This is my first blog since the end of December. This is not because there hasn’t been any news but because there are always times when the day job has to take precedence. For me, this has been mainly taken up with a visit from the CQC and the wonderful news that out trust was rated good. You will all be aware that the CQC is changing the way in which it will inspect trusts in the future so these incredibly tense and stressful weeks should be no more.
Another change which will affect the pharmacy professions is the proposed changes in revalidation from the General Pharmaceutical Council. This is a major change and it is important that the GPhC hears everyone’s view. The Guild will respond to the consultation so do feed your thoughts and comments in to us and/or respond yourself. The consultation can be found at https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/revalidationconsultation
There has been much discussion about the GPhC consultation on religion, personal values and beliefs in pharmacy practice. The Guild submitted a response supporting the recommendations and that all members of the public should have access to a service which they require. In hospital practice this is possibly easier to achieve as there are other team members who may be able to step up and take over if a member of staff is unable to take on a task due to religious or ethical beliefs.
The NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans continue to evolve. As I have said in previous blogs, it is important that you keep up to date with what is happening in your area so that you can comment on any proposed services whilst still in a draft form.
The STP plans affect England but we are aware that changes can affect the four home nations too, which is why out national members for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are so important. I am pleased to say that after being vacant for a few years we once again have a National member for Wales joining Guild council. Brian Eadon works as a formulary pharmacist based in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, we are delighted that he is joining the team. However, for the next couple of months Brian is working in Lesotho for the Wales for Africa project, you can follow his progress via his blog https://www.facebook.com/Tales-and-Travels-1330338767050683/
On April 5th I joined a number of pharmacist and technicians from around England at a meeting hosted by CPPE to look at the CPPE Leadership Programme. This is an important area of work. The Guild has long believed that good leadership is the key to maintaining and developing pharmacy services. It was good to work alongside pharmacy technicians who have a vision of developing alongside pharmacists and taking on many of the managerial and leadership roles in the modern pharmacy department.
Graeme Richardson, Ewan Maule and Wasim Baqir took themselves and lots of information to the BPSA conference at the beginning of April. The challenges facing our pharmacy undergraduates and pre-registration pharmacists are different to when I was in that position. It was sad to hear from Pharmacist Support that many of their calls are from pre-registration pharmacists. Two Guild Members have gone to great lengths to raise money for Pharmacist Support. Kathryn Murray (an ex Guild Council Member) from Cardiff did a tandem parachute jump and Aamer Safdar ran the London Marathon. My huge congratulations and admiration go to them both of them.
As in previous years we will be attending the Clinical Pharmacy Congress at the ExCel London on May 12th and 13th. Do come along and say hello to us and ask any questions you might have. It is lovely meeting our members. We are at stand G7.
Vilma Gilis
April 2017 Vilma.gilis@nhs.net
@GHPPharmacy