The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7261 p190
9 August 2003

Society summary

Society produces updated guidance for pharmacists on the provision of services to care homes

Updated guidance for pharmacists who provide services to care homes is now available from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

The new document, "Advisory services to care homes", replaces the existing "Practice guidance for pharmacists providing services to nursing and residential homes" in Section 3.1.2 of 'Medicines, ethics and practice: a guide for pharmacists' (27th edition, 2003, p96). It is intended to help pharmacists to develop services and provides guidance on provision of services, service delivery, evaluation and training.

The Society's head of practice, Nigel Graham, said: "The guidance provides further advice on what pharmaceutical services for homes may include, on the organisations or individuals that pharmacists are advised to liaise with and on the training available. It also contains updates to reflect the new requirements of the National Care Standards Commission's National Minimum Standards (for England) for continuing care and gives further advice on evaluation."

The updated guidance can be downloaded as a PDF file from the practice section of the Society's website or can be obtained from Lorraine Fearon, Practice Division, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, 1 Lambeth High Street, London SE1 7JN (tel 020 7572 2409; e-mail lfearon@rpsgb.org.uk).

Publication of the new guidance for pharmacists follows the recent issue of new guidance on the administration and control of medicines in care homes and children's homes (PJ, 28 June, p909), which is also available from the practice section of the Society's website.