Events Held
Workload Pressures and the Pharmacy Workforce: Supporting Professionals and Protecting the Public
RPSGB and Pharmacy Practice Research Trust Joint Symposium, 28th & 29th April 2009
This symposium, held jointly by RPSGB and the Pharmacy Practice Research Trust,
focused on workload pressures and implications for patient safety in pharmacy.
In a profession that is rapidly evolving, the need to harness existing knowledge to identify
what more can be done to improve the working lives of pharmacists and their staff, for the benefit of their patients, is a priority issue for the leaders of the profession.
Bringing together key stakeholders from pharmaceutical, academic and commercial
backgrounds the event sought to:
- share current research findings on workforce, job satisfaction, health policy and organisational and employer policies on stress and work-life balance;
- hear evidence of real cases of stress and its consequences in pharmacy; and,
- identify key areas for collective action.
Please see below for the event programme and presentations:
The Future of Pharmacy Practice Research: The Case for a National Research Strategy - Thursday 6th November 2008
The White Paper for Pharmacy, Pharmacy in England - Building on strengths - delivering the future, clearly indicates that research underpinning both clinical and commissioning decisions for pharmacy needs to be strengthened. Indeed the need for further development of the evidence base across all devolved administrations is clearly stated in the strategies for pharmaceutical care in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
There is a great deal of aspiration within the various strategies of all countries of the UK, around the place of research informing workforce, education, practice and commissioning and a commitment to explore how best to create a clearer framework for the evaluation of pharmacy services in terms of quality, improved patient outcomes and value for money.
Pharmacy needs to lead on a strategic approach and to research across sectors and the support networks and resources required to make this happen.
Managing and Marketing Public Health: engaging with the public to achieve lifestyle change - 30th April 2008
Through its objectives the Trust aims to provide opportunities for key stakeholders to develop a shared research and education agenda and promote interprofessional working. The delivery of public health services across health, social care and the voluntary sector means that educational initiatives and best practice should be a shared agenda across professions. The Trust is keen to promote this concept and therefore hosted an evening lecture and reception at the Royal Institute of Public Health attended by a wide range of delegates across different disciplines.
The evening was chaired by Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, Chair, Royal Institute of Public Health & President, UK Faculty of Public Health.
Please see below for the event programme and presentations:
"What’s wrong with them…?" thoughts on changing behaviour in a healthier directionProfessor Anne Murcott: Special Professor, Institute for Science & Society, University of Nottingham
Language and persuasion in healthcare campaignsMr Richard Featherstone: Course Director, Chartered Institute of Marketing
Achieving & sustaining positive behaviours - social marketing bringing renewed energy and drive to our effortsMr Clive Blair-Stevens: Director of Strategy and Operations, National Social Marketing Centre
Please note the information contained within the presentations remains the intellectual property of the presenters and may only be used if appropriately referenced.
The Building Blocks of Research Capacity - 5th December 2007
The Trustees recognise that as in any field of academic endeavour, the quality of the research produced relies heavily upon the availability of a properly equipped research workforce. The Trustees are therefore committed to supporting the development and training of the research workforce, particularly in pharmacy practice based research groups.
To this end the Trust has a specific programme of training bursaries and research grants. These grants and bursaries continue to develop and benefit not only the individual pharmacists (academic career pathways, development to specialist status etc.) but also to create a body of important evidence, knowledge and skills that is now supporting major change in community pharmacy practice and the wider healthcare settings.
In recognition of the value of these schemes and the impact that they have had on both individual careers and the pharmacy practice research agenda, the Trust, in collaboration with the Society, hosted an event to celebrate the successes of the above schemes and the individuals who have participated in them. Those invited had the opportunity to network with a mix of award and bursary holders (past and present), senior academics, policy makers, trustees & RPSGB council members.
Sharing Knowledge: Ethics in Healthcare - 19th September 2007
"Pharmacists have to move away from a culture of paternalism to one which embraces the wider focus of multiprofessional working and increasing patient and public expectations but changing the ethos of professionalism is a challenge, not only for pharmacists, but for all healthcare professionals" said Ann Lewis, recently retired RPS Registrar.
Speaking at a dinner organised by the Pharmacy Practice Research Trust to discuss the changing face of professional ethics in healthcare and the research that the Trust has commissioned in this area, she went on to say that as pharmacists become more involved in complex patient care pathways and a widening professional team, they may be faced with having to make an increasing number of ethical decisions which will affect both patient and professional colleague relationships.
The event was attended by leading academic ethicists, chief executives of healthcare regulatory bodies plus Trust and Society guests.
Implementation of the community pharmacy contractual framework: acting on the findings of the national evaluation - 10th May 2007
