Vol 8 No 9 p235-236
October 2001

News summary

Pharmacy staff targeted in plan to improve working conditions Pharmacy staff are the first to be targeted in a Government plan to improve working conditions for National Health Service staff...[more]

Prescribing faculty sets out agenda The College of Pharmacy Practice’s faculty of prescribing and medicines management has released details of its work plan...[more]

Drug resistance could undermine antibiotic research, WHO warns The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that money spent by the pharmaceutical industry on the research and development of antibiotics could be wasted if drug resistance is not tackled promptly...[more]

Trusts receive end-of-term report The Department of Health has published the 2000/01 performance ratings for all non-specialist acute National Health Service hospitals in England...[more]

Exercises in clinical checking Readers may wish to note the following clarifications and changes to the clinical checking article published in the September HP (p219–25)...[more]


NEWS IN BRIEF

All National Health Service staff working in England now have access to Zetoc, the British Library table of contents database. Zetoc contains the table of contents of over 20,000 scientific journals and 16,000 conference proceedings published each year.The database is available here to staff via the National Electronic Library for Health. Negotiations are under way to make the database available to staff in Scotland and Wales.

"Mental health: new understanding, new hope" is the title of the 2001 World Health Report published by the World Health Organization. The report reviews the state of knowledge and research about mental and neurological disorders.

The National Society of Epilepsy has launched a website (www.e-epilepsy.org.uk) to provide health care professionals and others with resources on epilepsy. Sanofi-Synthelabo is sponsoring the website.

A support group, Kidney Cancer UK (KCUK), has been launched for patients suffering from kidney cancer. The group aims to provide practical advice and information for this group of patients. KCUK can be contacted at 11 Hathaway Road, The Hill Village, Coventry CV4 9HW (tel 024 7647 0584, e-mail kidneycanceruk@hotmail.com).

The Health and Safety Executive has launched a website that will allow workers to gain access to information about their health and safety rights and responsibilities. It covers issues such as making complaints (including whistleblowing) and reporting accidents.

The Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists procurement and distribution interest group is to hold its autumn symposium entitled "Overcoming the weakest link" on 8 November at the Manor Hotel, Meriden, Coventry. Registration fee is £65 for guild members (£85 for non-members employed by the NHS and £105 for others). Further details from Ian Simpson (tel 01865 202304, e-mail prof.sec@ghp.org.uk).

A one-day course is being organised for pharmacy technicians who wish to return to practise or move to another branch of the profession. The course is being held on 11 November at North Manchester General Hospital. Further information from Diane Ward (tel 01772 711470) by 26 October.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Hospital Pharmacists Group is to hold a conference entitled "Pharmacy in the future" on 21 November at the Society’s headquarters in London. Topics to be discussed include clinical roles for pharmacy technicians, patient group directions and pharmacist prescribing. Registration fee is £85 (£100 for non-members of the Society). Details from Liz Griffiths (tel 020 7572 2408).

"Handling genes with care — practical aspects of gene therapy and related issues" is the title of a symposium jointly organised by the National CIVAS Group and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Hospital Pharmacists Group. The symposium will be held on 5 February 2002 at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s headquarters in London. Details from Liz Griffiths (tel 020 7572 2408).