Guidance for consultant posts announced
Guidance for the development of consultant pharmacist posts in hospitals and primary care trusts in England was published by the Department of Health last week.
The guidance has been produced to ensure that patients receive a consistent
standard of care and that consultant posts are transferable across organisations.
The title “consultant pharmacist” is only to be used by pharmacists
appointed to posts approved by strategic health authorities following
submission of a business plan. Consultant posts should be centred around
four main functions: expert practice; research, evaluation and service
development; education, mentoring and overview of practice; and professional
leadership.
Tony West, president of the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists and chief
pharmacist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust,
told The Journal: “Consultant pharmacists are not to be seen as
something that exists currently with a new badge. They are there to help
drive change and ensure that the NHS and patients get the most from medicines.”
The competencies required for the posts are taken from the advanced and
consultant level competency framework designed by the Competency Development
and Evaluation Group (a collaboration of specialist, practising and academic
pharmacists in the South East).
NHS organisations employing pharmacists who are already using the title
consultant pharmacist should submit these posts for retrospective approval
by local approval panels.
Eileen Neilson, head of policy development at the Royal Pharmaceutical
Society, said: “It will mean that there are pharmacists both in
hospital and primary care with a higher level of clinical expertise … and these pharmacists will be able to provide care to patients with
the most complex needs.” |
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Pharmaceutical Journal
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