Make a note of…Health Events forJune to August

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S U M M E R J U S T A S K • T R A I N I N G N E W S • S U P P L E M E N T A R Y P R E S C R I B I N G

Fife Pharmacy NewsJUNE 2008

If you would like to submit an article ormake any suggestions to Fife PharmacyNews, please contact me at:Natalie Bate, CommunicationsOfficerNHS Fife, Pharmacy ServicesPentland House, LynebankHospitalHalbeath Road, DunfermlineFife, KY11 4UWTel: 01383 565375Email: natalie.bate@nhs.net

1-30 June - National OsteoporosisMonth

9-15 June - National Men’s HealthWeek

15 June - National Bug Busting Day

15-22 June - Learning Disability Week

24 June - National Falls Awareness Day

6-12 July - Dementia Awareness Week

6-13 July - National Transplant Week

4-10 August - Sexual Health Week

Dispensing staff at Boots Pharmacy, Glenrothes are taking part in various charityevents over May and June to raise money for Breast Cancer. Pauline Spencer isdoing the London Marathon on May 18 and the Edinburgh Marathon on May25, Susan Bett is running in the Edinburgh Marathon, Carol Seath is taking partin the Race for Life in Kirkcaldy on May 18 with her daughter Emily and KarenCummings is doing the Edinburgh Moonwalk on June 15, along with SusanMcGill. Susan said: “we have had staff raffles and collection tins in store, andthe response has been amazing as so far we’ve managed to raise over £1500.We are choosing to donate the funds raised to Breast Cancer charities as we allhave family members or friends who have been affected.”

There are collection tins atthe counter of BootsPharmacy, Kingdom CentreGlenrothes if anyone wishesto sponsor the staff, or give adonation.

Public Health Conference 8 May 2008

JUNE 2008

Staff at Boots Glenrothesstep out for a good cause

The first ever Fife Director of PublicHealth’s Awards were presented by theMinister for Public Health, Shona Robison,at the Public Health Conference ‘Living &Learning for Health’ at CarnegieConference Centre in Dunfermline held on8th May 2008. Fife Pharmacy took a standat this event, highlighting the MinorAilment Service, Chlamydia testing andthe Healthy Start vitamins pilot.Around 200 delegates from a broad rangeof backgrounds, including statutory andvoluntary sectors across Fife attended theConference to learn about public healthwork, share good practice and acquirenew knowledge and skills for their dailywork.During the morning, as well as thepresentation of awards, the delegateswatched a presentation by the Bell BaxterHigh School Theatre Group which focused

on a ‘well world’ and have beenparticipating in workshops to gain more ofan understanding of the public healthissues that are being dealt with on a dailybasis. In the afternoon the delegates weretreated to an interactive demonstration bythe 60 minute kid, a ‘keep-fit’ projectwhich travels throughout Fife’s schools.

Now that summer’s nearly here, it’s time toget the barbecue out and start thinkingabout holidays and suntans! However, it’salso the season for sunburn, rashes, bites andstings, not to mention travel vaccinations.That’s why Community Pharmacies acrossNHS Fife are encouraging people to ‘Just Ask’during a week-long campaign beginning onMonday 23 June.

So far over 30 pharmacies are taking partacross Fife. Participating pharmacies will begiven a stock of giveaways and displaymaterials to help spread the “Just Ask”message including pens, balloons, leafletsand stress balls. The next issue of FifePharmacy News will carry photos from thecampaign.

Summer JustAsk campaign

Pic l-r: Pauline Spencer, Susan Bett, Carol Seath, Karen

Cummings and Susan McGill.

Andrea Smith at the event

Pharmacy Services are planning to find out what the current levelof awareness and understanding is from the general public in Fifeof the Minor Ailment Service in Community Pharmacies. TheMinor Ailment Service launched back in 2006, however due tothe low level of publicity, knowledge outwith the healthprofession of the service has been low.

A questionnaire was piloted in two pharmacies in Fife in May – inLloyds Cowdenbeath and Boots, Fife Retail Park, Kirkcaldy, to testhow the public would react to the questionnaire.

Once these questionnaires have been evaluated, the questions willbe used within opinion meters - public opinion polling surveykiosks, which can record results without the need for papercopies. People simply type in their answers according to thequestions above, with the data recorded by the meters. Theseopinion meters will be set up in three shopping centres across Fifeduring June and July – Kingdom Shopping Centre, Glenrothes,Kingsgate Shopping Centre, Dunfermline and Mercat ShoppingCentre, Kirkcaldy. This will allowthe opinion meters to target thegeneral Fife population, and notjust those who visit CommunityPharmacies.

The results will be evaluated,giving a Fife-wide insight intohow the general public viewsthe Minor Ailment Service, andwhether further publicity isrequired to raise awareness.

Pictured – an opinion meter.

