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Pharmacy In Practice Podcast

Pharmacy In Practice Podcast

By Pharmacy in Practice

Comment, analysis and interviews from UK Pharmacy
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Is the collaborative care model the next big thing in pharmacy?

Pharmacy In Practice Podcast Feb 10, 2024

00:00
55:13
Is the collaborative care model the next big thing in pharmacy?

Is the collaborative care model the next big thing in pharmacy?

I was very pleased to be joined by Paul Forsyth and Barry Maguire to discuss the application of the collaborative care model in pharmacy. Paul, Barry and I explore how the collaborative care model may be applied to the pharmacy profession. Alienation, detachment general demoralisation and isolation are all consequences of pharmacists not feeling truly empowered to work autonomously in their role. Key questions discussed

  • What is the value of collaboration in the workplace?
  • How can the profession of pharmacy promote collaboration and autonomy among its members to improve job satisfaction and patient care?
  • How can the profession of pharmacy address the issue of alienation and anxiety among its members?
  • What is the impact of the changing roles in pharmacy on job satisfaction and professional identity?
  • Why is debate and discussion about values and identity important?

Read the full paper below

The Collaborative Care Model: Realizing healthcare values and increasing responsiveness in the pharmacy workforce

Feb 10, 202455:13
Will pharmacy ever learn from its mistakes?

Will pharmacy ever learn from its mistakes?

Georgia C. Richards DPhil (Oxon), BSc (Hons I) is a research fellow at the University of Oxford. We sat down to discuss fundamentally why healthcare, and specifically pharmacy, appears to be consistently poor at reporting, sharing and learning from significant and fatal incidents involving patients.


  • EBM Special Study Theme (SST) Lead for the undergraduate medical school, CEBM
  • Research Fellow, ODI
  • Associate Editor, BMJ EBM
  • Fellow, RROx

Georgia coordinates and teaches Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) and systematic review modules for the undergraduate Medical School. She has a Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil/PhD) in Epidemiology from the University of Oxford (2021) and expertise in quantitative observational research, open data, open science and evidence synthesis. Georgia's list of publications is here

Georgia founded and leads the Preventable Deaths Tracker. She is an Open Data Institute (ODI) Research Fellow, an Associate Editor of BMJ Evidence Based Medicine, a Fellow of Reproducible Research Oxford (RROx), Centre for Open Science (COS) Ambassador, a member of the Catalogue of Bias Collaboration, on the Steering Group for the Declaration to Improve Health Research, and a founding member of the Transparent & Open Research Collaboration in Health (TORCH).

Georgia welcomes supervision queries from undergraduate and graduate students on taught and research programmes who are interested in pursuing research in the following areas: 

  • patient safety, preventable deaths, and harms in healthcare 
  • pharmaco-epidemiology and pharmaco-device-vigilance
  • open science, open data, and meta-research 

Georgia also welcomes contributions to the Preventable Deaths Tracker and Oxford Catalogue of Opioids.


Here are some links I mentioned in the podcast.

  1. https://preventabledeathstracker.net/
  2. Substack newsletter: https://preventabledeaths.substack.com/
  3. Opioid deaths: https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdad147
  4. Medicine deaths: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40264-023-01274-8
  5. Responses using FOI’s https://doi.org/10.1007/s40264-017-0588-0
  6. SR of medicine-related PFDs: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40290-023-00486-8
  7. Impact of covid on medicine-related deaths: https://www.bps.ac.uk/publishing/pharmacology-matters/august-2022/pandemics,-pharmacology,-and-preventable-deaths
  8. Deaths during covid: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjebm-2021-111834
  9. The BJGP podcast on the private prescribing of opioids I mentioned came out last week which may be of interest: https://www.bjgplife.com/143

 

Dec 05, 202344:47
Will pharmacists be replaced by artificial intelligence?

Will pharmacists be replaced by artificial intelligence?

We were delighted to welcome Yasmin Karsan to the podcast to chat all things artificial intelligence.


Episode Synopsis

Johnathan and Yasmin discuss the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning on pharmacy practice. They acknowledged the difficulty in fully understanding this technology and its potential impact on the industry, including the existential questions it raises. Despite this, they express excitement for the possibilities that AI and machine learning can bring to pharmacy practice. They also discuss the challenges faced by community pharmacy in the wider NHS system and the need for better communication, stakeholder engagement, and technology.

Yasmin shares her entrepreneurial journey, including her experience in an accelerator program that helped her find a co-founder and develop an idea for a private prescribing tool to support pharmacies. She also discusses her current focus on developing a pharmacogenomics business using AI to target patients in a precise way. Karsan acknowledges the challenges of innovating in healthcare, including the resistance to change in the industry and the paternalistic mindset that can still exist. She also highlights the importance of networking and learning from experts in different fields when building a business.

Yasmin and Johnathan explore the potential benefits and challenges of incorporating AI in healthcare. They discuss the concerns around data privacy and bias, and the importance of recognizing and mitigating biases in AI. They also touch on the need for clinicians to oversee AI in healthcare to ensure that biased information or decisions are not being made.

They also discuss the potential risks and red flags of AI and technology, including the issue of bias and the lack of control over personal data and privacy. Overall, they emphasize the need for awareness and vigilance in the face of unknown unknowns.

Nov 02, 202349:29
Janice Perkins on how to lead in pharmacy

Janice Perkins on how to lead in pharmacy

We were delighted to be joined by Janice Perkins to chat about the current state of UK pharmacy. 

Janice has over 30 years of leadership experience in community pharmacy.  She’s the former Superintendent Pharmacist of Well Pharmacy, responsible for patient safety & well-being, regulatory & professional standards and delivery of the NHS contractual framework and services.

A key part of the role was ensuring colleagues were clear about their developing role within community pharmacy and using every opportunity to instill pride, passion and professionalism throughout the business.

A Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, Janice is Chair of the Community Pharmacy Patient Expert Advisory Group, a Visiting Professor in Community Pharmacy at Keele University and until recently was the Chair of the Community Pharmacy Patient Safety Group.

Janice is a former board member of the Company Chemists’ Association and the PSNC Committee member.

Feb 22, 202353:01
Scottish community pharmacy prescribes the right medicine

Scottish community pharmacy prescribes the right medicine

Leadership in Scottish Community pharmacy circles has been alive and kicking for some years now. The policy document 'The Right Medicine' published back in February 2002 was a seminal moment for Scottish community pharmacy and paved the way for the way pharmaceutical care has evolved north of the border. In the heady days just after Scottish devolution Chief Pharmaceutical Officier Bill Scott pushed through this plan to allow pharmacists and their teams in Scotland to allow patients in Scotland to realise the benefits of pharmaceutical care. 

