Patient group directions have traditionally been a ‘stop gap’ option, especially in the era before pharmacist independent prescribing. This debate will explore the future of patient group directions by community pharmacists. Many have lauded patient group directions as an excellent tool to extend the scope of practice of community pharmacists. However, many would say that a tick box technical process serves to continue the de-professionalisation of the pharmacist profession. In the coming years all pharmacists will qualify as independent prescribers but will they be able to make the step away from structured tick box pharmaceutical care or will they embrace uncertainty?

Chief executive of Community Pharmacy Scotland

In addition to his role at Community Pharmacy Scotland Harry is also visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde and a RNID pension fund trustee.

GP pharmacist

Siddiqur is a pharmacist who works in general practice, he is an independent prescriber, PCN clinical lead, Co-Director of the Pharmacist Co-operative and a PDA Union representative.

Travel health pharmacist

Derek Evans is a pharmacist who owns a private travel health consultancy. He has worked in community pharmacy in many specialist roles and senior management positions.

GP pharmacist

Practice pharmacist with experience in community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, primary care and NHS 24.

The debate based on whether or not screening for atrial fibrillation should be deployed nationally in Scotland has been progressing for some years now. There is precedent for such schemes elsewhere but so far there has been no nod to such a national service in Scotland. Does the evidence stack up in favour of such scheme? 

Should pharmacists be involved? If such a screening programme went national what precedent might it set for other clinical areas? What political lever would need to be pulled to make these things happen?

You can view all the sessions at the Future Pharmacist conference by clicking here. 

Thank you to our conference sponsors Wylie And Bisset. Find out more here.

The Aural Apothecary Podcast has captured the imagination of pharmacists across the land and has provided some light-hearted relief from what has been a tricky few years. 

The podcast is a lighthearted take on the world of medicines, pharmacy and healthcare in the UK from Jamie, Gimmo and Steve the Chemist. They have welcomed a number of guests onto their podcast and have asked each to describe their favourite song, book and drug. 

We are extremely proud to welcome them as guests at our inaugural conference. For fun, we will turn the tables and find out their favourite books, drugs and songs.

You can view all the sessions at the Future Pharmacist conference by clicking here. 

Thank you to our conference sponsors Wylie And Bisset. Find out more here.

Getting involved in research activities can feel daunting. As pharmacists, it could be argued that we don’t prioritise research in our careers enough. This session will involve a conversation between some of the top pharmacists involved in research in the UK. With decades of experience between them, we are hopeful that they might share their insights on why research matters and also some simple, manageable steps you can take to start your own research journey.

Professor of Health Services Research and Pharmacy Practice University of Strathclyde

Independent consultant. Watson Research & Training Limited – health services research (HSR), HSR training, mentoring & coaching. Registered pharmacist.

Professor in substance use

Professor in substance use at the University of Stirling, a freelance researcher in drug dependence and Chair of Scottish Drug Deaths Taskforce.

Research and community pharmacist

Senior Lecturer in Pharmacy Practice at the University of Huddersfield, interested in suicide research, community pharmacist and lead at RPS Greater Manchester.

You can view all the sessions at the Future Pharmacist conference by clicking here. 

Thank you to our conference sponsors Wylie And Bisset. Find out more here.

Is the rise of robotics in the sector a threat or an opportunity?

Community pharmacy contractor

James Semple, Contractor and Vice-chairman of the Community Pharmacy Scotland Board.

Co-founder of Medpoint

Superintendent Pharmacist at Wellbeing Pharmacies Group, Co-founder and Clinical Director at Acorn.

You can view all the sessions at the Future Pharmacist conference by clicking here. 

Thank you to our conference sponsors Wylie And Bisset. Find out more here.

For a number of years, there has been a movement towards advanced practice for pharmacists. Our panellists for this session has been right at the sharp end of developing and championing this movement.

Learning objectives from this session include:

Panellists

GP pharmacist and educator

Programme Director, Highland Pharmacy Education & Research Centre, NHS Highland. FRPharmS(Consultant). Advanced Pharmacist Practitioner in GP.

Lead pharmacist clinical cardiology

Paul Forsyth currently works at the Department of Pharmacy, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. He has an interest in the education of pharmacists and in particular competency-based learning as a progression towards advanced practice.

Associate Pharmacy Postgraduate Dean

Susan is currently the Associate Pharmacy Postgraduate Dean at NHS Education for Scotland, she is a pharmacist and educator. She recently was asked by the CPhO to lead pharmacy operations at the Louisa Jordan hospital in Glasgow.

Antimicrobial pharmacist

Antimicrobial pharmacist, interested in education and QI. Programmes Manager for BSAC, member of RPS Scottish Pharmacy Board and RPS AMR EAG.

Paediatric pharmacist

MPharm (Consultant). Lead Clinician Paediatric Infection (SPAIIN). Principal Pharmacist U of Liv & PHS. PhD candidate.

You can view all the sessions at the Future Pharmacist conference by clicking here. 

Thank you to our conference sponsors Wylie And Bisset. Find out more here.

Many pharmacists dislike failure. Research literature around this topic has characterised pharmacists as procrastinating perfectionists. If we assume these traits are well observed and we are aware of them then how do we as pharmacists ensure there is space to fail, learn and grow.

Gary Redfeather

Academic pharmacist

Clinical, medical leadership, education and research programme lead at De Montford University.

Yousaf Ahmad

Chief Pharmacist

Non-executive director, global pharmacy ambassador, advisory and editorial board member, university teacher practitioner.

You can view all the sessions at the Future Pharmacist conference by clicking here. 

Thank you to our conference sponsors Wylie And Bisset. Find out more here.

Minna Eii is an Advanced Pharmacist Practitioner in Acute medicine. She is Vice-Chair of Sustainability at The Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists and also a Member of Pharmacy Declares (Twitter: @PharmDeclares) environmentally conscious pharmacy professionals calling for climate health/action, leadership, education, declaration, divestment.

You can view all the sessions at the Future Pharmacist conference by clicking here. 

Thank you to our conference sponsors Wylie And Bisset. Find out more here.

Ade Williams is the Superintendent Pharmacist at Bedminster Pharmacy in  Bristol, also part of the prescribing clinical team at Broadmead Medical Practice, a local GP surgery and the Associate Non-Executive Director of the North  Bristol Trust.

You can view all the sessions at the Future Pharmacist conference by clicking here. 

Thank you to our conference sponsors Wylie And Bisset. Find out more here.

Listening to the patient voice has always been very important to us at Pharmacy in Practice. 

Dr Ruth Edwards was diagnosed with breast cancer a number of years ago and since then she has courageously faced into the disease and more than that has shared her experience with considerable candour for the benefit of others, not least her pharmacist colleagues.

You can view all the sessions at the Future Pharmacist conference by clicking here. 

Thank you to our conference sponsors Wylie And Bisset. Find out more here.