MAS questionnaire tomembers of public

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Please see below for a letter from RGU for those currentlystudying, or wishing to apply for the Supplementary PharmacistPrescribing Course.This letter regards outstanding elements of assessment(including the portfolio). The last cohort commenced in October2006 and our Pharmacist Independent Prescribing Course hasnow been accredited. At the last Postgraduate ProgrammesManagement Team meeting, it was decided that the lastopportunity for submitting these outstanding elements for theSupplementary Pharmacist Prescribing Course would be theNovember 2008 assessment board.The deadline for submission for this assessment board is 31October 2008, material submitted after this date will not beaccepted. Please note, failure to submit these outstandingelements and complete the course will mean withdrawal fromthe course. In order to qualify as a pharmacist prescriber you willthen be required to undertake the full Pharmacist IndependentPrescribing Course. If you fail to complete the course, you willbe required to inform the Director of Pharmacy/ ChiefPharmacist of this decision, who in turn, must inform NES(Pharmacy).Please inform Brian Addison, Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice toindicate when you expect to submit the outstanding elementsof assessment. If you have decided not to continue with thecourse, then please also inform Mr Addison so that the recordscan be updated.Contact details: Brian Addison, Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice,RGU 01224 262500.

Supplementary Prescribingcourse at RGU

A large NHS Fife exercise “Pandemonium” was recentlyheld involving both primary and secondary care.Pharmacy was well represented at the event, andhighlighted the important role that pharmacy and inparticular, community pharmacy will play during apandemic. During the day, several key challenges arose.

These included:

• Effective means of communication betweencommunity pharmacies, Community HealthPartnerships and NHS Fife;

• The application of infection control procedures tocommunity pharmacy teams;

• The role of community pharmacy in the distribution ofantiviral medicines;

• Dependency on the pharmaceutical wholesaler chainto maintain supplies of both over-the-counter andprescription medicines;

• Coping mechanisms to deal with medicine shortagese.g. rationing;

• Contingency planning for staff absence and closure ofcommunity pharmacies;.

• Maintenance of services for substance misuse;

• Maintenance of repeat dispensing services for patientswith long-term conditions.

The RPSGB advises that: “As providers of healthcare,pharmacy businesses are likely to be in the front lineduring any pandemic, so it is vital that they also haveindividual plans in place to enable essential pharmacyservices to continue.”

The guidance while published for England is also relevantin Scotland and is available athttp://www.rpsgb.org/pdfs/pandemicfluguid.pdf

There is work ongoing nationally to look at relaxingmedicines legislation during a pandemic. As informationbecomes available, this will be shared to ensure the roleof pharmacy during a pandemic is supported andintegrated into the NHS Fife plans for pandemicinfluenza.

Pandemic ‘flu planning– the challenges forcommunity pharmacy

Chemist and DruggistAwards 2008Congratulations to Fiona Eastop, Pharmacist at Lloyds PharmacyBurntisland for being short listed for Community Pharmacist ofthe Year at the Chemist and Druggist Awards 2008. We wish herall the best for the awards ceremony on 18 June. Fiona is onlyone of two pharmacists in Scotland to be short listed for thisaward, which is a great accolade for Fife Pharmacy. Results of thewinners will be published in the July issue of the Chemist andDruggist.

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Events were held on theevening of 12 May 2008 and atthe Vine Church, Dunfermlineon Wednesday 14 May. Bothwere very well attended byover 40 non medicalprescribers.

The subject of theevent was Legal and ProfessionalIssues for Prescribers, and included thelaunch of the Non Medical PrescribingPolicy for NHS Fife by ChiefPharmacist Evelyn McPhail. Furtherpresentations were made by ColetteHenderson, the Non MedicalPrescribing Advisor for NHS Fife onWorking with the Industry, DougieMcPhail and Fiona Forrest, PrimaryCare Development Pharmacistspresented the benefits and negative

aspects of working with the Industryand Celia McQueen, Scottish PolicyManager for Boehringer-Ingleheimgave the Industry perspective. Thereare currently 40 pharmacists and 310nurses who are trained as non medicalprescribers in Fife.

Colette’s presentation focused onthe importance of not relying ondata provided by the Industry, as itcan be presented in a way morefavourable towards the product,than if an independent studypresented the data. She alsoenforced the importance of notbeing swayed by free giveaways ortraining provided by the industryto influence prescribing in theclinic or practice.

Dougie McPhail’s presentation was onthe positive and negative aspects ofworking with the industry, includinghow the NMP and the Industry canwork together, and how goodcommunication between the NHS andthe Industry can lead to successessuch as training and prescribinginitiatives.

Celia, from Boehringer-ingleheim gavethe industry’s perspective on working

with the Pharmaceutical industry, andfocused on safety of medicines, therole of the MHRA, the ABPI code ofpractice, and what the industry canand cannot do in promoting theirproducts.