"The Right Medicine: a strategy for pharmaceutical care in Scotland" was published on 4 February. It aims to help people to get the maximum benefit from their medicines. It outlines the way in which pharmacists and the Scottish Executive will work with stakeholders to improve public health; provide better access to care; deliver better quality services for people; and develop the pharmaceutical profession."

So it seems appropriate that just over two decades on years on we chat with the boss of one of the community pharmacy chains that grew out of this period of Scottish political and community pharmacy history. 

This interview is with Richard Stephenson. Richard has been Chief Operating Officer at Right Medicine Pharmacy for approximately 13 years. He is also Managing Director of the buying group Edinpharm and leads his own consultancy business, R5 Consult. 

In addition to these roles Richard also gives his time voluntarily to a number of worthy causes not least his role as Trustee at the Children's Panel. 

The team at Right Medicine Pharmacy began their journey in 2000 when business partners Jonathan Burton MBE and Noel Wicks took over the Campus Pharmacy at the University of Stirling. Since then the group has grown in size to 35 Pharmacies and over 250 team members. Right Medicine Pharmacy is now considered to be one of the most progressive and cutting-edge pharmacy service providers in Scotland.

References

Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates

Jan 28, 202355:15
It's been a while...

It's been a while...

Trevor Gore and I return with an introductory podcast revealing our plans for 2023.

We’ll rattle through the UK pharmacy news, catch up on stories beyond pharmacy and discuss our monthly featured interview.

It will hopefully be a lot of fun.


Dec 16, 202232:51
Are patient group directions holding pharmacists back?

Are patient group directions holding pharmacists back?

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?

Professor Harry McQuillan

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.

Siddiqur Rahman

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.

Professor Derek Evans

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.

Farzana Haq

GP pharmacist

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


Nov 17, 202101:17:17
Debate: The Future of Community Pharmacy Screening services
Nov 16, 202146:43
The Aural Apothecaries
Nov 15, 202101:10:01
The future of pharmacists in research
Nov 11, 202155:48
Will robots be the death of community pharmacy?
Nov 10, 202140:07
Is advanced practice for pharmacists the answer to all our problems?

Is advanced practice for pharmacists the answer to all our problems?

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:

  • Gain an understanding of what advanced practice is.
  • Take part in debate around why consultant level practice for pharmacists is something we as a profession should aspire to.
  • Consider whether the ‘procrastinating perfectionism’ that has been described by authors like Zubin Austin could act as a barrier to these goals.
  • Learn about how you might start your own journey towards advanced practice as a pharmacist.

Panellists

Gordon Rushworth

GP pharmacist and educator

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

Paul Forsyth

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.

Susan Roberts

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.

Jacqueline Sneddon

Antimicrobial pharmacist

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

Fiona Marra

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.

Nov 09, 202101:08:47
How to fail
Nov 08, 202143:25
The future role of the pharmacist in tackling the climate crisis: in conversation with Minna Eii
Nov 04, 202152:19
The future of Community Pharmacy: in conversation with Ade Williams
Nov 04, 202101:06:49
A pharmacist's experience of breast cancer
Nov 03, 202142:43
The future global pharmacist: in conversation with Dr Catherine Duggan
Nov 03, 202149:23
The future of Scottish Pharmacy: in conversation with the new Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for Scotland
Nov 03, 202152:07
What has a funeral director got to do with vaccinations?

What has a funeral director got to do with vaccinations?

David Wightman was one of the youngest ever funeral directors in the UK. He has over 28 years of experience in his sector.

We were very lucky to have some of his time to discuss his insight into death and dealing with families at the end of life. We had a good chat about the topic of death and how pharmacists might make an input when people are going through bereavement.

About David

David's new business, Prokey, is a new vaccination and management solution that aims to address this unmet need through a partnership with Pharmadoctor, the UK’s leading provider of vaccination service packages to UK pharmacies.

Tapping into Pharmadoctor’s network of over 8,000 partner community pharmacies, Prokey provides funeral directors, private care sector works, lifeboat crews, first aiders and emergency service workers with a one-stop-shop vaccination service, ensuring businesses and organisations can find out which vaccines their teams require and arrange access for them. Pharmacies will be able to opt in to participate in the Pharmadoctor-Prokey Partnership and receive client referrals.

Pharmadoctor will support Prokey clients to register online for a service such as hepatitis B vaccination, then, via the Prokey website, book an appointment at their local Pharmadoctor partner pharmacy to receive their jab(s).

Prokey founder and CEO David Wightman is a serving funeral director and embalmer with nearly 30 years experience, a seasoned health and safety officer and an active lifeboat volunteer based in the beautiful seaside town of Broughty Ferry on the east coast of Scotland. Commenting on why he created Prokey, David says:

“Having struggled to manage and source the appropriate vaccinations for my team of funeral directors in my role as health and safety officer, I wanted to create a simple solution which can be used by other professional and volunteer organisations across the UK so that they can protect their teams with the minimum hassle and disruption”. He goes on to say “When you’re out there helping others, your own safety can be the last thing on your mind. I genuinely want to see everyone around me carry out their duties as safely as possible, so if you are in the business of helping others, Prokey’s in the business of helping you”.

David told us that Prokey has already teamed up with pharmacy group Davidsons Chemist so that their 44 branches throughout Scotland will provide the Prokey service. Commenting on the partnership with Prokey, Davidsons Chemists Superintendent Pharmacist Karen Gordon said:

“Our collaboration with Prokey will provide the communities our pharmacies serve with cost-effective private vaccination services in addition to the clinical services our branches already provide”. Mrs Gordon goes on to say “we hope our collaboration with Prokey also helps to highlight the wider value community pharmacies play in providing the public with access to convenient local healthcare services”.

You can find out more about Prokey on their website.

Oct 07, 202125:13
Leyla Hannbeck on the future of the community pharmacy workforce

Leyla Hannbeck on the future of the community pharmacy workforce

We were very pleased to catch up with Leyla Hannbeck. Leyla is a pharmacist and CEO of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies.


We chatted about all things community pharmacy and in particular explored Leyla's views on how to make working in community pharmacy a more attractive proposition for pharmacists. 



Sep 01, 202150:23
Professor Larry Goodyer on community pharmacist prescribing competence, training, supervision and the future of community pharmacy clinical services

Professor Larry Goodyer on community pharmacist prescribing competence, training, supervision and the future of community pharmacy clinical services

Going into this series (with an open mind) we have made a few assumptions about the current 'lie of the community pharmacy training land' and it is largely that there is very little investment in community pharmacist development above and beyond mandatory training requirements.

