The Pharmacist will see you now Podcast.: Recent Episodes
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As many pharmacists will know, there is often a misconception about what you actually do and how well qualified you actually are. This is no more prevalent than in general practice
I'm sure you all have stories that contain comments such as "Don't you just sell stuff behind the counter at Boots?", or "Do you have to go to University for that?", and the classic "You only became a Pharmacist because you couldn't be a doctor."
As providers of general practice pharmacist services, we wanted to try and do something about this.
In this Podcast our panel of Pharmacists will discuss the intricacies of their role, and how it fits in alongside other healthcare professionals, as well as dispelling common misconceptions and myths when it comes to medicines, and their prescribing.
So, I've got this patient #17 (balancing personalised care and high workloads)
Welcome back to "So, I've Got This Patient." Join us as experienced general practice pharmacists, Leah and David, continue their insightful discussions.
In our latest episode, we're picking up where we left off. Leah's patient scenario has opened the door to a compelling discussion about the delicate equilibrium between accommodating individual patient decisions and efficiently managing high prescription volumes.
Leah's patient had their dose adjusted, prompting her to contemplate the challenge of effective communication and coordination. As a dedicated pharmacist, she grapples with balancing the unique needs of each patient against the demands of her role, which often involves processing a large number of prescriptions. Join us as we dissect this intricate dance, examining the fine line between personalised care and operational efficiency.
It's a conversation that's not only relevant to fellow healthcare professionals but also to patients who are curious about the behind-the-scenes dynamics of their healthcare journey.
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If you have enjoyed today's episode, or any of our other podcasts, please take the time to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast provider of choice. Five stars would be greatly welcomed!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow us on social media:
Threads - @mypharmacistteam Instagram - @mypharmacistteam Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
So, I've got this patient #16 (patient adherence to thyroid medication)
Welcome back to "So, I've Got This Patient," the podcast where we delve into real-world patient scenarios, with our experienced general practice pharmacists, Leah and David.
In today's episode, we explore a challenging case presented by David. His patient struggles with under-replacement of her thyroxine, leading to persistent abnormal blood results, weight gain, and fatigue. David thoughtfully examines the potential influence of patient adherence to her thyroid medication. Join us as we dissect the intricate interplay between medical recommendations, patient choices, and overall health outcomes.
Now, here's where things get interesting. The discussion surrounding Leah's patient scenario proved so illuminating and extensive that we've decided to conclude the episode here. However, fear not! We'll be releasing the second half of this episode on August 22nd.
In the second instalment, Leah asks David's advice on effective patient communication within the context of a high prescription volume and evolving dose adjustments. The scenario evolved into a discussion about the delicate balance between quantity, and quality of patient care. How to ensure both the 95%, and the 5% of patients get the care they require.
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If you have enjoyed today's episode, or any of our other podcasts, please take the time to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast provider of choice. Five stars would be greatly welcomed!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow us on social media:
Threads - @mypharmacistteam Instagram - @mypharmacistteam Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
So, I’ve got this patient #15 (paying for OTC items & a TSH of 124)
Welcome to "So, I've Got This Patient," the podcast where two seasoned general practice pharmacists, Leah and David, share their experiences and expertise while discussing real-world patient scenarios.
In this episode, Leah faces a critical situation with a thyroid patient whose TSH levels are alarmingly high at 124. Join her as she navigates through the challenges of managing thyroid disorders, interpreting test results, and collaborating with healthcare professionals to ensure the best care possible for her patient.
Meanwhile, David initiates a thought-provoking discussion on the ethics of asking patients to purchase over-the-counter (OTC) items. Delve into the complexities of recommending OTC products, the impact on patients' finances, and the pharmacist's duty to prioritize patient well-being while respecting their autonomy.
Tune in to gain practical insights into thyroid management, understand the nuances of OTC recommendations, and explore the ethical considerations that shape UK pharmacy practice.
If you have enjoyed today's episode, or any of our other podcasts, please take the time to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast provider of choice. Five stars would be greatly welcomed!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow us on social media:
Threads - @mypharmacistteam Instagram - @mypharmacistteam Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
We should do an episode on . . . Recording patient phone calls
On today's episode, our pharmacist panel, made up of Leah and David Foster, discuss the potentially controversial topic of recording patient phone calls.
Join us as we explore the motivations, ethical considerations, and diverse perspectives surrounding this practice in general practice.
Did you know that most general practices are now recording patient phone calls? We start our journey by discussing this growing trend and the reasons behind its adoption.
As healthcare professionals, we often find ourselves grappling with questions about our own comfort with recorded phone calls. Listen in as our pharmacists share their personal insights, weighing the potential benefits against any reservations they may have.
But it doesn't stop there; we step into the shoes of patients too. How does this practice make them feel? We explore patient perspectives, understanding their concerns, and gauging the implications for trust and confidentiality.
Ethics hold a prominent position in our dialogue. Delve into the ethical considerations surrounding the recording of patient phone calls, as we discuss consent, autonomy, and the responsibilities of healthcare providers.
Picture this: What if there was a camera in the consultation room, capturing your entire visit? We delve into the possibilities of incorporating video recording into the mix and its potential impact on patient-clinician dynamics.
"The Pharmacist Will See You Now" offers an insightful and thought-provoking examination of "General Practices Recording Patient Phone Calls." Gain a deeper understanding of the ethical dimensions of this practice and the multifaceted perspectives of both healthcare professionals and patients alike.
Tune in for this enriching episode, as we navigate the intriguing world of healthcare communication and the implications of recording patient interactions.
