Within the NHS there is a strong emphasis on cost-effective –prescribing and ensuring that drugs are used safely and appropriately. A strong clinical pharmacy presence on the wards is essential to ensure that this happens and that patients receive the best possible care.
The clinical pharmacy service is provided to wards across the Trust by teams of pharmacists and technicians .They visit the wards regularly providing services such as
- Medication history taking and medicine reconciliation
- Reviewing drug charts for appropriateness of drug, drug dosage, drug interactions
- Monitoring of side effects
- Patient counselling
- Ordering medication for patients during their stay
- Preparation of medication for discharge
The clinical team also provides information to the medical and nursing staff on the wards and offer advice and guidance on medication issues to promote the safe and effective use of medicines within the Trust.
They are part of the multidisciplinary team and regularly attend consultant ward wards making important decisions and interventions in patient’s care.
Each clinical division has a senior clinical pharmacist who is responsible for promoting medicines management within the division by liaising with the clinical director, divisional managers and modern matrons
“One stop” dispensing Service
The clinical pharmacy teams provide a “one-stop” dispensing service on most of the Trust’s wards to make better use of NHS resources and to minimise medication wastage and reduce waiting times for discharge medication. This service involves assessing the patients own medicines for use whilst in hospital and labelling all medication supplied by pharmacy ready for discharge. During the patient’s admission their drugs are stored in locked bedside cupboards and the nurses administer them at the appropriate time. Then on discharge the patient’s medication are on the ward ready for their discharge.
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