cOVID anD PharMacy cOnFerence unVeILeD


as the ‘second wave’ of coronavirus takes hold, Scottish pharmacy is to hold the first conference to bring together all parts of the profession to look at what has been learned as a result of cOVID-19.


cOVID-19 – Looking Back and Moving Forward: What Does This Mean for The Future? will take place online on Tuesday 10 november. The conference will be chaired by Professor angela Timoney, Director of Pharmacy for nhS Lothian, who says it is essential that pharmacy takes this moment to take stock.


‘I am really delighted to be chairing this conference,’ she said. ‘It is important that, having been through such a very difficult phase, we find ways to come together to share. We need to ensure that physical distancing does not stifle networking and indeed supports innovation. The fact that you can join the conference without being in edinburgh or glasgow is great.'


registration - which is free for healthcare professionals from across the uK and Ireland - is open at https://www.pharman.co.uk/events/2 020/11/pm-national-forum-for- scotland-2


OnDexxya gIVen green LIghT In ScOTLanD


The Scottish Medicines consortium (SMc) has accepted Ondexxya (andexanet alfa) for use within nhS Scotland in adults treated with the direct Factor xa (Fxa) inhibitors apixaban or rivaroxaban, when reversal of anticoagulation is needed due to life-threatening or uncontrolled bleeding, on an interim basis subject to ongoing evaluation and future reassessment.


‘as the number of patients on direct Fxa inhibitors continues to increase, so does the need to ensure we can protect patients who may experience life-threatening or uncontrolled bleeds’, said Professor henry Watson, consultant haematologist, university of aberdeen.


‘andexanet alfa will give clinicians an approved therapy option and clinical strategy for the reversal of major bleeding in patients being treated with rivaroxaban and apixaban. This is a positive step forward for the safety of patients being treated with these important and widely used drugs.’


4 - ScOTTISh PharMacIST


PrOFeSSOr STraTh TO acT aS InTerIM cPO


Professor alison Strath is to act as Scotland’s Interim chief Pharmaceutical Officer (cPO) as Professor rose Marie Parr has retired after five years as the profession’s leader in the Scottish government.


Professor Parr had been due to retire earlier this year but, within days of announcing her decision, had to shelve her plans as her profession was confronted by cOVID-19: pharmacy’s biggest challenge in living memory.


‘after over 40 years working, mostly in the nhS with a decade in academia – and five fantastic years as chief Pharmaceutical Officer for Scotland – it’s now time to retire,’ Professor Parr said in a recent tweet. ‘as cPO it has been an honour and privilege to lead pharmacy and pharmaceutical care for the population we serve.’


Professor Parr took on the role of Director of Postgraduate Pharmacy education for Scotland and became the first Director of Pharmacy when nhS education for Scotland was formed in 2002.


She was elected to be the first chair of the royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Scottish Pharmacy Board before being


Professor Rose Marie Parr


appointed to the role of cPO in 2015. Professor Parr oversaw a change in the direction of the pharmacy profession, first taking forward her predecessor Bill’s Scott’s policy document Prescription for excellence, and then with her own policy - achieving excellence in Pharmaceutical care.


‘The one thing that I have missed out on, and others now have the


opportunity to embrace, is being a prescriber,’ Professor Parr said in a recent interview. ‘I think utilising pharmacists’ knowledge and skills around prescribing, being the actual prescriber, taking accountability and responsibility for those medicines decisions, will be at the heart of the ‘new normal’ for pharmacy and a huge opportunity for our profession.’ a formal recruitment process to find a new cPO is expected to take place next year.


nhS eDucaTIOn FOr ScOTLanD PrOVIDeS reaSSurance regarDIng TraInIng


nhS education for Scotland (neS) has provided clarification regarding the initial education and training of pharmacists (Ie&T) in light of the planned reforms by the general Pharmaceutical council (gPhc).


‘In Scotland,’ neS said in a statement, ‘we are part of the ongoing discussions with the gPhc with regard to the reforms planned for the Ie&T of pharmacists across the united Kingdom. This has become more urgent for the profession as a result of our learning from the cOVID-19 pandemic.


‘There have been ongoing discussions about planned reforms for the five years of Ie&T in Scotland and we will ensure that these will continue to be in line with the gPhc working group revised Ie&T


standards for pharmacists with phased implementation from July 2021.


‘We are aware that there are many messages about changes to pharmacy training on social media and it may be confusing for student pharmacists currently applying for pre-registration posts. For clarity, student pharmacists who are applying for their fifth year of pharmacy training in Scotland (currently called the pre-registration training year) following completion of their MPharm degree, should continue to engage with the current Oriel recruitment process, which is underway. There will continue to be a fully-funded fifth year of training commencing from July/august 2021 within Scotland for 235 trainees which will be in line with the gPhc requirements for the rest of the uK.’ ‘The reforms planned by the gPhc


are in the same direction of travel that we have planned for the initial education and training of pharmacists in Scotland,’ said Professor anne Watson, Postgraduate Pharmacy Dean at neS. ‘This will ensure that we upskill our future pharmacists as quickly as possible to be clinically competent professionals with independent prescribing roles within their practice. We absolutely encourage the current cohort of MPharm students applying for their fifth year of training (currently termed by the gPhc as the pre- registration training year) to continue as planned through the Oriel process in order for them to commence training from 2021. For the 2021/22 training year we will be offering 235 fully-funded training places with an excellent educational programme and support package.’


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