The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 273 No 7308 p98
17 July 2004

Society summary

New tool to assist clinical governance in Wales

A new matrix tool allows community pharmacists in Wales to record their practice profiles so that they can compare and monitor the quality of their services against others.

The tool has been facilitated by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Welsh Executive and funded by a Pharmacy Practice Development Scheme grant from the National Assembly for Wales.

The clinical governance Maturity Matrix (Matrics Aeddfedrwydd) tool for pharmacy comprises an A4-sized grid charting an organisation’s developmental stages and progression for a series of aspects of practice. It allows a pharmacy to record practice profiles on a consistent basis so that comparison with other pharmacies can be made without compromising confidentiality.

In addition, support material has been developed for clinical governance facilitators, who will manage self-assessment by community pharmacies in eight key areas of practice. An agreement has been reached to work with Swansea Clinical School to make use of the systems and experience it has gained in developing matrix data collection and feedback for GPs.

A professional steering group for the matrix has been drawn from pharmacists across Wales. It consists of two members from the Welsh Executive, two from Community Pharmacy Wales, one from the Welsh Assembly government clinical governance support and development unit, one representing local health board (LHB) clinical governance and one from Swansea Clinical School.

The matrix was launched at a training day on Monday 28 June hosted by the Welsh Executive. Representatives from 14 of the 22 LHBs in Wales were present. The training day was led by Melody Rhydderch (organisational psychologist, Swansea Clinical School) and Andy Morris (a pharmacist from Merthyr Tydfil Local Health Board, who is leading the work for the Society).

Cath O’Brien, secretary to the Welsh Executive, said: “We have been pleased with the considerable interest shown in the Maturity Matrix Pharmacy by the LHBs and we are keen to see it used to further improve pharmacy services in Wales.”

The development of the matrix was based on work carried out by Glyn Elwyn (department of primary care, University of Wales Swansea) and Paul Myers (clinical governance adviser to the Welsh Assembly Government).

Professor Elwyn says: “It is vital that pharmacists, who are such an important part of the primary care team, have the right tools to measure their own effectiveness and to continually improve their services. The development of the Maturity Matrix Pharmacy represents a real first for Wales. These clinical governance tools will help provide a consistent and multidisciplinary approach across the primary care team.”