Supervision
Danger is from pharmacists, not technicians
From Mr M. J. Stephens, MRPharmS
Some important questions are raised in the letter from J. R. Skepper
(PJ, 19 October, p565) but I cannot agree with the pessimistic view of
pharmacists’ future.
Succession planning is indeed important for pharmacists and for pharmacy
technicians. We must ensure there are sufficient skilled pharmacists to
take on more senior roles in hospital pharmacy. At Southampton, as in
many places, we are committed to developing these skills, underpinned
by knowledge and understanding, using accredited courses alongside competency
based programmes.1 I can reassure readers that although we advertise our
A/B posts once or twice a year, we fill our eight posts as staff qualify
each summer, topped up at other times by staff moving to the hospital
sector for a new challenge. Although one year on from the fallow year
means grade C posts are harder to fill for now, we trust that we are developing
grade Cs and Ds for the years ahead.
We are also committed to developing and extending the role of pharmacy
technicians, supported locally by the South East (South Coast) education
programmes. Is this at the expense of pharmacists? No — it is allowing
us to move forward the agenda of medicines management and pharmaceutical
care. Although we have made excellent progress, we still have more to
do if services are to achieve everything “A spoonful of sugar”
envisages for modern pharmacy.
What will pharmacists do? Contribute their expertise to
multi-professional teams reducing the risks of medicines, informing patients
and managing medicines expenditure.
There is plenty for pharmacists to do. Indeed in recent weeks we have
advertised three new Workforce Development Confederation backed posts:
D grades for nutrition and an E/F grade for medicines appraisal.
There may be a concern that, as pharmacists take on increasingly specialist
roles in clinical, technical services or medicines information, fewer
opportunities arise for the generalist and for operational management.
Could this move mean the skills required to manage services and to lead
hospital pharmacy are missed? Possibly, so we do need to ensure suitable
career pathways are in place for future pharmacist leaders. Let us be
as imaginative in this as we have been for clinical pharmacy.
The danger to the profession is not from the expanding role of hospital
pharmacy technicians; it is more likely to be from pharmacists clinging
on to roles rather than seizing new opportunities.
Martin Stephens
Chief Pharmacist
Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust
References
1. McRobbie D, Webb DG, Bates I, Wright J, Davies JG, Assessment of clinical
competence: designing a competence grid for junior pharmacists, Pharm
Educ 2001;1:67–76.
We do not need more cynics
From Ms N. Burns, MRPharmS
The letter from J. R. Skepper (PJ, 19 October, p565) asks what is left
for pharmacists to do. The answer is plenty. Dispensing technicians may
be filling the role of junior pharmacists but each health care profession’s
role — nursing, medical and pharmaceutical — has been changing
over the years. Pharmacists are continuing to expand into ever diversifying
areas, eg, running anticoagulant clinics and pre-admission clinics. There
is
supplementary prescribing to consider, prescribing support and formulary
development and risk management. Getting pharmacists out of the dispensary
and on to the wards has been shown to reduce drug errors.
There is continuing demand for hospital pharmacists and the skills that
they possess. Most recently we have initiated a pilot project of pharmacists
prescribing warfarin for medical in-patients. This has demonstrated improvements
in patient care to the satisfaction of staff and patients alike. We have
technician-led dispensaries and clinical technicians supporting junior
pharmacists, enabling one another to use their skills to the advantage
of the patient.
We need staff with a vision, who are positive about themselves, their
role and their skills. We do not need those hanging on to the past. We
do not need more cynics.
Naomi Burns
Clinical Pharmacy Services Manager
Brighton General Hospital
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