website. The closing date for applications is 30 June 2016.


The 16 ‘spokes’ were thirteen GPs, who were joined by some of their practice nurses and practice-based pharmacists. In the subsequent evaluation, the majority of participants described how they perceived that the ECHO programme had had a positive impact on patient care.


identified health and well-being needs. Funding of up to £10,000 will be awarded for projects lasting approximately 1 year.


Application Forms and Guidance Notes are available from: http://www.cdhn.org/bcpp/how-apply


Similar results were found in the four other ECHOs, all of which demonstrated a statistically signifi cant improvement in knowledge and self effi cacy. Indeed, in May, an evaluation of the pilot programme concluded that ‘the quantitative and qualitative fi ndings from this study support the use of ECHO in NI for healthcare professionals by demonstrating statistically signifi cant improvements in knowledge and self effi cacy.’


If you have any queries, call us on 028 3026 4606.


As a result, the future for ECHO in NI is looking positive.•


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