If you've enjoyed today's episode, please give us a rating and a review on the podcast platform of your choice.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media: Twitter - @mypharmacisteam Instagram - @mypharmacistteam Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
So, I’ve got this patient #14 (Early prescription requests & Semaglutide injections)
Welcome to "So, I've Got This Patient," the podcast where two seasoned general practice pharmacists, Leah and David, share their experiences and expertise while discussing real-world patient scenarios.
In this episode, Leah faces a challenging situation when a patient requests out of stock semaglutide injectables. Join her as she navigates through managing patient expectations, exploring alternative solutions, and highlighting the significance of clear communication between healthcare professionals.
On the other side, David encounters a patient seeking their medication earlier than usual, sparking an engaging conversation about the problems associated with early ordering, patient wellbeing, and ensuring adherence.
Tune in to gain practical insights into patient care, learn about the adaptability required to be a pharmacist working in general practice, and understand the pivotal role pharmacists play in providing exceptional care to patients.
Whether you're a fellow healthcare professional, or a curious patient, "So, I've Got This Patient" promises to deliver valuable advice, thought-provoking discussions, and captivating anecdotes.
Join Leah and David on their journey to enhance patient outcomes and make a positive impact on general practice.
If you have enjoyed today's episode, or any of our other podcasts, please take the time to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast provider of choice. Five stars would be greatly welcomed!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow us on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam Instagram - @mypharmacistteam Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
[[From the archive]] - Is the pre-reg/trainee pharmacist exam fit for purpose?
This episode was originally released in May 2021.
In this special archival episode, we revisit the question: Is the Pre-Reg Exam truly fit for purpose?
Join us as we discuss the strengths, limitations, and potential improvements of the current pre-registration examination system.
Hear from experienced pre-reg tutors and practicing GP pharmacists, as they share insights on the exam's alignment with real-world pharmacy practice and its role in ensuring patient safety.
Tune in as we explore the future of pharmacy education and assessment, just in time for the announcement of trainee pharmacist exam results next week.
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If you have enjoyed today's episode, or any of our other podcasts, please take the time to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast provider of choice. Five stars would be greatly welcomed!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow us on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam Instagram - @mypharmacistteam Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
So, I’ve got this patient #13 (loop diuretics and swollen ankles)
It's that time of the week again, as we bring you two more patient scenarios from our panel of GP pharmacists.
Once again we're joined this week by Sue and John to discuss some real life patient scenarios.
John has a patient with erectile dysfunction who is being prescribed Invicorp. Sue discusses a patient she's working with who is trying to lose weight, which develops into a conversation around GLP1s.
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If you have enjoyed today's episode, or any of our other podcasts, please take the time to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast provider of choice. Five stars would be greatly welcomed!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow us on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam Instagram - @mypharmacistteam Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
We should do an episode on . . . Patient expectations; have they changed?
Back in May there was a story published in Management in Practice entitled:
“Police commissioner speaks to GPs about rising abuse from patients”.
The story detailed how Leicestershire Police and crime commissioner Rupert Matthews arranged a meeting with local GPs due to concerns about rising levels of abuse at practices, hoping to find a solution.
A Freedom of Information Act request carried out by Pulse (sister to management in practice) showed that for Leicestershire Police the number of callouts associated with violent behaviour at GP practices increased by 150% over the pandemic, jumping from 10 total callouts in 2019 to 25 in 2022.
And, over the same period, the number of recorded crimes for criminal damage and public order offenses increased by 80% and 50% respectively.
This comes on the back of a practice in the area, Oakham Medical Practice, removing its in person reception last May, because they decided the level of abuse it was experiencing was so extreme, the only safe option was to temporarily remove all reception staff from the front desk.
During a previous episode where we spoke about some of the challenges faced in community pharmacy that were leading to pharmacists leaving the sector, Leah and David Foster both used a term that I thought was interesting. "Patient expectations."
In particular, the fallout if expectations are not met. This was mainly in relation to community pharmacy, but many of the same issues exist in GP, just in a different way.
I therefore felt it would be interesting to ask two pharmacists for their thoughts on patient expectations. Luckily for us, we had two available to give their thoughts on the matter.
If you've enjoyed today's episode, please give us a rating and a review on the podcast platform of your choice.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media: Twitter - @mypharmacisteam Instagram - @mypharmacistteam Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
So, I’ve got this patient #12 (loop diuretics and swollen ankles)
It's that time of the week again, as we bring you two more patient scenarios from our panel of GP pharmacists.
This week we're joined by Sue and John to discuss some real life patient scenarios.
We have just the one scenario today, but it's a really interesting one. Sue describes a patient with swollen ankles being prescribed loop diuretics, who has now become housebound because they're worried about urinary incontinence.
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If you have enjoyed today's episode, or any of our other podcasts, please take the time to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast provider of choice. Five stars would be greatly welcomed!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow us on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam Instagram - @mypharmacistteam Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
We should do an episode on . . . Pharmacy First and Antimicrobial Resistance
Today's episode is split into separate, but related parts.
Part one will see us focusing on Pharmacy First. Last month, the prime minister Rishi Sunak unveiled plans to transform primary care, by announcing a £645m funding package for community pharmacy in order to allow pharmacists to prescribe medication for certain conditions in community pharmacy, without the need of GP approval first.
The scheme, which could be rolled out as early as this winter, is believed to free up over 15 million slots at GP surgeries over the next two years, and according to a poll conducted by the PSNC is widely backed by the public.
That’s part one.
Part two is about antimicrobial resistance. Following the announcement, a coalition of eminent scientists wrote an open letter to Rishi Sunak to urge caution against the pharmacy first policy, citing potential unintended consequences of the scheme, primarily antibiotic resistance.
