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David Corral is chief pharmacist at Hull and East
Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust and Margaret Culshaw is principal lecturer
at the division of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, University
of Huddersfield
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ARTICLE CONTENTS
• The course
• One year later
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Further information
Further information about the University of
Huddersfield accuracy checking module is available online
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At Hull and East Yorkshire
Hospitals NHS Trust it was widely recognised that more accredited checking
technicians were needed. The delivery of enhanced pharmacy services
was planned, to accompany a hospital redevelopment programme, and
this required pharmacists to delegate some dispensary duties so they
could spend more time on wards.
Training leads for technicians were already in post, so it was initially
decided that an in-house accuracy checking programme would be developed.
However, it became apparent that, because of other commitments (such
as NVQ training) resources at the trust would not be adequate to train
the required number of technicians quickly enough. Similar problems were
being encountered at other trusts in the county.
In 2005 the chief pharmacists in Yorkshire worked together to agree on
the underpinning knowledge and evidence of competence required of checking
technicians (see Panel 1). They then approached higher education institutions
to design a course to deliver these requirements, and the University
of Huddersfield was chosen. This article describes the course and discusses
its impact at Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Hospitals Trust.
Panel 1: Course content
The course was designed to give technicians a background knowledge
of:
• Technician’s roles and responsibilities
• Policy and context of training
• Effective teamwork
• Initiatives to create a safer NHS
• Practical aspects of pharmaceutical packaging, drug nomenclature,
safer dispensing, error reduction, causes of error and drug dose
calculations
• Communication skills |
The course
It was decided that the accuracy checking course would be a module of
the newly-developed foundation degree in medicines management and pharmacy
services. The option of relying solely on distance learning was considered,
but dismissed in light of the benefits of having some time out from the
workplace and the opportunity to network with colleagues from a variety
of backgrounds. Attendance at university also allows techniques such
as role play to be used to simulate situations that might occur in the
workplace.
The course is designed so that technicians attend for three days (20
hours) of face-to-face teaching over eight weeks. They complete work-based
tasks after each study day. Underpinning knowledge is assessed by a written
test. Technicians are required to have a portfolio of 1,000 items checked
in their workplace before they can be accredited. The nominal time commitment
for completion of the training package is 200 hours.
Once the module had been developed, pharmacy managers at the trust decided
to send staff on the course in groups of four. Course dates were agreed
up to a year in advance, with courses not running, for example, over
school holidays.
The module requires students to have a workplace mentor, who can be a
pharmacist or a technician with a checking role. So far, all of the mentors
at the Hull and East Yorkshire NHS Hospitals Trust have been pharmacists,
who attended a half-day briefing session at the University of Huddersfield
before their mentees started the course.
Feedback from mentors indicates
that the briefing is worthwhile and that acting as a mentor has made
them reflect on their own practice, as well as enhancing the working
relationship with the technicians. Comments include: “The whole
course provides a fantastic opportunity for technicians. Pharmacists,
especially if returning to practise, could benefit too.” One year later
The accuracy checking module has run three times, with four students
from the trust attending as part of each cohort. Specific time to complete
their work-based tasks has been allocated to technicians and technician
checking is now established at the trust.
Those pharmacy technicians involved have had the opportunity to evaluate
their training and to provide feedback to their managers and to the University
of Huddersfield. They have been positive about the training course, believing
that it has benefited both themselves as individuals and the service
they provide.
They have commented that they consider themselves “supported” and “professional” in
their checking role and that they have been given not only the skills
they need but confidence to question and
to contribute to changes in practice. Pharmacists have seen the tasks
set as “a great opportunity to reflect on the whole dispensing
process”.
The ideas proposed by technicians through networking
with their peers at other trusts have provoked discussion among the
whole pharmacy team and there are plans to try and implement some of
them at
the trust.
“Focus on technician” articles
Any pharmacist or technician who is is involved in
any new developments in
work undertaken by technicians is asked
to consider writing an article for
publication. Advice on the publication process can be obtained
by telephoning the editorial office on 020 7572 2425/2419. Articles
can be sent by post to Hospital Pharmacist,1 Lambeth High Street,
London, SE1 7JN, or submitted by e-mail to
hannah.pike@pharmj.org.uk |
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Hospital
Pharmacist