Supplementary prescribing course for pharmacists in Scotland progresses
Pharmacists on the supplementary prescribing course (left to right):
Mairi-Anne McLean (Greater Glasgow), Elizabeth King (Tayside) and
Gillian Jardine (Ayrshire and Arran) |
The Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen held the first residential period of its supplementary prescribing course at the university this week.
Dr Derek Stewart, senior lecturer, commented: “The course team
was extremely impressed with the enthusiasm and commitment of the first
intake of supplementary pharmacist prescribers.”
Originally, there were 40 students on the course and all places were
funded by the Scottish Executive. That number has been increased to 41
by a further place for a Scottish Prison Service pharmacist.
Nearly two-thirds of the pharmacists on the Robert Gordon University
course are planning to become supplementary prescribers in the cardiovascular
field and have undertaken therapeutic modules in this area. The second
most popular therapeutic area is respiratory disease, with other pharmacists
choosing endocrine and musculo-skeletal areas.
Use of clinical management plans — an essential requirement of
supplementary prescribing — was covered in detail during the week-long
residential course. This included how the plans should be structured,
written and implemented in practice. The course also included topics
such as consultation skills, how to take drug histories, patient monitoring
and population-based aspects of prescribing. Candidates on the course
were assessed using formative objective structured clinical examinations.
The first pharmacists are expected to qualify as supplementary prescribers
at the beginning of next year.
The Robert Gordon University has also decided to include supplementary
prescribing in the undergraduate course, Dr Stewart told The Journal.
This year’s first year students will be the first to take the new
course — although they will not study prescribing until they reach
their fourth year.
Current legislation provides that pharmacists cannot become supplementary
prescibers until they have been registered for two years.
News Feature, p442 |