Antibiotic resistance describes the situation when bacterial infections no longer respond to the antibiotic medicines used against them. It has already been estimated to cause over one million deaths worldwide in 2019; if no action is taken, this toll may rise to 10 million by 2050, resulting in a cumulative cost of $100 trillion (equal to last year’s global GDP) to the world economy
To summarise, antimicrobial resistance is rather important. . .
As is our usual custom, I asked for the thoughts of our pharmacist panel, this week comprising of David Foster and Leah, on these two topics.
If you've enjoyed today's episode, please give us a rating and a review on the podcast platform of your choice.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media: Twitter - @mypharmacisteam Instagram - @mypharmacistteam Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
So, I’ve got this patient #11 (two monthly blister packs, and shingles of the eye)
It's that time of the week again, as we bring you two more patient scenarios from our panel of GP pharmacists.
We're once again joined by pharmacists Leah, and David Foster.
Last weeks episode saw us trying to get to the bottom of why pharmacists are leaving community pharmacy, and next week we'll be looking at the Pharmacy first scheme. In the spirit of all things community pharmacy, Leah and David have both brought case studies relating to interactions with community pharmacy.
First up we have a pharmacist objecting to Leah's request for two monthly blister packs, and David concludes the episode with a fascinating and heartwarming story about a patient with shingles of the eye.
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If you have enjoyed today's episode, or any of our other podcasts, please take the time to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast provider of choice. Five stars would be greatly welcomed!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow us on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam Instagram - @mypharmacistteam Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
We should do an episode on . . . Why pharmacists are leaving community pharmacy
Following an announcement in May by the Department of Health and Social Care that it had met its target of 26k additional primary care staff, set in 2019, the Chief Executive of the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA), Malcolm Harrison stated “the corrosive impact of the ARRS scheme on community pharmacy must be stopped.” and demanded an immediate halt of ARRS recruitment of pharmacists into general practice.
Earlier in May, Malcolm Harrison had cited a report commissioned by the CCA showing that by 2024 eight years’ worth of growth of the pharmacist workforce will have been funnelled away from community pharmacies, something that the CCA had warned about more than a year ago.
When this story was uploaded online via the Chemist & Druggist, and other publications, it was met with a significant amount of pushback by pharmacists who had successfully moved from a role in community pharmacy to one in general practice. They cited harsh working conditions, lack of career development, and poor workplace wellbeing as reasons why they had left the sector and sought opportunities new.
In today's episode, featuring GP pharmacists Leah, and David, we ask a crucial question in response to the comments made by the CCA. Why are pharmacists leaving community pharmacy?
Leah and David have both made the switch from community to GP in recent years and so are extremely well placed to provide some insight to that important question.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to
www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam
Instagram - @mypharmacistteam
Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
So, I’ve got this patient #9 (Diabetic patient with triple figures HbA1c, and non-prescribing pharmacists)
It's that time of the week again, as we bring you two more patient scenarios from our panel of GP pharmacists.
Today we're joined by Leah, and David Foster.
Leah kicks us off with a confusing scenario involving a two year old letter from secondary care about a patient who may, or may not have AF. David then rounds off the episode by discussing a hydrocortisone injection for a child.
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If you have enjoyed today's episode, or any of our other podcasts, please take the time to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast provider of choice. Five stars would be greatly welcomed!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow us on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam Instagram - @mypharmacistteam Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
We should do an episode on . . . Prison Pharmacy
Today we have a new pharmacist on the panel. Our colleague David Foster, who joined our team following a stint working as a prison pharmacist. We therefore thought that it would be interesting to discuss David's time as a prison pharmacist.
How did he first get into the role? Did he enjoy it? What were the challenges?
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to
www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam
Instagram - @mypharmacistteam
Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
[[From the archive]] - The Pharmacy Apprenticeship
Earlier this month the BBC reported that apprentice doctors were being considered by the Government as a potential solution for the current NHS workforce crisis.
Apprentice doctors considered in radical NHS plan
The idea of apprenticeships for healthcare professionals has been mooted on multiple occasions over the past decade as the workforce crisis has worsened. Pharmacy is one of the roles on the table for a potential apprenticeship, the last discussions taking place in October 2022 and were at the time paused, not shelved.
Pharmacist apprenticeship talks ‘paused not shelved’ after ‘incredibly long delay'
Could a Pharmacy apprenticeship scheme replace, or sit alongside the Pharmacy Masters. For many the proposal is sacrosanct, and would hold back the profession. Others feel as though it would allow avenues into Pharmacy to those that had previously been unable to enter the profession.
We originally released this episode in June 2021, but with the recent announcements regarding a potential apprenticeship for Doctors, we thought it was worthwhile digging it out of the annals and revisiting the conversation with our panel of GP pharmacists.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to
www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam
Instagram - @mypharmacistteam
Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
We should do an episode on . . . Advanced Pharmacist Practice!!
Last month the Royal Pharmaceutical Society announced a plan to offer 300 fully funded places for the advanced pharmacist practitioner pathway, in conjunction with Health Education England.
With the recent changes made to the GP contract, and the network DES, patient access, and therefore patient appointments is now the primary priority for General Practices in England. What will that mean for pharmacists? At this stage it's hard to say. But one thing is for certain, it is sure to increase the clamour for more advanced pharmacist practitioners.
We therefore took the opportunity to find out a little more about the role of an advanced pharmacist practitioner, by chatting to our very own Sue Read, who currently works as an advanced practitioner in general practice.
