Let the Countdown Begin

During her time as leader of the Pharmacy Law and Ethics Group, Jenna has adapted to the changes imposed on the workings of the group as a result of COVID-19. Recognising the need for enhanced online communication, Jenna set about transitioning their annual debate online and strengthening their utilisation of technology.

Jack was heavily involved in the launch of the BPSA’s annual mental health campaign at Robert Gordon University. Eager to positively interact with his fellow students and start open discussions, Jack created a platform on social media and organised a flagship event held on campus which consisted of a stall at the entrance to the university.

As the BPSA representative for the University of Strathclyde, Sagarika was at the helm of three BPSA competitions. Throughout the process, ‘lecture shout-outs’ were identified as an advantageous promotional method – in which Sagarika exercised her communication skills – while other responsibilities undertaken included booking the dispensary, emailing staff to help as volunteer patients, and allocating time slots to students.

Prior to enrolling at Robert Gordon University, Jennifer was a clinical nurse specialist in acute pain management so when the IPE society (of which she was a member of the committee) was planning the Journey of the Surgical Patient event, her input proved hugely valuable.

Bernadette continuously works to fulfill her vision of changing the hearts and minds of the public – gaining their trust to support them to look after themselves better with their long-term health conditions in which prevention is at the heart of her thinking. Bernadette works with seven GP practices, who have all agreed that she can look after their patients with acute asthma or COPD exacerbations, and support them thereafter in their long-term management of their breathing and quality of life.

Two types of respiratory clinics are run within the pharmacy. Firstly, the team perform spirometry tests to aid in the diagnosis of patients with new respiratory problems, and work closely with the specialist respiratory nurse to analyse spirometry results and initiate appropriate treatment.

It was widely recognised that pulmonary rehabilitation is the only non-pharmacological evidence-based treatment for COPD which enhances the quality of life for patients along with improvement in self-sufficiency. Therefore, it was agreed that the transformational change be directed towards the pulmonary rehabilitation resource in NHS Ayrshire & Arran. A work programme was devised under the sponsorship of the Respiratory Fast-Forward Prescribing Group, incorporating members of the community pharmacy and prescribing teams, a hospital pharmacist, the respiratory clinical nurse specialists, physiotherapy lead, public health representative, respiratory consultant and MCN manager. The group, chaired by a GP member with interest in respiratory, commenced implementing a comprehensive action plan to address prescribing while also acknowledging and seeking to address the need to provide support through other therapies and interventions that would benefit the patient.

The Critical Care Medicines Response Team was created rapidly in response to the predicted increase in critical care bed base from 50-to-90, with the potential to increase further, across three hospital sites during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through the provision of secondment opportunities, the well-established team have successfully built education, training and research capability and capacity across the pharmacy service.

The service delivered by the team is managed by two highly experienced clinical pharmacists who develop the work to critical care, surgery and orthopaedics. Three band seven pharmacists support the team and together they provide a clinical pharmacy service to acute surgical receiving, elective surgery, trauma, gynaecology and intensive care.

The service delivered by the team is managed by two highly experienced clinical pharmacists who develop the work to critical care, surgery and orthopaedics. Three band seven pharmacists support the team and together they provide a clinical pharmacy service to acute surgical receiving, elective surgery, trauma, gynaecology and intensive care.

For Bernadette and the pharmacy team, focussing on the agenda of self-care has been increasingly important in these challenging times, when access to face-to-face consultations with GPs and nurses is difficult for patients. In particular, the pharmacy are committed to promoting services that will ultimately lead to a care treatment plan, which will encompass advice, purchasing product, private prescriptions and NHS treatment dispensing on the presenting complaint and long-term medical condition.

The healthcare offering in Superdrug Mearns Cross was enhanced recently as part of a major store extension and refit. There is an extensive range of healthy lifestyle products available and clearly categorised to make it easy for customers to navigate and these are co-located in the designated ‘Health Hub’ area of the store where the dispensary, pharmacy counter, consulting room and nurse clinic are also located.

For Bernadette and the pharmacy team, focussing on the agenda of self-care has been increasingly important in these challenging times, when access to face-to-face consultations with GPs and nurses is difficult for patients. In particular, the pharmacy are committed to promoting services that will ultimately lead to a care treatment plan, which will encompass advice, purchasing product, private prescriptions and NHS treatment dispensing on the presenting complaint and long-term medical condition.

Chrishna works to the top of his license as a community pharmacist and delivers all the services available from national and local contracts. In addition, he is an independent pharmacist prescriber and over the past five years has established a busy hypertension clinic in his community pharmacy and has developed an excellent working relationship with Brooksby Medical Practice in Largs.

Susanne is a highly experienced and established community pharmacist and has been an active independent prescriber for eight years. She has a proven track-record as an exemplary pre-registration tutor, supporting seven pre-registration pharmacists through their final year, acting as a mentor for junior pharmacists, and being valued as a trusted leader and role-model across her wider business.

Fiona has continuously expressed a focused commitment to the development of pharmaceutical care and services for patients in Wigtownshire, and beyond. She is always seeking the next thing which can enhance the patient’s relationship with their medicines; for example, she has been a driving force for the roll-out of the Chronic Medication Service in the region and an early adopter of NHS Near Me for pharmacist-led patient consultations.

The pharmacy opened in 2013 as a new contract, with the team now completing 10,000 items per month – demonstrative of the strength of their work ethic and unwavering care for patients.

Superdrug Pharmacy is long-established in the Kingdom Centre in Glenrothes – first opening its doors 21 years ago. Notably, over the past 12 months the team have flourished in their mission to improve the overall performance of the pharmacy in terms of physical layout and appearance, volume and commerciality, and, most significantly, patient care.

The pharmacy opened in 2013 as a new contract, with the team now completing 10,000 items per month – demonstrative of the strength of their work ethic and unwavering care for patients. The pharmacy was designed with a huge dispensary and with the vision of being a modern setting, comprising two treatment rooms and four PMR systems. Both are fully equipped for all types of testing and an array of services are regularly carried out, including diabetes checks, strep throat testing, and a range of vaccinations.

As a company with 14 branches, a warehouse and an office, the team recognised the value of adopting an electronic system that was easy to use from design to branch usage; fully GDPR compliant to allow them to gather and store information; and which allowed head office to have an end system that was fully auditable. Additional benefits have included the system’s utilisation of online cloud forms to collect the data, and the fact that it can be employed to create both visual and excel reports depending on what is required.

The Superdrug pharmacy app was launched primarily for use with patients in England alongside EPS. Quickly identifying the benefits to patients and GP practice colleagues, as well as the significant advantages to pharmacy operations, the decision was made to include the 10 Scottish Superdrug pharmacies in the initial roll-out.

Identifying the merits attained from developing their own cost-effective in-house solution to the rising needs of the sector, the group approached a UK-based manufacturer to collaborate with in order to create a bespoke product specifically for their pharmacies. They also successfully applied for a Scottish Enterprise ‘By Design’ grant to support this work.