Aberdeen researchers chosen to carry out simulated patient study
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the National Pharmacy Association have jointly commissioned the University of Aberdeen to undertake a pilot study using anonymous “simulated patients” who give immediate feedback to help community pharmacists and their staff provide safe and appropriate advice when supplying over-the-counter medicines.
Aberdeen was chosen from nine tender bids. The work will be undertaken
by Margaret Watson, a research fellow at the university, with support
and input from Jennifer Cleland, clinical lecturer, and Christine Bond,
professor of primary care pharmacy.
The Society’s Director of Practice and Quality, David Pruce, said: “We
chose the University of Aberdeen researchers based on their previous
experience of conducting similar simulated patient studies and their
clear, robust methodology.”
Sandeep Nijjer, pharmacist teacher-practitioner at the NPA, said that
the pilot study would evaluate the potential of thismethod for gathering
sufficient information to enable
quality feedback to pharmacists. The methodology had had successful outcomes
in Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and Germany. The main reason for
using it was to help pharmacists identify their strengths and where they
could make improvements. Participants would receive immediate confidential
feedback and the overall data collected would be used by the Society
and the NPA to decide to whether this was a positive way to support pharmacists.
The project starts in the autumn and is expected to be completed by the end of
the year. A report on the progress of the pilot is to be presented at the British
Pharmaceutical Conference in September.
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The
Pharmaceutical Journal