Current full time role for 17 months, but have been actively working within GP practices over the past 11 years
South Belfast Federation of GP Practices - 16 Practices
BSc. Pharmacy (Q.U.B. 1997), Dipl. Asthma Management (OU), Dipl. Independent Prescribing (Q.U.B.), Dipl. Diabetes Management (Bradford). Leadership Management (William Clinton Leadership Centre/NICPLD), Accredited Inhaler Trainer (WCPPE), ICON 1 &2 COPD Trainer, Specialist Smoking Cessation Provider(NICPLD)
Lead Practice Based Pharmacist [PBP] (South Belfast) currently with responsibility for 9 PBPs within 16 GP practices. Responsibility for delivering the KPIs for the Federation in line with local guidance and evidence based practice, and NI Formulary implementation.
To manage change when change is difficult: Reduction in pregabalin prescribing.
The timely engagement with the patients and all inclusive approach with the practice personnel had been fundamental to the success of this initiative.
Conflict of interest with the practice nurse around running Asthma Reviews within the practice following my attainment of IP status -She felt I was duplicating her work and undermining her ability.
It was a misunderstanding of the situation and I needed to clarify how my new role would compliment the work she was involved with. I explained how my up-skilling to IP status within Respiratory Care was part of a longer term plan for the practice. With my practical skills around respiratory review and inhaler technique training we would work in tandem to re-enforce the key concept and maximise patient understanding and future management.
Following this the clinics where adapted to include a QOF orientated clinical review with the nurse, then each patient would have a review with myself.
This proved very beneficial for the patients and helped streamline our service.
Communication with, and appreciation of everyone’s roles and how as a PBP you can contribute substantially to better outcomes without damaging relationships with fellow HCPs, as well as better engagement with the end user-the patient to maximise success of your initiatives.
I would like to continue to advance my knowledge base and skills within diabetic care following recent completion of the Bradford Diabetes Diploma to enable me to prescribe within this area.
Utilisation of my Leadership qualification in the day to day management of my PBP team within South Belfast to deliver excellence in patient care and formulating a strategic plan to evolve the role of PBPs within the Federation model.
The i2i Network workshops help me to engage with other HCPs both within and outside my clinical practice, to advance the management of my patients with long term conditions. The process is excellent, as the structure leads the pharmacist through the consultation, identifies issues and focuses on key therapeutic outcomes for the patients.
‘That Rome wasn’t built in a day’-making steady progress is the way to attaining high Standards of Care and don’t expect things to happen without putting a bit of effort in. And finally, never give up on your ambitions sometimes those who succeed are the slow starters but with determination and drive there is no such thing as impossible!!