News summary

Fall in vacancy rate reported for hospital pharmacist posts A survey of hospital posts carried out by the Department of Health in March has shown a fall in the vacancy rate for hospital pharmacists over the past year...[more]

Winner of Hospital Pharmacist credit for learning series announced Ruth Fleet, senior surgical pharmacist at Royal Preston Hospital has been awarded the prize for achieving the highest score in the sixth Hospital Pharmacist credit for learning series...[more]

Guild award for Tony Nunn The Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists Celltech gold medal for 2000 has been awarded to Tony Nunn, director of pharmacy at the Royal Liverpool Children’s NHS Trust...[more]

Julie Thomas is AAH hospital pharmacy technician of the year The title of the AAH hospital pharmacy technician of the year 2001 has been awarded to Julie Thomas, pharmacy technician at Colchester General Hospital. The award recognises the role of pharmacy technicians in the pharmaceutical distribution chain...[more]

New mental health institute formed The Government has formed a national institute for mental health in an effort to promote changes and improvements in mental health services in England...[more]


NEWS IN BRIEF

The European Hospital Healthcare Congress is to be held at the Commonwealth Institute, London, on 18 and 19 September. The congress is supported by the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists. Further details from Dianne Maginnis (tel 020 8399 7300).

The United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association’s critical care group is to hold study days on “Sepsis — advances in treatment and management” in London (Wednesday, 19 September at St Thomas’ Hospital) and Glasgow (Thursday, 25 October at Hairmyers Hospital, East Kilbride). The theme at both venues is similar but with different speakers. Further details can be obtained from Pat Kennedy or Inez Knott (tel 0116 277 6999, e-mail pkennedy@ukcpa.u-net.com).

The United Kingdom Psychiatric Pharmacists Group is to hold its 26th annual conference from 5 to 7 October at Wokefield Park conference centre, Mortimer, Reading. The conference fee is £330 for members and £400 for non-members. Registration forms can be obtained from Denny Humphries, 23 Danehurst Road, Wallasey L45 3JJ, fax 0151 638 3237.

An international conference entitled “Medicines management through pharmaceutical care” is to be held at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham from 6 to 8 October. Further information from Emma Holmes, Pharmacy Conference, PO Box 2641, Birmingham B1 3EB (tel 0121 233 0708).

The European Society of Clinical Pharmacy is to hold a symposium entitled “Integrating pharmaceutical care into practice” in Antwerp, Belgium from 10 to 13 October. Further information from ESCP, Medicongress, Professional Symposium Organiser, Waalpoel 28/34, B-9960 Assende, Belgium (fax 00 32 9 344 4010).

The Bloomsbury Institute of Intensive Care is to hold a multidisciplinary symposium on intensive care in London on 11 and 12 October. The cost of the conference is £120 including lunch (£70 for one day). Details from Ana Santos (tel 020 7679 9666, fax 020 7679 9660, e-mail a.m.santos@ucl.ac.uk).

The Pharmaceutical Isolator User Group is to hold a conference entitled “Isolators to protect people, the product and the environment” in Harrogate from 28 to 30 October. Details from Brian Midcalf, School of Continuing Education, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9NG (tel 0113 233 3241).

The Cardiac and Critical Care Organisation is to hold a conference on evidence-based cardiology and diabetes on 23 and 24 November at Hammersmith Hospital, London. Registration fee is £140 (or £165 after 1 October). Further details from Clare Newman (tel/fax 020 7928 6572).