As part of this series, we will talk to a range of key players in pharmacy with an interest in community pharmacist education and training. My co-host for many of the series will be fellow pharmacist Derek Evans.

In this episode, we were very fortunate to be joined by Professor Larry Goodyer.  Larry Goodyer is Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the School of Pharmacy at De Montfort University UK.

We discussed a range of topics. the list below will give you a flavour of the conversation.

  • The current state of community pharmacy in the UK.
  • The community pharmacy workforce crisis.
  • Training activity currently happening in community pharmacy.
  • Whether or not community pharmacists are knowingly competent when using their independent prescribing qualification.
  • The regulation of independent prescribing.
  • Futures training models for community pharmacists.
  • The importance of supervision and multidisciplinary working.

About Professor Larry Goodyer

Larry Goodyer is Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the School of Pharmacy at De Montfort University UK. He worked as a clinical pharmacist through much of the 1980s and early 90s and until 2003 was Head of the Pharmacy Practice group at King’s College London.

His principal interest is within the field of travel medicine, in which he is keen to promote the role of pharmacists. He has lectured and taught widely on Travel Medicine to both Health professionals and the public and has been invited to address both national and international conferences on the subject, as well as appearances on television and radio broadcasts. Related research interests include methods for bite avoidance and medical supplies for overseas travel.

More broadly in his capacity as a Professor of Pharmacy Practice, he has been involved in research and teaching on a wide range of issues related to the profession of Pharmacy. These include new roles for pharmacists such as prescribing and medicines management.

About Derek Evens

Derek Evans FRPharmS, FRGS, FFTM RCPS (Glasg), FISTM, Independent Prescriber. Independent Travel Medicine Specialist and Consultant. Adjunct Clinical Professor in Pharmacy Practice. Doctor of World Sciences (h.c. CCU/USA).

Aug 25, 202157:51
New series: The future of community pharmacy vaccination services, training and autonomous practice

New series: The future of community pharmacy vaccination services, training and autonomous practice

This has been a very disruptive period in our recent history and community pharmacists across the land have been thrust to the fore. The public-facing side of community pharmacy has remained resolute but we know that behind the scenes everyone in the sector is tired. Despite this heroic effort and undoubted fatigue, we hope you can join us as we begin to look to the future specifically in the area of community pharmacy training. 

This podcast marks the beginning of a series where we discuss the current reality of community pharmacy training, vaccination services and autonomous working in the UK, what possibly needs to change and what future models might look like. 

We are hoping to start a conversation about what we have come to expect as 'normal' in terms of community pharmacy training and associated career progression. 

We have talked to hundreds of community pharmacists over the years as part of our work publishing various stories on Pharmacy in Practice and a recurrent theme is a lack of time. And usually a lack of time for training. 

Going into this series (with an open mind) we have made a few assumptions about the current 'lie of the community pharmacy training land' and it is largely that there is very little investment in community pharmacist development above and beyond mandatory training requirements. 

As part of this series, we will talk to a range of key players in pharmacy with an interest in community pharmacist education and training. 

My co-host for many of the series will be fellow pharmacist Derek Evans.

About Derek

Derek Evans FRPharmS, FRGS, FFTM RCPS (Glasg), FISTM, Independent Prescriber.
Independent Travel Medicine Specialist and Consultant.
Adjunct Clinical Professor in Pharmacy Practice.
Doctor of World Sciences (h.c. CCU/USA).

Don't forget to check out our brand new (and ever-expanding!) community pharmacy training content. You can start learning by clicking here.

Aug 09, 202130:38
Jonathan Underhill on competence, professionalism, micro-credentialing and a bright pharmacist future

Jonathan Underhill on competence, professionalism, micro-credentialing and a bright pharmacist future

Well, it has been a while since we have recorded a podcast on Pharmacy in Practice so when I was recently in touch with friend of PIP Jonathan Underhill I suggested we have a chat.

And it was a fun, interesting and insightful conversation. We recorded the episode first thing on Monday morning after the England football defeat. We had a chat about Gareth Southgate's leadership and what the pharmacist profession can learn from him.

We also talked about how the various sectors of pharmacy have weathered the pandemic and where the profession goes next. Professionalism, competence, shared decision making and the future for pharmacists were also topics we covered.

Jonathan completed his pharmacy degree at Sunderland and has post-graduate qualifications from London and Liverpool Universities as well as the Institute for Learning and Development. He began his career as a hospital pharmacist in London before joining the National Prescribing Centre (NPC) in 1996. Working on MeReC publications and then developing an educational network/eLearning platform for evidence-based therapeutics and Information Mastery gave him a passion for understanding how clinicians keep up to date and help people make informed choices about their medicines. Now as a consultant clinical adviser for NICE, he inputs into those Clinical Guidelines that have a large medicines component, oversees outputs from the NICE Medicines team such as evidence summaries on new medicines and Antimicrobial Prescribing Guidelines as well as providing NHS access to the BNF. He also has an honorary post at the Keele School of Pharmacy teaching under and post-graduates as well as pursuing his research interests in Evidence-Informed Decision Making. He is a member of the Scientific Committee of the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists and a qualified COVID-19 vaccinator. This gives him less time than he would like to devote to the passions in his life such as mindful walks in the Cheshire countryside with his soulmate Wor Bobby the Border Terrier, captaining his village cricket team, singing in his decidedly ordinary style with some incredibly talented rock musicians and his long-standing and largely unrewarded devotion to NUFC.

Jul 15, 202155:34
Is pharmacy ready for IR35?

Is pharmacy ready for IR35?

Laura Smith CTA is a Partner at Wylie & Bisset. We kick off a new season of podcasts on Pharmacy in Practice by talking to her about IR35. We have published a number of articles recently on this topic so thought it was time to have a chat with the experts. 


If you enjoy this episode and the PIP podcast please feel free to leave a review on your podcast player. It helps others to find us.


For tax advice please contact your accountant. every situation is different and will potentially require advice specific to you.


Previous coverage of the IR35 topic on PIP


Could IR35 be good for pharmacist locums?

Will IR35 change locum life forever?

Is IR35 a potential tax time-bomb for pharmacist locums?


About our guest


Laura Smith CTA joined Wylie & Bisset in April 2016 as a Manager in the WB Healthcare team, was promoted to Head of Healthcare in July 2018, with a further promotion to Director in July 2019 and now partner with effect from 1st April 2021. Until joining Wylie & Bisset in April 2016, Laura spent the majority of her career working with a top 10 accountancy firm in Glasgow. Whilst developing her tax career and experience in the professional services sector, with a particular focus on the healthcare sector, Laura qualified as a Chartered Tax Adviser in 2013. Laura heads up the WB Healthcare team in all aspects of accounting and taxation matters, under the lead of partner Tom McGuire. In addition to the review of accounts for Healthcare sector clients, her expertise covers personal taxation including capital gains tax planning, remuneration planning, and advising on inheritance tax issues and planning considerations.