The conversation turned out to raise many questions around the validity and long term viability of the role. Did Sue feel as though she was playing Doctor? Having now done the role for a decent period of time, and having 30+ years of experience as a pharmacist behind her, does she believe this role is an appropriate and effective use of her skills as a pharmacist? If there was a sufficient number of GPs available in England, would this role even be available?
Advanced practice, as with all GP pharmacist roles, is a new venture for the profession, and a deviation from the previous trajectory. With the current GP shortage, and pressures on general practice, pharmacists have been presented with a unique and tantalising opportunity to solidify their place in a sector that has long under utilised and under appreciated their skills. Is branching out into new and uncharted waters the best way to do this, or should pharmacists be focusing on what they do best, medicines. It's an interesting philosophical debate, and one we touch on in today's episode. We hope you enjoy, and we would love to hear your thoughts.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to
www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam
Instagram - @mypharmacistteam
Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
So, I’ve got this patient #9 (Diabetic patient with triple figures HbA1c, and non-prescribing pharmacists)
It's that time of the week again, as we bring you two more patient scenarios from our panel of GP pharmacists.
Today we're joined by Sue, and David.
Sue's role as an advanced practitioner in general practice means she is often faced with complex patients with complex needs. This week was no different as she encounters a patient with diabetes whose condition is in urgent need of attention, highlighted by a HbA1c that currently sits in triple figures. Sue grapples with the difficulty of balancing how best to approach this patient. Is fear the best tactic, compassion, a combination of both? Find out in today's episode.
Alongside Sue we have David. One of David's roles is to support and supervise more inexperienced pharmacists new to the world of general practice. He talks to Sue today to try and figure out how best to monitor and appraise the work of a non-prescriber in general practice.
If you have enjoyed today's episode, or any of our other podcasts, please take the time to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast provider of choice. Five stars would be greatly welcomed!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to
www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow us on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam
Instagram - @mypharmacistteam
Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
We should do an episode on . . . Leah Harvey!!
A few weeks back we did an episode on our friend and colleague, John Hoyte. Now, it's Leah's turn.
During today's episode, we ask Leah why she chose pharmacy as a career path, we hear about her first few years as a community pharmacist and her decision to move to general practice.
As 2019 ticked into 2020, Leah was preparing for her new role as the Covid-19 pandemic took hold of the UK, forcing Leah's first few months in a new GP position to be done remotely. We ask how that impacted her transition into general practice.
3 years on, and now a prescriber signing hundreds of prescriptions a week in a practice in Liverpool, what advice does Leah have for any aspiring pharmacists who aren't sure if a move to GP is the right one for them.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to
www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam
Instagram - @mypharmacistteam
Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
We should do an episode on . . . GP strikes and the impact on GP pharmacists
Last week just under 50k junior doctors embarked on a four day strike, as they continue to call for a pay rise because they say they have had a 26% real-terms salary cut over the past 15 years. Following on from industrial action taken in recent months by Nurses, Ambulance staff, Teachers, Civil Servants and Rail Workers, Junior Doctors were the next profession to feel they no longer had any choice but to stand on the picket line.
Following the release of the latest GP contract, in which general practice was set the unenviable task of providing any patient who contacts the surgery with either an appointment, or a viable alternative, there have been calls for GPs to take similar steps to that of junior doctors.
General Practice is under unprecedented levels of pressure, and the terms set out in the new contract have done nothing to provide GPs with the hope that those pressures are to be relieved any time soon. Whilst we may still be some way from all out GP strikes becoming a reality, the BMA have said that they cannot rule out actions such as closing surgeries for a day, or a temporarily imposed reduction in services.
During today's episode, we ask our pharmacists, Leah and John, for their thoughts on the potential knock on effect to GP pharmacists should GPs decide to take real world industrial action.
There have been concerns in some quarters that the gap left by striking GPs could put pharmacists in a vulnerable position, as practices may look to their pharmacist to fill appointments that would usually have been booked with a GP. How would John and Leah feel if they were put in that position?
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to
www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam
Instagram - @mypharmacistteam
Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
So, I’ve got this patient #8 (an 'urgent' Adaflex prescription, propranolol and asthma)
We've got two more patient scenarios, brought to you by our panel of GP pharmacists for your ears dear listener.
Today we're joined by Leah and John.
Leah's practice is a reliable source of unusual circumstances, and this week Leah brings us an ongoing scenario involving a Mum contacting the practice about her sons melatonin. The family are due to go on holiday to America in 5 days time, and the brand prescribed by the ADHD clinic doesn't appear on the formulary, nor has Leah ever come across it before.
Over in John's surgery, a patient phone call to review an asthma patients current treatment plan leads John dealing with what he describes as a triple threat. I'll let him elaborate . . .
If you have enjoyed today's episode, or any of our other podcasts, please take the time to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast provider of choice. Five stars would be greatly welcomed!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to
www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow us on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam
Instagram - @mypharmacistteam
Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
We should do an episode on . . . integration
Involving pharmacists in GP practice meetings aids integration of the role, study finds.
This was one of the findings from a study conducted by the British journal of general practice. If you're anything like us, I'm sure you're thinking, "yep, thanks Sherlock". However, there is value in studies like these, despite the slightly obvious headline finding.
Whilst pharmacists have been moving into GP roles in their thousands over the previous few years, very little literature exists exploring the integration of practice based pharmacist (PBP) roles.
On today's episode, we discuss the study and the findings, and give our thoughts on how best to integrate pharmacists into GP teams, and make pharmacists indispensable to general practice.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to
www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam
Instagram - @mypharmacistteam
Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
So, I’ve got this patient #7 (Challenging other healthcare professionals)
We've got two more patient scenarios, brought to you by our panel of GP pharmacists for your ears dear listener.
