Hospital Pharmacist
2006;13:387-388
December 2006

387 Lives can be saved by investing in clinical pharmacy services Patients who receive a high level of care from clinical pharmacy staff during a hospital stay are less likely to die. This is according to research presented by David Webb, London, Eastern and South East Specialist Pharmacy Services, at the United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association symposium held in Leicestershire last month
Hospital Pharmacist 2006;13:387
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387 Pharmacists assessed for Po-210 risk Pharmacists at University College Hospital, London who were concerned about possible exposure to Polonium-210, following the death last month of Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian spy, at the hospital, were invited to fill out a Health Protection Agency questionnaire to assess any risk to them
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387 UKCPA to consult on new mission statement The United Kingdom Clinical Pharmacy Association is to consult its members about changing its mission statement. The proposed new statement reads: “To promote expert practice in medicines management for the benefit of patients and the public by establishing standards, developing the workforce and advancing innovation in all health care settings”
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388 Self-administration scheme wins award … But others report no real evidence for SAPs
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387 NEWS IN BRIEF
Hospital Pharmacist 2006;13:387

A draft “Guide to good practices for preparation of medicinal products in pharmacies” has been published for consultation by the Pharmaceutical Inspection Convention and Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme. It can be accessed online. Closing date 30 March 2007.

New advice for safer blood transfusions has been issued by the National Patient Safety Agency. The advice includes using electronic tracking systems for blood samples. The NPSA has also published its national reporting and learning system data for autumn

The consultation on the revised code of ethics for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians is open until 26 January 2007.

Guidance on managing patients with mental illness in hospital has been published by the Department of Health.

Blind and visually impaired patients can now listen to recordings of patient information leaflets on the telephone and on audio CDs or view them in large print, as part of a service launched last month by the Royal National Institute for the Blind and Datapharm Communications.

Details at xpil.medicines.org.uk

Directing cancer patients to relevant information about their condition and the support available is the aim of an electronic information pathway launched recently by the NHS Cancer Services Collaborative Improvement Partnership.