Finally I can prescribe CDs independently
May 2012
Last month the law was changed to allow pharmacist independent prescribers to write Controlled Drug prescriptions. Time for champagne
What's all this about hospital standards?
April 2012
Pharmacists from many parts of the profession have been gathered by the RPS to help develop professional standards for hospital pharmacy
This is not the end for physical examination
March 2012
Physical examination is beyond the competence of a pharmacist, according to the GPhC. So what does this mean for your practice?
Make doctors aware of their prescribing errors
February 2012
Medication incident reporting saves lives, but it is also critical that doctors are told about prescribing errors so that they can learn from them
Pharmacists wouldn’t strike, would they?
January 2012
The vice-chairman of the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists explains why he was among the NHS employees who went on strike in 2011
Getting stuck up the chimney: a minor worry
December 2011
In this exclusive missive from The North Pole, Santa shares his concerns about the disestablishment of toy workshops, and more...
How education should link with career paths
November 2011
A unified approach to pharmacist education and training is needed — and more needs to be done to build professional self-confidence
Much to consider on the future of warfarin
October 2011
New oral anticoagulants may be high on the agenda, but there is still much to learn about the effective use of warfarin for patients with AF
Mentoring is not just about asking an expert
September 2011
To get the most out of a new mentoring relationship, it is important for prospective mentors and mentees to discuss their expectations
Stuck in the middle?
July 2011
What happens to medicines management when patients move from one care setting to another?
Pharmacy in Scotland is worth the investment
June 2011
A referendum on independence might be on the cards in Scotland, but finances will be one of the Scottish Government’s main focuses
Show me the evidence
May 2011
The RPS is gathering evidence to use when promoting the profession among politicians. But pharmacists must be ready to lend a hand
Carving out a role for cancer networks
April 2011Cancer network pharmacists help to ensure high-quality cancer services in England. But will these posts exist in the new NHS?
Science at the centre of good clinical practice
March 2011By working with universities, clinical pharmacists can work towards scientific solutions to practical problems encountered in practice
Look to the future and see the opportunities
February 2011By focusing on the opportunities that the NHS reforms provide, clinical pharmacists can ensure that their value is recognised
Contingency-planning? Time for soul-searching
January 2011January is the time to consider where you want to be several years from now, because it is clear that the NHS will not remain the same
Getting a NICE deal out of value-based pricing
December 2010Health technology assessments vary globally. In the coming years the price the NHS pays for a drug could better reflect the value it offers
New partnerships in pharmacist education
November 2010We must all work together to ensure that education for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians continues to be a priority in the new NHS
Representing pharmacy in the liberated NHS
October 2010The woman at the helm of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society considers what support clinical pharmacists will need in the new NHS
Where next for drug treatment services?
September 2010A consultant pharmacist for substance misuse wonders whether the political focus on abstinence will be helpful for all drug misusers
Raising the standards for pharmacy practice
July 2010How will the new pharmacy regulator ensure that registered pharmacists are fit to practise??The standards are a work in progress
Common goals and a common vision
June 2010By working together, pharmacists can avoid duplication of work, celebrate leadership and disseminate excellence and best practice
Are you being served?
May 2010A menu of options for resolving the outstanding issues around on-call remuneration in Agenda for Change is heading for the table
Money for old rope will do little for patient safety
April 2010A chief pharmacist describes the challenge of how the NHS can afford medicinal products that address patient safety concerns
New dawn for mental health pharmacy
March 2010Back in the 1970s a typical “psych pharmacist” worked in the dispensary of a large, asylum-style hospital and had little contact with mental health pharmacists elsewhere. Things have changed considerably since then with the move to a more clinical role for those providing pharmacy services in mental health
Pharmacist prescribing: rewriting the script
February 2010Non-medical prescribing should be implemented wherever it can benefit patients. Help in identifying opportunities is at hand
Know what your chief pharmacist is tackling
January 2010Communication between pharmacy managers and their staff can ensure that priorities are aligned to maximise service efficiencies
Does it do what it says on the tin?
December 2009The standard book for keeping Controlled Drug records in wards was not developed for use in theatres. Colleagues in Leeds have asked…
Pharmacists in Wales can embrace change
November 2009What should the future of pharmacy look like? There will no doubt be many opinions on what is best for the profession. There are clear indications that pharmacy will need to embrace change if it is to realise its true potential in the delivery of high-quality and effective healthcare across Great Britain
We have nothing to fear
October 2009If we keep patient care at the heart of plans to implement the new “responsible pharmacist” legislation in hospital pharmacies …
No junior pharmacists? Just blame your chief!
September 2009Chief pharmaceutical officer for England Keith Ridge recently blamed chief pharmacists for failing to tackle problems with recruitment
Who would have thought?
July/August 2009On 2 July 2009 the UK health departments moved to “treatment phase” as part of their management of the recent outbreak of swine flu…
Do practice pharmacists only help save money?
June 2009Pharmacists are good at suggesting ways that prescribers might make savings. This is a way into providing other clinical services
We must collaborate to deliver a bright future
May 2009Spurred on by 2008’s pharmacy White Paper, pharmacists working across all sectors are answering the call for collaboration
How hospital pharmacists will be heard in the new professional body
April 2009When the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s functions are separated, its Hospital Pharmacists Group looks set to be disbanded. So who will fight to ensure the views of hospital pharmacists are heard?
Removing barriers to cross-sector working
March 2009
Jonathan Mason, England’s national clinical director for primary care and community pharmacy believes that understanding is key
What is meant by high quality care
February 2009Martin Stephens, the national clinical director for hospital pharmacy in England explains that when developing new services pharmacists must align their definition of “quality” with that of service commissioners
Welcome to Clinical Pharmacist
January 2009Wherever they work, pharmacists providing clinical services should consider themselves clinical pharmacists