The focus of today's episode is simple. How do you challenge other healthcare professionals. Okay, maybe it's not so simple. But that's why we're discussing it.
As a pharmacist, or any HCP for that matter, and you come across a clinical decision made by another HCP, what is the best way of challenging their decision?
David and Sue are today's panel, and both have worked in senior roles in general practice, so are perfectly placed to discuss the potential pitfalls of this particular scenario. Peer support and feedback is crucial for the development of any HCP. But there are certainly ways in which to do it effectively, and ways in which to not do it effectively.
If you have enjoyed today's episode, or any of our other podcasts, please take the time to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast provider of choice. Five stars would be greatly welcomed!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to
www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow us on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam
Instagram - @mypharmacistteam
Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
We should do an episode on . . . John Hoyte!!
We have a really special episode to bring you this week.
We put our colleague, friend, and perennial podcast performer John Hoyte under the TPWSYN spotlight.
John moved to general practice from community pharmacy a few years ago, and has subsequently gone on to play a crucial role in the practices he's worked in.
Today, we take a deep dive into John's career to date, finding out why he became a pharmacist in the first place, his motivation for moving into a general practice position, what he feels he's learnt during that time, and his advice for anyone wanting to make the switch themselves.
For any new or aspiring GP pharmacists, or any pharmacy students, this is an engaging and informative listen.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to
www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:
Twitter - @mypharmacisteam
Instagram - @mypharmacistteam
Tik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
So I've got this patient #6 (Citalopram and difficulty sleeping)
We've got two more patient scenarios, brought to you by our panel of GP pharmacists for your ears dear listener.
This week sees John discussing a telephone encounter with an elderly patient with a recently bereaved son, and a max dose of citalopram. Sue has an interesting discussion around treating a patient who is having difficulty sleeping.
If you have enjoyed today's episode, or any of our other podcasts, please take the time to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast provider of choice. Five stars would be greatly welcomed!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow us on social media:Twitter - @mypharmacisteamInstagram - @mypharmacistteamTik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
We should do an episode on . . . difficult to engage patients
On last weeks "So, I've got this patient. . ." our pharmacists all brought case study examples of patient's they've found hard to engage.
We thought it was therefore a pertinent opportunity to discuss this topic in greater detail. This week, Leah, Sue, and John describe some of the repercussions of disengagement for patients, as well as highlighting reasons why some patients can be hard to engage.
We also take the time to acknowledge the anxiety disengagement can cause for clinicians, and the burden of responsibility that is placed on all healthcare professions.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:Twitter - @mypharmacisteamInstagram - @mypharmacistteamTik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
So, I’ve got this patient . . . #5 - (Difficult to engage patients)
On next weeks 'we should do an episode on' we'll be asking the panel about difficult to engage patients, and the tricky subject of compliance/concordance.
So, on this weeks episode, all of our pharmacists have brought patient scenarios with them that see them trying to engage with challenging patients. John has a patient who nobody at the surgery had spoken to since 2021 but was receiving monthly repeats, Leah's surgery scrambles to see a patient on the rare occasion they enter the waiting room unannounced.
And finally, Sue has 3 warfarin patients whose compliance (or concordance) continues to elude her.
If you have enjoyed today's episode, or any of our other podcasts, please take the time to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast provider of choice. Five stars would be greatly welcomed!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow us on social media:Twitter - @mypharmacisteamInstagram - @mypharmacistteamTik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
Meet your general practice team
In this week's discussion episode we’ll be taking a look into a very interesting campaign from an NHS team based in the North East designed to raise awareness of the different clinical disciplines in general practice, as well as explaining the roles of administrative and reception staff.
The 'meet your general practice team campaign followed on from another similar exercise by Humberside LMC called ‘we are primary care’.
We first came across the campaign via a story in management in practice entitled 'Local NHS team raises awareness of primary care roles through patient campaign' (link below):
https://managementinpractice.com/news/local-nhs-team-raises-awareness-of-primary-care-roles-through-patient-campaign/
We'll be asking our panel of pharmacists for their thoughts on the campaign, and the importance of patients and clinicians properly understanding the skills of the HCPs working in general practice.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:Twitter - @mypharmacisteamInstagram - @mypharmacistteamTik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
Case Study #4
Every other week our GP pharmacists will bring a case study from their work to be discussed and debated by the panel. They'll each be asking their fellow pharmacists for their opinions and guidance on a range of clinical queries that have arisen from their work in general practice.
This week, our panel is down to two, but what a two they are.
First up is John, who brings us a fascinating and heart wrenching case study involving an elderly bereaved patient suffering from the effects of Takotsubo, otherwise known as broken heart syndrome.
Alongside John we have Leah, who describes an interaction with the ARRS funded paramedic working in her practice, which leads us nicely into a conversation about the new and different roles in general practice.
If you have enjoyed today's episode, or any of our other podcasts, please take the time to leave us a review and a rating on the podcast provider of choice. Five stars would be greatly welcomed!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow us on social media:Twitter - @mypharmacisteamInstagram - @mypharmacistteamTik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
Patient centred care and indemnity insurance
We recorded this episode back in September 2021 and have kept it under lock and key until now. We've blown the dust off the recording and uploaded it for your listening pleasure.
Now, you may be worried that it's on the slightly drier end of the subject spectrum, but don't be fooled by the title of today's episode, there's plenty of juicy content to get your teeth into.
Our pharmacist panel, this week consisting of Sue, John and Jonny, discuss the role indemnity insurance plays in the life of a GP pharmacist, how it can impact decisions pharmacists (and other HCPs) make about patient care, and what mechanisms our panel have developed to protect HCPs whilst providing patient centred care.