The Pharmacy in Practice podcast is kindly supported by Glasgow based Wylie & Bisset LLP chartered accountants.


Wylie & Bisset LLP is a leading chartered accountants Glasgow-based practice, with a national reach, whose growth has been organic, through referral and reputation.  They have the background, expertise and extensive resources required to provide your business or organisation with the right solutions when it comes to managing and growing your business. The firm covers the whole of the UK, providing business advisory and support services to clients across a wide range of public and private sectors, ensuring you have access to the best possible accountancy and tax planning advice so your business runs smoothly, is financially sound and complies with regulatory and legal controls.


Their approach is proactive and “hands-on” via a true partner-led service, which they believe is the best way to provide their clients with a first-class service. Their commitment to excellence and efficient service has maintained a reputation for high-quality professionalism and awareness, ensuring ongoing client loyalty and recurring referrals. If you are searching for a hands-on partner-led firm of accountants in Glasgow contact us today to see how they can assist your business.


Apr 21, 202133:39
Amazon, digital dentistry and how community pharmacies fit

Amazon, digital dentistry and how community pharmacies fit

We recently had the pleasure of chatting to the founder and owner of Instant Dentist Aalok Shukla. Instant dentist is an innovative collaborative business that will help community pharmacies extend their digital impact but also deliver much earlier preventative dental care to people as they visit.


We came back together to discuss the rapidly changing landscape of community pharmacy in the UK. Instant Dentist is one opportunity that pharmacy owners may wish to avail of but it is the 'tip of the iceberg' in terms of possible opportunities. Amazon Pharmacy has started to trade in the USA so the need to evolve is here like never before.


Hopefully, this chat will give viewers and listeners some ideas on how to get started with incorporating digital activities into your pharmacy business.


Aalok commented:


"Through easy and affordable access to private dental care, Instant Dentist is the first dental wellness platform that allows you to manage your dental health in a way you’ve never thought was possible. Prevention and diagnosis from an experienced digital dentist is just a click away."


We hope this podcast might give pharmacy owners across the country inspiration to extend into digital dental services if they have not already done so.


Dec 09, 202030:15
Vision, politics, pharmacy clubs, elitism, free services and where community pharmacy goes next

Vision, politics, pharmacy clubs, elitism, free services and where community pharmacy goes next

Ian Strachan is a community pharmacy owner contractor. He owns a number of pharmacies in England. He was the Chair of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) between 2014 to 2018.


I have wanted to chat with Ian for a while now. He really has operated at the top of UK pharmacy politics for quite some time and has led the way with many innovative initiatives through his community pharmacies.


We had a wide-ranging and fascinating conversation about many aspects of community pharmacy.


Community pharmacy politics in England is a complicated and often turbulent arena. This came out in the chat but we offset these challenges with some positivity as we looked to the future. A fulfilling and attractive career pathway for pharmacists working in community pharmacy was important to both of us.


Ian is passionate about the profession and in particular, he cares deeply about the professionalisation of community pharmacy. We discussed what he thought the vision for the future of community pharmacy should be in the coming years and delved into some notable long-standing community pharmacy topics like free deliveries for example.


Ian is as enthusiastic an advocate for community pharmacy that I have spoken to for a while so it was fascinating to get his insight.



Oct 07, 202047:57
What can we learn from this tragic fatal warfarin error?

What can we learn from this tragic fatal warfarin error?

Failure to identify high-risk medication errors in patients with complex needs can have a fatal outcome, a recently published report warned.


The report, published by Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB), sets out a case where a medication error with warfarin contributed to the death of a 79-year-old man.


The patient had suffered a fall at home and had been admitted to hospital. An error on his chart whilst he was on the ward led to him receiving three or four doses of warfarin, which he did not normally take before the error was spotted by a ward-based clinical pharmacist. The patient developed internal bleeding and deteriorated (due to several health reasons) and died 21 days after his first admission.


In the case HSIB examined, the patient was on 12 different medications and supplements at the time of admission. By day nine of his hospital stay, this had increased to 16.


HSIB’s national investigation focused on the role of ward-based pharmacy services and how they work within the multidisciplinary teams (MDT’s) that administer care to patients. Ward-based pharmacists are crucial in enhancing the team’s ability to spot errors, especially in high-risk situations. However, the investigation findings emphasised that there is variance in the way the services are staffed and organised.


They also found that other staff within the MDT’s could better understand the role pharmacists have in between admission and discharge of the patient. HSIB also found that more work needs to be done to assess the resilience of pharmacy services to operational pressures and the additional challenges associated with caring for older people.


As a result of the national investigation, HSIB has made three recommendations to facilitate a better understanding of the role of the ward-based pharmacist and to encourage best practice and resilience when identifying and developing models of pharmacy provision.


In this podcast, we were fortunate to be joined by Lead Investigator Deinniol Owens. We discuss some of the pertinent points in the investigation and explore some of the wider questions about pharmacy. In particular, we discuss how this investigation makes the case for the integration of pharmaceutical care led by pharmacists into every multidisciplinary team in the country.


You can read the full report here.


Oct 02, 202040:58
Naloxone, alcohol abuse, why drug deaths remain high and a role for community pharmacy

Naloxone, alcohol abuse, why drug deaths remain high and a role for community pharmacy

Graham Parsons is the Chief Pharmacist at Turning Point. He is a pharmacist with a wide range of experience in many aspects of pharmacy.


As a specialist in Substance Misuse he has worked at both local, regional and national level (through the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, National Institute of Health and Care Excellence and Turning Point) to deliver a wide range of initiatives and policies which have impacted on both substance misuse services and the lives of individuals affected by substance use disorders. This has included over six years as a prescriber within the Plymouth Specialist Addiction Service. During this time he has also developed an interest in Mental Health and Pain and the management of these conditions in this cohort of patients.


He has also delivered a number of training sessions covering a diverse range of topics from substance misuse to Controlled Drug legislation for a number of institutes including the University of Bath and the Royal College of General Practitioners and developed Post Graduate addiction courses for Medway University. I am an experienced public speaker who has presented at many events including the College of Mental Health Pharmacy International Conference and on local BBC radio. In the written media I have produced a number of articles on substance misuse and its treatment for the Pharmaceutical Journal.


We had a wide-ranging discussion about the issues of the day in the area of substance misuse.


