Hospital Pharmacist
Vol 11 No 10 p405-406
November 2004

405 DoH publishes Knowledge and Skills Framework The Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF), the system which underpins career progression with Agenda for Change, has been published more

405 Hospital pharmacists account for 21 per cent of active work force, census says Figures from the pharmacy workforce census carried out in late 2003 show that 21 per cent of active pharmacists work in the hospital sector, according to Karen Hassell, senior research fellow at the University of Manchester centre for pharmacy workforce studies more

406 Tackling MRSA: more plans launched, but death rates could be underestimates New moves to tackle methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other hospital-acquired infections have been announced recently by the Department of Health. The strategies come at the same time as a patient support group suggests that death rates from hospital-acquired infections are considerably higher than those set out in the National Audit Report more

406 Mental health job campaign Recruiting more pharmacists into the mental health sector is the aim of a new scheme running at Doncaster and South Humber Healthcare NHS Trust more

406 Use EAN coding, PaSA says Bar codes compliant with the European Article Number Uniform Code Council (EAN.UCC) system should be included on all products supplied to the NHS, according to the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PaSA) more

405 NEWS IN BRIEF

Eliminating tuberculosis in Britain is the ultimate aim of the Department of Health’s TB action plan, launched last month. The plan includes measures to increase awareness of TB, establish high quality surveillance and ensure excellence in the clinical care of patients.

The EU clinical trials directive is the subject of a conference on 3 December organised by the Industrial Pharmacists’ Group of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. Further information about the event at the Society’s headquarters in London are available from the following email address angela.canning@rpsgb.org

Practical help on implementing the EU clinical trials directive is available on a website published by the Department of Health and Medical Research Council (visit www.ct-toolkit.ac.uk)

The work of pharmacy staff has been recognised at Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust in their newly-introduced staff awards scheme. Pharmacy-led projects won three of the nine available awards.

Primary care trusts should not be merged, according to an editorial in the BMJ (2004;329:871). Reorganisation is unlikely to benefit patients and will distract PCTs from their “real tasks”.

Inequalities in the delivery of health and social care and diversity issues are to be tackled by Surinder Sharma, director for equality and human rights for the NHS, a newly-created postion.

Life-long Learning, Hospital Pharmacist’s new continuing professional development series, sponsored by Mayne Pharma, is launched this month (see p436)