Remember, as Sue says, "whilst it's important to consider the risks of prescribing, it's equally as important to consider the risks of not prescribing."
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:Twitter - @mypharmacisteamInstagram - @mypharmacistteamTik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
From the archive!
Due to a technical error, this weeks episode (Case Study #4) hasn't recorded to a sufficient enough quality for release. Rather than leaving our loyal listeners without their weekly fix of TPWSYN podcast, we have dug up an episode recorded all the way back in April 2021.
2 years on from the advent of ARRS funded PCN 'Clinical Pharmacists' we decided to ask a question we felt had been lacking during the broader discourse. What exactly is a 'clinical' pharmacist?
Below is the original episode description. . .
Over the past few years the term 'clinical pharmacist' has started to become a regular feature on NHS and other healthcare organisations documentation. The term appears to be specifically in reference to general practice pharmacists, and suggests a potential disparity in the dynamics of pharmacy roles across different sectors.
In official NHS parlance, the title is commonly used when referring to pharmacists working in primary care network roles, as part of the additional roles reimbursement scheme available to general practice, and funded by NHS England.
So today, we're asking, what is a 'clinical pharmacist'? Where has the title come from, what are the potential implications when using different titles within the same profession, and is it insulting to other pharmacists not working in general practice?
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:Twitter - @mypharmacisteamInstagram - @mypharmacistteamTik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
Case Study #3
Today's episode was recorded back in October 2022, and sees our panel discussing case studies from their work as practice based pharmacists.
Every other week our panel of GP pharmacists will bring a case study from their work to be discussed and debated.
This week, Leah discusses a complicated patient with Diabetes, Sue deals with a non-compliant DOAC patient, and David would like to discuss holiday prescribing.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:Twitter - @mypharmacisteamInstagram - @mypharmacistteamTik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
The UK's mental health crisis
This episode contains topics and anecdotes that may be triggering to some listeners. Discussions about depression, anxiety and suicide throughout.
Since 2005, every third Monday of the year has been dubbed Blue Monday after a UK based travel company (Sky Travel) claimed it to be the most depressing day of the year. Whilst the advent of Blue Monday was almost certainly a marketing ploy, in 2023 it falls at a particularly difficult and challenging time for the majority of UK citizens, and gives us all an opportunity to recognise the importance of managing our mental health.
Our panel recorded this episode back in August 2021 in order to discuss how the mental health crisis was impacting their roles in general practice. We felt as though the themes discussed in the episode, despite being almost 18 months old, were as relevant now as they were then.
Our pharmacists describe experiences they've had of dealing with patients suffering from ill mental health, the guilt of having nowhere to refer complex patients on to, and suggestions for improving the current state of mental health treatment in the NHS.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:Twitter - @mypharmacisteamInstagram - @mypharmacistteamTik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
How does media coverage of general practice impact our work?
‘Inaccurate and unfair’ negative media coverage of GPs in UK newspapers is ‘contributing to workforce stress and the retention crisis’. That was the findings of a report by the British Journal of General Practice.
On today's episode our panel of GP pharmacists discuss how general practice is presented in the media, the accuracy of reporting, and the impact that has on their day to day work.
Incidents of abuse from patients, both verbal and physical, are on the rise, and the good will general practice had gained during the early months of the pandemic has long dissipated.
Is there an eagerness by certain elements of the media to villainize GPs? If so, why, and what impact does that have on a patient's willingness to engage with their healthcare professionals. All in todays episode!
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:Twitter - @mypharmacisteamInstagram - @mypharmacistteamTik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
Case Study #2
Today's episode was recorded back in September, and sees our panel discussing case studies from their work as practice based pharmacists.
Every other week our panel of GP pharmacists will bring a case study from their work to be discussed and debated.
This week, we have John, Leah and David discussing a HRT patient booked in for a routine call, a patient who is difficult to engage, and a patient wanting to stop Clopidogrel because they didn't know why they were taking it.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:Twitter - @mypharmacisteamInstagram - @mypharmacistteamTik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
World Health Organisation Patient Safety Day - Medicines Safety
The WHO's patient safety day calls for global solidarity and concerted action by all countries and international partners to improve patient safety. This years (on 17th September, yes we know we're a bit late) theme was medicines safety. https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-patient-safety-day
We therefore felt that given our panel is made up of experts in medicine, this was an ideal topic for discussion.
Our panel of pharmacists discuss floored medication processes and the risks involved, as well as human factors such as fatigue, poor environmental conditions or staff shortages.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:Twitter - @mypharmacisteamInstagram - @mypharmacistteamTik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
Case Study #1
This was the first episode we recorded after our time away from the microphones as we debuted our new format, the case study episode.
Every other week our panel of GP pharmacists will bring a case study from their work to be discussed and debated.
This week, we have John, Leah and Sue discussing a complex mental health query, a heart failure patient, and a temporary patient visiting from the USA.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:Twitter - @mypharmacisteamInstagram - @mypharmacistteamTik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
Automatic patient access, good idea or bad idea?
We are back! After a 15 month hiatus, TPWSYN podcast returns.
Is the decision to allow NHS patients to access their prospective GP medical records via the NHS app a good idea, or a bad idea? That's the question we're asking today.
Our host Dan asks the opinions of this weeks practice pharmacist panel, Sue, David and Leah.
We recorded this episode back in October, at which time the big switch on date was still 1st November. That has subsequently been delayed to 30th November.
Today's episode is brought to you in association with the My Pharmacist Team App, the UK's first peer to peer support app for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and trainee pharmacists working in general practice.