  1. There has been a move towards the use of Buvidal slow-release injection. Have you got any thoughts on this move especially in light of the current pandemic?
  2. What is the future of substance misuse services delivered through community pharmacy?
  3. What is the role of naloxone in community pharmacy?
  4. How can community pharmacy support alcohol brief interventions?
  5. Why are drug deaths still so high?
  6. How is polypharmacy relevant to the area of polypharmacy?
  7. Has nudge theory got a role in tackling the alcohol crisis in this country?


Sep 20, 202052:49
Pharmacy law, fitness to practise and how to stay out of trouble

Pharmacy law, fitness to practise and how to stay out of trouble

I have never met a pharmacist or pharmacy technician that does not dread the letter of complaint from the GPhC dropping through the letterbox.


Unfortunately in the context of overall rising numbers of complaints being made by fellow health professionals and also by the general public, I felt it important to touch base with our colleagues at Hempsons to get their views on what you can do if you find yourself in this terrible situation.


In a very interesting chat, we covered the fitness to practise process and how to navigate it if you need to. We also discussed some of the reasons behind rising numbers of GPhC complaints and also the variation in where complaints come from between different professions. There were some key pieces of advice so hopefully, you find these useful.


Tania Francis


Tania Francis is a solicitor and partner at Hempsons. Tania advises doctors, dentists and other healthcare professionals with all sorts of issues to do with registration and regulatory issues, specialist registration or specialist lists, litigation, associate disputes, CQC registration, difficulties with NHS England and more. Tania is a qualified doctor and works in a team which also includes a qualified dentist, and they, therefore, offer a unique approach to our clients’ problems. The team regularly contributes to Independent Practitioner Today and Dentistry magazine and offers training and seminars to our clients. Tania is also on the council of the Medico-Legal Society.


Thorrun Govind


Thorrun is a trainee solicitor at Hempsons. Thorrun studied Pharmacy at King’s College London, completing her pharmacy pre-registration training in community pharmacy. As a practising community pharmacist, she has been a strong advocate for healthcare and healthcare professionals across traditional and social media. Thorrun studied for her Graduate Diploma in Law, full time whilst working as a pharmacist. She subsequently studied for her Legal Practice course and MSc in Law, Business and Management, attaining a Distinction. As a qualified healthcare professional, she has first-hand experience of operating in a challenging environment whilst striving to provide excellent care to patients.


“This podcast is made available on the basis that no liability is accepted for any errors of fact or opinion it may contain. The content should not be regarded as a comprehensive statement of the law and practise in this area.  Professional advice should be obtained before applying the information to particular circumstances.”



Sep 08, 202039:52
Duncan Rudkin on guiding the GPhC through a pandemic

Duncan Rudkin on guiding the GPhC through a pandemic

I was very proud and grateful to get the chance to talk to the Chief Executive Officer of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) Duncan Rudkin.


Duncan was very generous with his time and we discussed a wide range of topics. Time was limited so we didn't get through all the topics I wanted to but we did cover lots of ground. We ran out of time and there are questions we did not get round to. Duncan has very kindly agreed toa answer these in writing so stay tuned.


Areas explored include the following:


  • What is the role of the GPhC and to who are they accountable?
  • Is the current revalidation process fit for purpose to safely regulate independent prescribers?
  • Is independent prescribing practice ahead of regulation?
  • How do the GPhC standards guard against the risk associated with unconscious incompetence?
  • Is the fitness to practise process in its current form fit for purpose?
  • Do you think the experience of registrants that have gone through the fitness to practise process good enough?
  • Is a person who supplies a COVID-19 rapid antibody test unfit to practise?
  • Will the GPhC express opinions on other matters for example homoeopathy?
  • Are the public at more risk now that inspections have been stopped due to the pandemic?
  • What was the most difficult decision the GPhC has had to make during the COVID-19 pandemic so far?


Sep 02, 202048:13
How can community pharmacy improve collaboration with dentists?

How can community pharmacy improve collaboration with dentists?

We recently had the pleasure of chatting to the founder and owner of Instant Dentist Aalok Shukla. Instant dentist is an innovative collaborative business that will help community pharmacies extend their digital impact but also deliver much earlier preventative dental care to people as they visit.


Aalok commented:


"Through easy and affordable access to private dental care, Instant Dentist is the first dental wellness platform that allows you to manage your dental health in a way you’ve never thought was possible. Prevention and diagnosis from an experienced digital dentist is just a click away."


We hope this podcast might give pharmacy owners across the country inspiration to extend into digital dental services if they have not already done so.


Aug 19, 202022:60
Why I want to be a pharmacist partner in a GP practice

Why I want to be a pharmacist partner in a GP practice

Darshan Negandhi is a Primary Care Network (PCN) clinical pharmacist. Previously he was Director and Superintendent Pharmacist at Lewisham Pharmacy in London.


He has recently made the move to work within the PCN and is thoroughly enjoying it. We had a great chat about all things pharmacy. Darshan is very modest but has a fantastic ambition to become a pharmacist partner ina GP practice. With his talent, vision and enthusiasm I fully expect him to achieve this.


Thoroughly enjoyed this chat.


Aug 16, 202028:03
What can a hepatitis C eradication service teach us about tackling COVID-19?

What can a hepatitis C eradication service teach us about tackling COVID-19?

Dr Andrew Radley is a consultant pharmacist in public health. He works in NHS Tayside and was recently a member of a successful team who managed to eradicate hepatitis C.


He recently wrote to PIP explaining how 56 community pharmacies helped to eradicate hepatitis C in NHS Tayside.


It was a real pleasure to discuss Andrew's recent activity around hepatitis C and in particular how community pharmacy was central to the success of this project.


Our discussion broadened to cover topical issues like the new NHS Pharmacy First service, his views on how important a multidisciplinary team approach is in pharmacy and also his advice to pharmacists who are new to the register.


We are unfortunately still in the midst of a global pandemic and I found Andrew's views on how we can learn from the hepatitis C service as we all work to get to grips with the current situation very interesting. Some fascinating insights here.


Andrew is an extremely modest character but I found his work, particularly recently on the hepatitis C front, to be really inspirational. He demonstrates the tangible impact that community pharmacy can have when they are included in a service such as this. He was at pains to make the point that teamwork is key and attributed his personal career success to working effectively as a member of various teams over the years.


I highly recommend you have a look at the stories on the hepatitis C service and we have included the original research articles within these stories if you are interested to delve a bit deeper.