Sandra Notman, Practice Pharmacistbased at Hanover Court, Glenrothessaid: “I think these events are great forCPD, especially as I’m in the middle ofstudying for my IndependentPrescribing Course, and informationon how best to work with theIndustry, and what the legal issuesfacing independent prescribers isinvaluable information for people likeme.”

A new pharmacy opened in Morrisons Supermarket, StAndrews on 17 April 2008. This brings the totalnumber of pharmacies in Fife up to 77.

New Pharmacy in Fife –Morrisons St Andrews

Non Medical Prescribers Events – May 2008

This year, Monica Davies, Senior Clinical Pharmacist,is taking part in the Edinburgh Moonwalk 2008. Sheis planning on completing the Half Moon (a distanceof 13.1 miles) on 14 June, and has raised over £400so far. This year will be the third Moonwalk inScotland, with the Edinburgh Moonwalk 2007 raisingover £2 million for Breast Cancer charities andMaggie’s.

Monica said: “I’m not a natural walker so the HalfMoonwalk seemed a more realistic target. I am surethat the night will be an experience and that themoney I raise will be a small contribution to a muchlarger and worthwhile cause.”

If you wish to contribute to Monica’s fundraising,please contact her at Monica.davies@faht.scot.nhs.ukor donations can be made via Monica’s onlinesponsor site – www.bmycharity.com/monicadavies.

EdinburghMoonwalk 2008

Celia McQueen and ColetteRobertson

There is an opportunity for all pharmacy staff to utilise on-linetraining opportunities provided by the Staff Club, at VictoriaHospital, Kirkcaldy. If you are interested in taking part in a pilotscheme contact Susan Menzies on 01383 565342. Thisscheme will be evaluated and if successful will be rolled outlater in the year. The on-line training can be undertaken atwork during Protected Learning Time (NHS network access isrequired) or some may be undertaken at home. The centre canalso be used for drop in support.

Coming Soon: PC access for pharmacistsand pharmacy staff

4 If you require this newsletter in alternative formats, please telephone 01383 565375.

Are you an Accredited Accuracy Checking Technician(ACT)?

The national framework “Nationally RecognisedFramework for Final Accuracy Checking of DispensedItems” available on www.nhspedc.nhs.uk requires youto be re-accredited every 2 years.

Course providers have made provision for this andhave specific modes of supporting the re-accreditationprocess.

The process may include –

• Ongoing log of any final accuracy checkingerrors, recorded and documented according toyour in-house error recording policy

• Error must be reflected upon and recordingusing the CPD cycle

• Completion of a 100 item final accuracy diarylog

• Submitting a supporting statement from theSenior pharmacy Manager / Designated Deputyor ACT Facilitator

The joint venture between NHS Tayside / Fife andButtercups has allowed us to agree a re-accreditationdate of 1 July 2010 for all candidates who haveundertaken the course since 2005. Susan Menzies,Lead Technician, Support Staff Development is in theprocess of arranging visits to all the Fife ACTs andtheir facilitators to discuss the process prior to 1 July2008, to allow candidates the full 2 years to developtheir folio.

If you require any advice or support don’t hesitate tocontact – Susan Menzies, Lead Pharmacy Technician,Support Staff Development NHS Fife or your originalcourse provider.

Please note the next course from Buttercups / NHSFife and Tayside will be in October 2008. If anyonehas nominations or wants to discuss the coursecontent, please contact Susan on the details below.

Contact details:Telephone: 01383 565342Email – Susan.Menzies@faht.scot.nhs.uk

Training News

Wednesday 7 May marked the grand re-opening party forthe pharmacy on Cos Lane, Glenrothes to be rebranded to“Your Local Boots Pharmacy”. The ribbon was cut by MrsJoan McTaggert and Mrs Helen Barrie, both long termcustomers of the pharmacy, and staff were all very excitedby the new-look shop.

Fiona Bradford,Pharmacist said:“I’m so glad ourshop has beengiven a makeoverand rebrand byBoots – it looksmuch moremodern and welcome, andI’m sure all of our customers will love it. We also now havea bigger consultation room with a computer and sinkfacilities, ensuring we can carry out services such as MinorAilment Service to more of our customers, more easily.”

At the event were current staff of Fiona (Pharmacist), Carol,Alison, Adele, Leona, Lesley, Nik and Gill, along with BootsArea Managers Jerry Hamilton and Richard Peirse, RegionalManager of North East Scotland Liz Strain and manycustomers and staff from Cos Lane Medical Practice.

NHS Fife Pharmacy staff of Evelyn McPhail, ChiefPharmacist, Andrea Smith, Development Pharmacist forCommunity Pharmacy and Yvonne Bunting, PharmaceuticalSupport Assistant also attended the event. Customers weregiven goody bags from the day, as well as a share of thespecially-made cake.

Further events are planned across Fife as more AlliancePharmacies become rebranded to “Your Local BootsPharmacy”.

Alliance Pharmacy, CosLane becomes “YourLocal Boots Pharmacy”