Find out more information by heading to www.mypharmacistteam.co.uk
Or follow on social media:Twitter - @mypharmacisteamInstagram - @mypharmacistteamTik Tok - @mypharmacistteam
Episode Twenty One - Drug Shortages
If you've ever had to deal with a medication shortage, you'll know how stressful it can be trying to source alternatives. Whether you're a patient or a practitioner, timely drug availability is essential to the everyday function of the NHS. When they suddenly become unavailable, pharmacists often have to work hard trying to pick the safest and most effective alternative - using our expertise to make sure that patient care is compromised as little as possible
In this episode, John, Jonny and David get together to discuss common reasons why medications become unavailable and drawing on their own experiences of when this has happened and how they as pharmacists helped to solve these problems.
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1 and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website: www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Twenty - News Roundup #2
Today is our second instalment of our monthly news roundup, featuring recent stories from the pharmacy and healthcare world from the last few weeks for our panel to discuss.
In today's episode we'll be discussing the following:
- Anti-obesity drive: Junk food TV adverts to be banned before 9pm
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-57593599
- Government announce public consultation on raising the prescription charge exemption age
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/aligning-the-upper-age-for-nhs-prescription-charge-exemptions-with-the-state-pension-age
- Boots CEO claims primary care ‘disappeared’ during pandemic
https://managementinpractice.com/news/boots-ceo-apologises-after-claiming-primary-care-disappeared-during-pandemic/
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1 and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Nineteen - Health Inequalities
A recent headline from Management in Practice read 'New primary care recruits likely to be ‘skewed’ toward wealthier areas, report warns'. (story below)
https://managementinpractice.com/news/new-primary-care-recruits-likely-to-be-skewed-toward-wealthier-areas-report-warns/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mip%20bulletin
With the pandemic once again exposing inequalities that exist within our society, we took the opportunity to discuss the potential fallout of misapplication of NHSE funds within primary care networks, and how they may pertain to the exacerbation of health inequalities.
Our pharmacist panel discuss the differences in patient need that they've found working across contrasting socioeconomic areas, and the suggestions we have to improve the availability of required services.
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1 and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Eighteen - News Roundup
Today is the first episode of a new format we'll be exploring on the podcast. Every other episode we will be featuring a news roundup. Each of us will bring a story along to the episode for discussion amongst the panel.
In today's episode we'll be discussing the following:
- The Government wants to sell your GP records
https://bylinetimes.com/2021/05/19/the-government-wants-to-sell-your-gp-medical-records-heres-how-to-opt-out/
- Data points to rapid growth in PCN pharmacist workforce
https://www.pharmacymagazine.co.uk/data-points-to-rapid-growth-in-pcn-pharmacist-workforce
- Vaccine passports would encourage over a third of unvaccinated to get covid jab
https://managementinpractice.com/news/vaccine-passports-would-encourage-over-a-third-of-unvaccinated-to-get-covid-jab-survey-finds/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mip%20bulletin
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1 and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Seventeen
It is a proposal that has been mooted on multiple occasions across the past few years. Could a Pharmacy apprenticeship scheme replace, or sit alongside the Pharmacy Masters. For many the proposal is sacrosanct, and would hold back the profession. Others feel as though it would allow avenues into Pharmacy to those that had previously been unable to enter the profession. For now the proposed discussions have been shelved due to Covid-19, but it's sure to be on the table again some time soon.
This weeks episode sees the panel discuss their feelings about the apprenticeship scheme, and whether it's appropriate for the future of Pharmacy.
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1 and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Sixteen
The 2019/2020 Pre-Registration Pharmacist cohort recently finished their long wait to become qualified Pharmacists. The provisionally registered Pharmacists, or pro-reg as they became known, had their original 2020 exam delayed due to Covid-19. The process caused no end of controversy amongst Pharmacists, and caused some to raise the question as to whether or not the pre-registration exam for for pharmacists is fit for purpose.
We took this opportunity to discuss the topic between us.
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1 and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Fifteen
The pandemic has changed all of our usual working practices. Almost overnight the entire country reverted to home working, and in most parts, has been doing so for the last 13 months. Of course, some professions were still required to attend their workplace, including our colleagues in community pharmacy. Challenges were presented in both scenarios, and as a country we were forced to adjust to the greatest change we'd experienced in our working lives.
Today, Jonny, John, Sue and Dan discuss how the pandemic has changed their working life, the influence it's had on their work/life balance, and whether or not their view of Pharmacy as a profession has been altered. There is also discussion about what they would and wouldn't like to see remain in place once the pandemic is over.
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1 and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Fourteen
Back in April 2020, the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) founded the LGBT+ Pharmacists' network. The LGBT+ Pharmacists' Network concerns itself with issues of special relevance to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender pharmacists within the UK.
We are joined by Jayne Love, the PDA Lead on Equalities, who coordinates the network, alongside Vimal Patel, a pharmacist and member of the PDA LGBT+ network.
Today's episode sees two of the wider Ashburton team, Lauren Keatley-Hayes, and David Wright, speaking with Jayne and Vimal, about why the network was set up, as well as discriminatory behaviour the panelists have experienced, and also offer some suggestions for how the network and the wider pharmacy community can help.
If you want to find out more about the LGBT+ network, follow the link here https://www.the-pda.org/get-involved/networks/lgbt/
You can find Jayne and Vimal on Twitter @JaynethePDAU1 @v1_mal
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1 and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Thirteen
Over the past few years the term 'clinical pharmacist' has started to become a regular feature on NHS and other healthcare organisations documentation. The term appears to be specifically in reference to general practice pharmacists, and suggests a potential disparity in the dynamics of pharmacy roles across different sectors.
