Q&A
In thE latESt of oUr grEat tEn QUEStIonS SErIES, WE SPEaK to dr rUth MIllEr, lEad rESEarch PharMacISt at thE WEStErn hEalth and SocIal carE trUSt…
tEn QUEStIonS
Why In PartIcUlar dId yoU Want to gEt InvolvEd In WorK concErnIng MEdIcInES USE In oldEr PEoPlE? It’s been a natural progression to work with medicines in older people. I chose to do a Phd about targeted discharge planning for older people; this employed statistical modelling aiming to risk stratify and target pharmaceutical care to patients most in need. twenty years later, I am still using the same language, particularly as we face the challenge of an aging population and polypharmacy.
rUth, tEll US aBoUt yoUr carEEr to datE. I started my career working for Boots where I did my pre-registration training and then worked part-time for them whilst studying for my Phd at the School of Pharmacy, QUB. I did a post-doctoral fellowship followed by a lectureship in Pharmacy Practice. I then changed direction and worked as a practice-based pharmacist in gP practices throughout Belfast. although I thoroughly enjoyed this role, I missed research and seized the opportunity to become the lead pharmacist for research and clinical trials based in altnagelvin hospital.
this also gave me the opportunity to work with students again as I became an associate of the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ulster University. In 2012, I started to project manage the consultant pharmacist-led work being done in the Western health & Social care trust (WhSct) and northern health & Social care trust (nhSct). over the years, this work has evolved into the Medicines optimisation in older People (MooP) pharmacy services now being delivered throughout all five trusts in northern Ireland.
48 - PharMacy In focUS
Who haS BEEn thE BIggESt InflUEncE on yoUr carEEr? I have been very fortunate to work with excellent people, who have influenced my career and direction. My Phd was supervised by Professor James McElnay and based in antrim hospital where I first met and worked with Professor Mike Scott. the MooP work is now captured as a work stream at the Medicines optimisation and Innovation centre (MoIc) where Professor Scott is director. anne friel is the regional lead for MooP. these people all have an exciting vision for the future of pharmacy and I’m grateful for their role in my career.
What lEgacy WoUld yoU lIKE to lEavE BEhInd at thE End of yoUr carEEr? We all hope we have made a difference and I’m hoping I will have played a little part in shaping the future of pharmacy in northern Ireland in the 21st century. I also hope I will have influenced all pharmacists to be research-active and not to fear innovation.
What IS yoUr ‘go-to’ WEBSItE that yoU coUldn’t do WIthoUt? InSIdE and oUtSIdE WorK! My ‘go-to’ in work would be anything research related. researchgate is
excellent for creating an academic profile and networking with others interested in research (social media for researchers). outside has to be anything fashion related; I adore net- a-porter and the outnet.
hoW WoUld yoU lIKE to SEE coMMUnIty PharMacIStS gEttIng MorE InvolvEd In MEdIcInES oPtIMISatIon In thE fUtUrE? the MooP network is currently focused on working in care homes, intermediate care and medicines adherence. all these roles link with community pharmacy and require good communication with it. the community pharmacists we have worked with have shown great willingness to continue pharmaceutical care of patients and ideally I would like to see this become more formalised and part of the community pharmacy business model, particularly in relation to monitoring patients and their medicines over the long term, for example, older people and those with mental health problems. the Primarycare and community together (Pact) pharmacists are part of a model which could potentially demonstrate a direction of travel where community pharmacy is also working collaboratively with other healthcare professionals and the voluntary sector, identifying those vulnerable patients most in need of intervention and medicines optimisation.
yoU havE rEcEIvEd SEvEral accoladES In yoUr ProfESSIonal lIfE, BUt What haS BEEn yoUr ProUdESt MoMEnt? When asked this I immediately think of when we won the 2014 rPSgB Pharmaceutical care award for the consultant pharmacist-led project in intermediate care in the WhSct.
carmel darcy (consultant pharmacist, older people, WhSct), anne friel and I attended the awards at the Institute of Science, london, where carmel and I were interviewed by the editor of the Pharmaceutical Journal in front of an invited audience. It felt almost surreal.
and on a lIghtEr notE… Who IS yoUr favoUrItE aUthor? BooK? I prefer to read personal development books and also biographies to gain insight into other people’s lives and success stories. ‘the seven habits of highly effective people’ by Stephen covey is one of my favourite self-help books. I’ve just started reading option B (facing adversity, building resilience and finding joy) by Sheryl Sandberg where she talks about rebuilding her life after the sudden death of her husband. there are many lessons to be learned from other peoples’ experiences to help us deal with and overcome our own challenges in life.
If yoU havE a BUcKEt lISt oUtSIdE of WorK, What IS yoUr nExt ‘BIg thIng’ that yoU WoUld lIKE to achIEvE? I’ve always wanted to write a book, but not fiction or a pharmaceutical related book; a book about personal development and dealing with life as a professional woman, mother, wife, daughter and friend. I started a blog some time ago and I’d really like to make a success of that and help support others gain happiness and success in both their professional and personal lives.
WhIch thrEE PEoPlE WoUld yoU InvItE to a dInnEr Party and Why? audrey hepburn (I love her style), Elvis (my first crush!) and oprah Winfrey (a successful female role model).
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