Safety recommendation
It is recommended that the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, supported by NHS England and NHS Improvement, should provide guidance on models of hospital clinical pharmacy provision. The guidance should provide information on the models’ ability to enhance safety and healthcare resilience and include consideration of the appropriate skill mix and experience within the clinical pharmacy team.
Response:
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society welcomes HSIB’s report.
We are the professional body for pharmacy with a mission to put pharmacy at the forefront of healthcare, and our vision is to be the world leader in the safe and effective use of medicines.
Through our Hospital Expert Advisory Group we will work with the NHS to support the recommendations made, which we believe will reduce variability and underpin patient safety.
Clinical Ward pharmacy is an important part of the "safety net" in operation in hospital. In addition to improved understanding, definition and guidance on models of care, it is important to instil a culture where everyone constantly questions the medicines that are being prescribed and administered, and the reasons why.
We will develop professional guidance on models of hospital clinical pharmacy provision, to define the work of hospital clinical pharmacy teams.
Response received on 16 December 2020.