Aug 05, 202029:19
Is community pharmacy representation in need of an overhaul?
Jul 21, 202048:24
Professor Harry McQuillan: 'Supply is not enough'

Professor Harry McQuillan: 'Supply is not enough'

Professor Harry McQuillan has been Chief Executive Officer of Community Pharmacy Scotland for 14 years. He has worked in a range of roles across pharmacy since qualifying as a pharmacist a number of years ago.


Our paths have crossed a number of times over the years but given the exciting developments in pharmacy in Scotland, the timing of this interview was really perfect.


Earlier this year was supposed to be one of the most exciting times in community pharmacy in Scotland but all that was put on hold due to COVID-19.


But with adversity comes opportunity and the community pharmacy network in Scotland 'creaked' but was never close to falling over even at the height of the crisis. It is this balance between a secure supply chain versus a platform to deliver valuable services right at the heart of communities that Harry describes as being most important.


'Supply is not enough'.


Community Pharmacy Scotland has managed to support the development of a network of community pharmacies in Scotland that can deliver that core dispensing role efficiently but that also leaves the door open to innovation.


And that innovation will shortly come in the form of Pharmacy First. We chatted about the in's and out's of the new service. I was particularly interested to hear Harry's vision for the future whilst casting a look over our shoulder to the days of Professor Bill Scott and some of the policy documents that have helped to deliver the opportunities that we see today. We even discussed the origins of pharmaceutical care back in 1990.


'Scotland is a place where you can work in community pharmacy and put your degree to the test'.


The door has now been thrown open to innovation and service development up here all under the banner of 'Achieving Excellence in Pharmaceutical Care'. Rose Marie Parr has given the network permission to get on and do it. And the money from the Scottish Government has followed. The relationship between the players up here continues closer than ever.


Harry harked back to the 'Prescription for Excellence' document and restated the ambition in there that every pharmacist should be an independent prescriber. The Pharmacy First deal makes a confident move towards a consultation based payment structure to the community pharmacy contract. The conflict of interest that is often cast up around supplying and dispensing on the same premesis has been mitigated and pharmacists can move forward with confidence.


Harry described how the future involves gathering a complete dataset that will help with the articulation of the true value of community pharmacy.


I found the chat extremely uplifting. Scottish community pharmacy are playing to win and so far have delivered. Pharmacy First is the next challenge and it comes at the right time. The network needs to not just recover but innovate, develop and thrive.


There were a few probing personal questions in there so make sure and listen or watch to the end.


I found it to be a very encouraging and optimistic conversation but don't take my word for it, decide for yourself.


Johnathan.

Jul 16, 202049:38
Jonathan Burton on leading pharmacy out of a crisis

Jonathan Burton on leading pharmacy out of a crisis

Jonathan Burton is Chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Scottish Pharmacy Board and he has been on the frontline in community pharmacy throughout the COVID-19 crisis.


We caught up to have a chat about the myriad of unprecedented things that pharmacists and their teams have had to cope with over the last few months. Changes in legislation, delays in registration of pre-registration pharmacists, opportunism by certain organisations and the performance of the RPS during the crisis.


Below are some of the questions we put to Jonathan. We hope you enjoy the podcast to hear how he responded.


Where do we go next in pharmacy?

From a general perspective how do think the government in Scotland has performed in response to the pandemic?

Has the national question in Scotland and the way decisions are taken favoured the profession?

How has the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) performed during the crisis?

How do you think RPS members feel about the decision to make resources free to the whole profession at the point when the RPS value proposition is arguably most potent?

Have you got any concerns about some of the decisions made by any organisation during the pandemic?

How can RPS support provisionally registered pharmacists?

Do you think there will be increased responsibility on pre-reg tutors during this provisional registration process?

Do you think there is a chance that the issue of vicarious liability could become an issue for pre-reg tutors especially if a provisionally registered student that they are supervising fail the registration exam?

Do you feel that pharmacists have adequate development opportunities over the years and if not why has investment been lacking?

If we encourage remote consultation services like NHS Near Me in community pharmacy why will people need to go to a community pharmacy?

Can you tell us about your early experiences of using NHS Near Me?

Who do you think the next Chief Pharmaceutical Officer of Scotland will be?



May 29, 202058:03
Interview with the founder of the newly formed Pre-registration and Newly Qualified Pharmacist Association
May 26, 202037:14
Career spotlight: Prescribing support pharmacist Dr Emily Kennedy

Career spotlight: Prescribing support pharmacist Dr Emily Kennedy

Dr Emily Kennedy has worked as a prescribing support pharmacist in primary care in NHS Dumfries and Galloway for 16 years and now supervises 17 pharmacists working across general practice. Her varied and very successful career so far has involved education, research and work in community pharmacy.


I was interested to discuss various aspects to her current and previous roles. In particular, I was interested to hear more about Emily's current role and how she has seen things change in pharmacy over the years.


We discussed the current state of play in primary care pharmacy in Scotland and touched on education, training, supervision, competence and also the need for pharmacists to have confidence in their own ability.


Scottish pharmacy has evolved dramatically over recent years and Emily has really been part of that evolution. We discussed how pharmacists' expectations have changed and how her work now involves


During the COVID-19 crisis, Emily has been involved with her local COVID-19 hub in Dumfries and Galloway. I was interested to hear her insights around being involved here.


May 14, 202033:11
What does the pandemic teach us about the future of antibiotics?

What does the pandemic teach us about the future of antibiotics?

Stephen Hughes MBA, MSc, MPharm, is a consultant antimicrobial pharmacist at Chelsea & Westminster NHS Foundation Trust. 


We were lucky enough to catch up with him on the podcast to discuss how he and his team have adapted to working life during the pandemic. We also discussed antimicrobial pharmacy at length. A fascinating conversation.


In your view what is the importance of patient-reported outcomes in antibiotic use?

How do we innovate before we have to in the antibiotic space?

Are we too reliant on the pharmaceutical industry to keep coming up with new antibiotics and how sustainable is this cycle?

Do we make the best use of new antibiotics?

How should the UK government intervene to ensure a robust pipeline of new antibiotics remains into the future?

Are we collectively being too complacent in the prescribing practise that we tolerate with antibiotics?

What have you and your team had to unlearn during COVID-19?

Are you concerned about a surge of secondary bacterial infection in people who have suffered COVID-19?

How have your team coped with the COVID-19 situation?


May 12, 202053:25
Yousaf Ahmad on coping in pharmacy during the pandemic

Yousaf Ahmad on coping in pharmacy during the pandemic

In our latest podcast, we sat down with Chief Pharmacist Yousaf Ahmad. Amongst other roles, Yousaf is currently Chief Pharmacist at Care UK and was also recently appointed to the GPhC Council. We had a wide-ranging chat about how Yousaf has coped with COVID-19 in his current role.