In official NHS parlance, the title is commonly used when referring to pharmacists working in primary care network roles, as part of the additional roles reimbursement scheme available to general practice, and funded by NHS England.
So today, we're asking, what is a 'clinical pharmacist'? Where has the title come from, what are the potential implications when using different titles within the same profession, and is it insulting to other pharmacists not working in general practice?
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1 and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Twelve
Earlier this month, The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) started a consultation process in order to potentially reclassify certain contraceptive medicines, in order to permit their sale as an over-the-counter medication. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56054265
Dan asks Jon, Sue, and Jonny what their thoughts on this potential change to the way many women receive their contraception.
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1 and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Eleven
Sue and Dan are joined today by Khalid Khan from Imaan Healthcare, a group of over 50 Community Pharmacies, Areej Yusuf, and Owen Brown, two Pre-Registration Pharmacists currently partaking in a split placement between community pharmacy and general practice.
We ask Areej and Owen to give us the lowdown on their pre-reg experience so far, the pros and cons of a split placement, as well as the impact Covid has had on their most unique of pre-reg years.
If you're a current pre-reg pharmacist, or a 3rd, or 4th year Pharmacy student, this episode is one for you.
If you want to find out more about Imaan Healthcare, head over to their website https://www.imaanhealthcare.com/ or find them on Twitter @ImaanHealthcare
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Ten
In November 2020, Nicola Davies, Kay Keane, Robyn Clark, and Jo Wadey grouped together via practice index following the oversight of practice managers as part of the golden hello partner scheme. A month later, they founded The Institute for General Practice Management (IGPM). The IGPM was formed with the aim of being recognised as the professional body that represents all managers working within general practice in the United Kingdom.
In a special episode, we speak to Nicola and Kay, about why they set up the IGPM, what they hope to achieve, and the importance of skilled and respected practice managers in general practice.
To find out more about the IGPM, then head to their website: https://igpm.org.uk/
Or find them on Twitter @TheIGPM
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website
www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Nine
Back in November we discussed Vaccines. At that time, the Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccines were still awaiting MHRA approval. As of today, 10th February, the UK is rapidly approaching it's Government set target of 15 million vaccinations by mid February, so we thought this would be the perfect opportunity to revisit the topic. Since the start of January, our Pharmacy team has assisted vaccine hubs in Liverpool, St. Helens, and Cheshire, providing over 600 hours of clinical support.
You can read more about Ashburton's involvement in the Covid-19 vaccine rollout, by following the link below:
https://practicepharmacistblog218502672.wordpress.com/2021/01/19/covid-19-vaccine-programme-begins/
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website
www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Eight
The NHS is a vast and complex organisation, made up of anywhere between 1.4 million and 1.7 million employees, treating upwards of 65 million patients. Due to its complexities, there can often be difficulties in transferring information between the different parts of the NHS.
In today's episode, we discuss NHS Silos, what are they, the problems they create for clinicians and patients, as well as discussing potential solutions.
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website
www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Seven
Winter is always the busiest period for healthcare providers in the UK. Today's discussion focuses on why that is, what solutions we think might help, and what patients can do to assist in the process.
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website
www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Six
What are the drug regulations in the UK?
Why do they exist?
Are they an effective way of treating and protecting people?
In today's episode, we answer all of the above, whilst also touching on the misuse of drugs, and how a radical overhaul of the current drug legislation, may seek to improve what is an ever growing public health issue.
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website
www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Five!
It's all everyone is talking about at the moment.
Vaccines.
It's a topic so many know of, but not that many know about. So we thought it would be worth us trying to shed some light, from the perspective of pharmacists. We discuss the involvement our team has had in various vaccines, the impact of the covid-19 vaccine on our role in general practice, as well as discussing the complicated world of anti-vaxxers.
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
If you want to find out more about Ashburton Prescribing, head over to our website
www.ashburtonprescribing.com
Episode Four!
Today our panel of practice pharmacists discuss the non medical prescribing course. A postgraduate qualification that can be taken by Pharmacists, Nurses, Physiotherapists and other clinicians, in order to allow them to safely prescribe medications to patients.
We discuss what the course actually entails, both clinically and logistically, from the perspective of pharmacists who have previously studied on the course, as well as a pharmacist from our team currently studying, and two pharmacists acting as prescribing mentors.
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
Episode Three!
In the third episode, our panel of practice pharmacists discuss how the pandemic has impacted their role day to day, as well as the disruption it has caused to general practice more broadly.
It's also an opportunity to discuss any potentially positive changes that may come out of this once in a generation event.
You can find us on Twitter @PharmacistPodc1and don't forget to use the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindYourPrescriptions
Episode Two
This is the second part of our introductory episode. We will be continuing our discussion about what our team do in general practice, as well as touching on patient centred approaches to care, and our team answer the most important question of all. . ."If you could be any medication, what would you be?"
We will be using this podcast as a platform to promote Pharmacists, with a particular focus on their role in general practice.
You can find us on Twitter @AshburtonPC come and get involved by using the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindThePrescriptions
It's episode one!!!!
Welcome to the first episode of The Pharmacist will see you now Podcast. In today's episode we will be introducing our panel of Pharmacists, Sue, John, Jonny, Lauren and Andy.
They will be discussing how they came to be here, what it is they do in general practice every day, and dispelling some myths about Pharmacists.
We will be using this podcast as a platform to promote Pharmacists, with a particular focus on their role in general practice.
You can find us on Twitter @AshburtonPC come and get involved by using the hashtag #ThePeopleBehindThePrescriptions