Hospital Pharmacist
2008;15:117-118
April 2008

117 Hospital pharmacist groups welcome Clarke Inquiry report The Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Hospital Pharmacists Group have broadly supported the recommendations of the Clarke Inquiry final report
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117 New NHS adverts code The promotion of NHS-funded services to patients and referring clinicians is now regulated by a code of practice, published recently by the Department of Health
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117 APTUK names award winners The Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK has announced the winners of the pharmacy technician of the year awards for 2007, sponsored by AAH Hospital Service
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RESEARCH UPDATE

118 Research finds new bacterial drug target Penicillin’s efficacy for treating resistant infections has received a boost from new research led by a UK scientist. The researchers have replicated the activity of a protein responsible for the resistance exhibited by Streptococcus pneumoniae
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118 Discharge letter delays cause readmissions Incomplete discharge documentation, particularly involving medicines, is common among patients who are readmitted to hospital within one month of discharge, a UK study has found
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117 NEWS IN BRIEF
Hospital Pharmacist 2008;15:117

From April 2008, patients in England receiving routine elective treatment will be able to choose from any NHS-approved hospital provider in the country. Since January 2006 patients have been able to choose from a list of local providers when referred by their GP for planned treatment, and since May 2006 they have been able to choose from a national list of foundation trusts and independent providers.

Prescription charges in England rose by 25p to £7.10 per item in April 2008. A consultation is expected in the near future on abolishing these charges, as has been the case in Wales. In Scotland, charges fell to £5 per item, and the charge is to be abolished by 2011.

Updated standards to help employers meet the legal and policy requirements for vetting staff before hiring them were published by NHS Employers last month. Changes include a requirement to carry out a face-to-face identity check, and updates to the rules relating to the prevention of illegal working.

Further details

Pharmacist Sharon Hart has been appointed national clinical lead for medication management at NHS Connecting for Health. Ms Hart, a former pharmaceutical adviser at Buckinghamshire Health Authority, was one of the first regional prescribing advisers to be appointed in the 1990s.

A patient safety campaign to reduce harm and save lives in the NHS in England will be launched in July 2008 (The Pharmaceutical Journal 2008;280:300). It will be led by Stephen Ramsden, chief executive of Luton and Dunstable NHS Foundation Trust.