The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7219 p551
12 October 2002

Society summary

2002 practice research awards

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society's practice research awards for 2002 are to be awarded to Rachel Mullen, a doctoral student in the school of pharmacy at the University of Manchester, and Jon Silcock, a research practitioner in the University of Leeds School of Healthcare Studies.

The awards, made by the Society's Research Award Panel, were ratified by the Council at its meeting last week.

Ms Mullen is to receive the Sir Hugh Linstead Fellowship of £30,000 for a project on "Skill mix in community pharmacy: exploring and defining the roles of dispensary support staff". The research will seek to provide a greater understanding of the existing skill mix profile and the underlying issues within community pharmacy. The aim is to help inform and shape the development of pharmacy workforce policy in line with National Health Service plans to make the best use of pharmacy support staff.

Mr Silcock receives the £10,000 Galen Award for a project on patients' attitudes towards, and beliefs about, self-management of chronic congestive heart failure. He will use the award to explore patient-related barriers to the self-management of mild-moderate heart failure through conducting and evaluating interviews with about 30 patients in West Leeds PCT. Mr Silcock's research practitioner post is a joint appointment between Pharmacy Services, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and the Pharmacy Practice and Medicines Management Group, University of Leeds.

Applications for the 2002 practice research awards were invited in January. The Galen award is funded by a bequest by Rowland Henry Williams and the Sir Hugh Linstead Fellowship is funded by a grant from the Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust. Information about the 2003 practice research awards will be available in January 2003.