Option 1 - A view from the Highlands: 111 Out-of-hours service - pharmacists as key team members

Theme 1 asks What Is The Role For Pharmacists?

In strand 1 we'll examine two current roles.

Ian Rudd will open with "A View from the Highlands - the big picture". He has been Director of Pharmacy in NHS Highland since 2014. Prior to that he was an oncology pharmacist with an interest in education and training. Currently, his interest lies in how to introduce new pharmacy services into primary care such that pharmacists are seen as clinical practitioners with responsibility for leading on pharmaco-therapeutic management within general medical practices. Ian is particularly interested in the development of student pharmacists so they are equipped to undertake new clinical roles in hospital pharmacy, community pharmacy and primary care.   

A view from the Highlands

The presentation will highlight the advances made within primary care pharmacy services across NHS Highland. It will touch on developments in patient facing services, electronic communication, data analysis and education and training. It will also discuss the application of lean management principles to ensure staff work in fulfilling roles allowing them to work to their full potential.  

Alex Gibbins is a pharmacist who is seconded into the 111 National Programme team in Wales, where she is leading on the development of pharmacists in new and exciting roles to support the urgent care agenda. Before joining the 111 programme, Alex spent her early career as a pharmacist working in community pharmacy. She moved on to work with Bridgend Local Health Board to lead a project allowing supply of Emergency Hormonal Contraception by community pharmacists, the first of its kind in Wales and one which provided the template for the present National Enhanced Service in Wales. Following this she took up the role of Head of Medicines Management in the Bridgend Locality, leading a team of pharmacists and technicians and one dietician. Alex enjoys being involved in, and supporting, innovation. Two of her team have been nominated and shortlisted for NHS awards two years running. Prior to leaving to join the 111 programme, Alex set up a repeat prescribing hub in the Bridgend area - again, the first of its kind in Wales.

111 NHS Wales: Pharmacists as part of the MDT in the Clinical Support Hub - Pharmacists working within this service are at advanced level

This will describe the 111 service in Wales and the progress of roll-out across Wales. It will describe how the introduction of pharmacists has been managed and will detail some of the work that has been undertaken to develop and framework for the transition of pharmacists into these new and exciting roles. It will give insight into the types of calls pharmacists are managing, activity compared to other healthcare professionals and the outcomes that are being achieved.