How has your life as a pharmacist changed as a result of COVID-19?

Has our over-reliance on the NHS been to our detriment during COVID-19?

How has community pharmacy coped during the COVID-19 crisis?

What is the most significant legislative change you have noticed during the COVID-19 crisis?

Who hasn't wasted the COVID-19 crisis?

How has your leadership changed in light of COVID-19?

What does the future hold for you?



May 11, 202034:03
The potential legal ramifications of pharmacies using volunteers

The potential legal ramifications of pharmacies using volunteers

Our guest for this podcast was Andrea James. Andrea is a regulatory lawyer advising doctors, pharmacists, vets, teachers & other highly regulated professionals.


Andrea is a partner at Brabners. She leads their Professional Discipline and Healthcare Regulatory team, providing vital insight to our wider Regulatory team and Healthcare sector group. You can contact Andrea to engage her services by clicking here.


In the first of two podcasts, we discussed how the recent fast-moving legislative changes and action by the GPhC may impact on the practise of pharmacy in the UK.


In this second podcast, we had a discussion about the use of volunteers to deliver medicines. NHS England announced a new essential and advanced delivery service. The services involve community pharmacy contractors being used to work with volunteers to deliver medication during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Whilst we discussed all relevant aspects of the delivery service and use of volunteers Andrea made interesting comments on potential liability issues that may arise during the running of the services.


Please note that this podcast was recorded before the RPS and GPhC published their joint statement on the impact on 'pharmacy professionals'.


Essential listening if you are a pharmacy contractor about to engage with this service.


We discussed and recommended the Royal Pharmaceutical Society guidance on ethical professional decision making during the pandemic.


We also chatted about the Headspace app. You can access and download it here. If you are under pressure and feel that you need support at this time click here.



Apr 15, 202037:60
Andrea James on the legal impact of COVID-19 on pharmacy

Andrea James on the legal impact of COVID-19 on pharmacy

Our guest for this podcast is Andrea James. Andrea is a regulatory lawyer advising doctors, pharmacists, vets, teachers & other highly regulated professionals. She also loves animals, laughter and fairness.


Andrea is a partner at Brabners. She leads their Professional Discipline and Healthcare Regulatory team, providing vital insight to our wider Regulatory team and Healthcare sector group. You can contact Andrea to engage her services by clicking here.


In the first of two podcasts, we discussed how the recent fast-moving legislative changes and action by the GPhC may impact on the practise of pharmacy in the UK.


  • Is there temporary deregulation of the pharmacy happening at the moment?
  • What advice do you have for pharmacists having to make difficult ethical professional decisions?
  • What advice would you give to pharmacists making a difficult ethical professional decision?
  • How do you think things will change the new era after COVID-19?


We discussed and recommended the Royal Pharmaceutical Society guidance on ethical professional decision making during the pandemic.


We also chatted about the Headspace app. You can access and download it here. If you are under pressure and feel that you need support at this time click here.



Apr 14, 202044:55
Professor Zubin Austin on what it means to be a pharmacist

Professor Zubin Austin on what it means to be a pharmacist

I dropped Professor Zubin Austin an email out of the blue inviting him on to join me on the PIP podcast to discuss a number of aspects of pharmacy. I was delighted to hear the 'ping' of his positive reply landing in my inbox.


We got together and had a chat about what it means to be a pharmacist and explored what many in our profession believe to be an existential crisis of pharmacist identity.


Professor Austin is very interested in all aspects of how pharmacists perceive themselves and how they behave in practice. 


We discussed some of the following topics:


  • Procrastinating perfection.
  • Tolerance for ambiguity.
  • The death of the expert.
  • Professional self-mutilation.
  • The fact that the seemingly fashionable movement to IP might not be the best direction for our profession.


I have to say that this was one of the most insightful and interesting conversations I have had in recent years. Zubin and his colleagues in Toronto are involved in extremely important work. As pharmacists, we are grappling what we are for and Professor Austin and his team are helping us to understand where we go next.


Professor Zubin Austin


Professor Austin's research interests focus on the personal and professional development of the health human resources workforce. As the complexity and interdependency of care provision has advanced, the importance of investing in the continuous professional development of health professionals increases. Professor Auston's research recognises that artificial divisions between “personal” and “professional” development are counterproductive to the goal of enhanced quality care. Failure to recognise these important development needs in the workforce leads to burnout, disengagement, and ultimately error. A particular focus of his research involves internationally educated health professionals, a large and growing component of the Canadian workforce who have particular needs for professional and personal development.


Feb 27, 202042:49
What can pharmacists learn from this tragic propranolol overdose?

What can pharmacists learn from this tragic propranolol overdose?

Emma was a 24-year-old pharmacy graduate. She had two degrees, was a high achiever and was making the most of her life.


Sadly Emma took an overdose of both propranolol and citalopram.


Emma called an ambulance, but her condition quickly worsened. Despite resuscitation efforts from both paramedics and medical staff in the hospital she was transferred to, Emma sadly died.


The purpose of this podcast was to highlight the findings of the report written as a result of the investigation undertaken by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB). We were fortunate to be joined by Deinniol Owens a National Investigator at the HSIB. Deinniol and I had a chat about the aspects of the investigation that are pertinent to pharmacists.


The report makes a number of recommendations but also emphasises that there is a link between anxiety, depression and migraine and that more research is needed to understand the interactions between antidepressants and propranolol in overdose.


The safety recommendations focused on the following:


  • Updating clinical guidance (NICE) and the UK’s pharmaceutical reference source (the British National Formulary) on use of propranolol and highlighting the toxicity in overdose.
  • National organisations supporting their staff members to understand the risks when prescribing propranolol to certain patients.
  • Improving the clinical oversight in ambulance control rooms and the treatment/transfer guidance for ambulance staff for propranolol/beta-blocker overdose.


Feb 18, 202024:45
Delving into the detail of NHS Pharmacy First with Matt Barclay

Delving into the detail of NHS Pharmacy First with Matt Barclay

I recently wrote an article about the Scottish NHS Pharmacy First service but I wanted to find out more so I got in touch with Director of Operations at Community Pharmacy Scotland, Matt Barclay.


He was good enough to take time out from the ambitious schedule of NHS Pharmacy First engagement evenings to have a chat about what the new service might mean for community pharmacists in Scotland.


Before this chat, I had lots of questions, to be honest. Matt didn't disappoint. He shared details on how the service would be rolled out and most interestingly what his long term vision for the service would be. We discussed how CPS feel that this service will create a true 'unique selling point' for community pharmacy in Scotland


We discussed how the service will actually work and most importantly how the data about the service will be gathered. I asked him what pharmacists might do with this data. I found this very interesting. 


The age-old question about allowing community pharmacists to get read/write access to the patient medical record came up during our chat. Matt described details about early conversations that CPS are having with the digital health institute to help position community pharmacy in the best possible place to secure a digital future for the sector.


The workforce issues in community pharmacy across the whole of the UK, not just Scotland, are well known. Matt painted a picture of the challenges but also the opportunities might be. A key theme coming through is that this NHS Pharmacy First service will hopefully provide new depth to the role and also may provide a career pathway for community pharmacists that is interesting and varied.


We talked about the concept of a community pharmacy training practice. I also delved into the governance frameworks that may have to be established to facilitate this new world of pharmacists working in the heart of the community as independent prescribers.


Finally, we chatted about the prospect of community pharmacists in Scotland being independent prescribers. I asked Matt if he felt that it was time to declare that every community pharmacy in Scotland should have an independent prescriber working there. His answer was fascinating.


We look forward to seeing how the service develops over the coming months and years.

Feb 14, 202054:13
Future pharmacy podcast: Will pharmacists be replaced by technology?

Future pharmacy podcast: Will pharmacists be replaced by technology?

Sometimes you have to try something completely different to uncover new perspectives on age-old problems. The profession of pharmacy as we know it today has made huge strides since Jacob Bell founded the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain in 1841.


This podcast series will explore where we go next as a profession. We will find the most interesting and forward-thinking people with an interest in all things technology and health.


In this conversation, we started at the beginning. We take a close look at what a pharmacist is, how technology has evolved in pharmacy and where we go next. The topics of pharmaceutical care and also technaceutical care were discussed. No topic was off-limits and there were challenging questions around the survival and viability of the profession of pharmacy in light of the rapidly emerging technology.


Our guest


Jaime Acosta Gómez is a practising community pharmacist with a deep understanding of international community pharmacy, healthcare and international pharmacy associations. Jaime is an innovative, hard-working and passionate about healthcare, technology and supply chain. He is currently an Executive Committee member of the FIP Community Pharmacy Section.


We invited Jaime on to the podcast because of his interest in technology in pharmacy. Jaime is the first guest in the series but every guest from here on will be nominated by the current guest. 


Jaime chose Dr Catherine Duggan as our next guest.


Your hosts


Johnathan Laird and Professor Darrin Baines.

Feb 07, 202041:14
The art of automation in community pharmacy

The art of automation in community pharmacy

Gary Paragpuri is the former editor of the Chemist and Druggist magazine. He is now CEO of the specialist consultancy firm called Hub and Spoke Innovations.


Hub and Spoke Innovations aims to help pharmacists and dispensing GPs grow their businesses and provide a better service for their patients through technology.


Their flagship product is the Pharmaself24, which is a vending machine for prescription medications. This product allows people to collect prescriptions from a community pharmacy at any time of day or night.


Tune in to the PIPcast below to find out how Gary is driving change in UK community pharmacy using this technology. We talked about the role of automation in community pharmacy and the seismic shifts in this regard but we also had a fascinating chat about Gary's time as editor of C&D magazine. We talked about how the internet has revolutionalised publishing in the online and offline world.


Jan 26, 202058:41
Do pharmacists make too many dispensing errors?

Do pharmacists make too many dispensing errors?

Greg Lawton is a pharmacist specialising in patient and medicines safety, staffing, data protection, privacy and healthcare policy.


We were lucky to catch up with Greg to have an in-depth conversation about dispensing errors in pharmacy.


There a few things that strike fear into hearts of pharmacists more than making a dispensing error. Making a dispensing error is still a criminal offence and can still lead to a custodial sentence. Unfortunately, we live in the real world and these errors do on occasion happen.


Are there too many errors?

Are all near misses and dispensing errors reported and are they analysed appropriately?

Should pharmacists face potential custodial sentences?

Do we share insights nationally well enough?


The issue is still on-going but it is my hope that we re-ignite the conversation around this topic.


Jan 23, 202042:31
The entrepreneurial pharmacist who was inspired to start her own business

The entrepreneurial pharmacist who was inspired to start her own business

Francesca Aaen is a pharmacist consultant and runs her consultancy called Aaen Care. Aaen Care delivers medicines and healthcare-related training, consultancy and advice to both private and public sector providers of health and social care services across the UK.


Francesca has over the years had a number of NHS roles in care services and also throughout the NHS. She is also a member of the Pharmacy in Practice Editorial Board. In this podcast I asked her the following questions:


  • Why did you start your own business?
  • You live in Andorra. Do you enjoy running your business from there and do you get home often?
  • What was it like to write your first prescriptions?
  • What was your experience of working within dementia services?
  • What are your views on the rush for everyone to work in general practice?
  • What aspect of being an independent prescriber do you think pharmacists will struggle most with?
  • Do you think the pharmacists training and supervising pharmacists should be working in practice themselves?
  • How did you discover an interest in coaching?
  • What is your advice to pharmacists joining the register?
  • What does 2020 have in store for you?


Jan 08, 202049:17
What is a pharmacist?

What is a pharmacist?

Gavin Birchall is a pharmacist, designer and marketer who has created, led and marketed businesses at senior level and carried out the first research into the brand of pharmacy on the planet. Having spent 15 years in community pharmacy, practising in both independent and multiple owned pharmacies, Gavin has worked in academia, primary care and representation.


He was instrumental in setting up a 21 strong community pharmacy group where he was Operations and Marketing Director and Superintendent Pharmacist.


Frustrated by the lack of recognition received by pharmacy, Gavin completed research into the brand of pharmacy as part of a Masters In Graphic Design and in 2015 set up a pharmacy specialist design and marketing agency, DOSE Design and Marketing Ltd, to support pharmacies to present and promote themselves more effectively. Gavin and his associates now support a range of clients in community pharmacy and beyond.


On the podcast, we had a wide-ranging conversation about pharmacy now and into the future. I asked Gavin the following questions:


  • What is a pharmacist?
  • How is pharmacy as a profession perceived?
  • As pharmacists have we lost our entrepreneurial spark?
  • Why are there very few start-up community pharmacies?
  • If you were starting a business again tomorrow what would your strategy be?
  • Has pharmaceutical care been forgotten?
  • How does technaceutical care fit into the future agenda of pharmacy?
  • Why have General Practitioners protected their brand so effectively compared to pharmacists over the years?
  • What is the importance of independent prescribing to the future of the pharmacy profession?
  • What will the effect of the erosion of the community pharmacy contractor model have on our profession?


Jan 02, 202001:01:53