EAHP represents over 30,000 hospital pharmacists across 37 member countries. EAHP represents and develops the hospital pharmacy profession within Europe in order to ensure the continuous improvement of care and outcomes for patients in the hospital setting. This is achieved through science, research, education, practice, as well as sharing best-practice and responsibility with other healthcare professional
The EAHP Board, elected for three-year terms, oversees the association’s activities. Comprising directors responsible for core functions, it meets regularly to implement strategic goals. Supported by EAHP staff, the Board controls finances, coordinates congress organization, and ensures compliance with statutes and codes of conduct.
The EAHP staff supports the Board in executing EAHP’s mission. The Staff assists in financial management, events organisations, policy activities and all EAHP projects. The EAHP staff works closely with EAHP’s members and ensures the effective communication all relevant stakeholders.
The first member countries were Belgium, Britain, Denmark, France, the Federal Republic, Germany, Italy and The Netherlands in 1972. EAHP has now 36 EAHP members and 2 Associate Members. EAHP is open to countries members of the Council of Europe and since 2022 to organisations representing the interests of hospital pharmacists from outside the Council of Europe (Associate Membership)
EAHP’s structure is also composed by different standing committes: EAHP Scientific Committee, EAHP Education Executive Committee and the EAHP CTF Steering Committee.
At EAHP, we are committed to transparency in our governance, ethical standards, and funding practices. This section provides open access to our foundational documents, including the EAHP Statutes, Code of Conduct, and Funding Sources. By sharing these resources, we aim to uphold accountability and foster trust with our members, partners, and the public.
Keep up with all EAHP’s events and webinars. Contact the team at info@eahp.eu should you have any questions about upcoming events or activities.
Here you can find all upcoming events organised by EAHP and by all its members and associate members. Do not hesitate to contact the events team at events@eahp.eu should you have any questions about the organisation of these events.
Hospital pharmacists conduct a critical role in the care of patients in hospitals. Learn more about what they do here and in all the pages under Hospital Pharmacy practice and Policy.
Self-Assessment
SILCC
Closed SIGs
EAHP brings together experts from many areas of hospital pharmacy practice providing and highlighting good local sustainable practices as that can be up-scaled and shared with other countries. The EAHP Working Group on Sustainability has the aim of reducing the environmental burden of the hospital pharmacy services.
The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP), and its 36 member country platforms are creating a Common Training Framework for the hospital pharmacy education in Europe. The goal of this project is to allow the free movement of hospital pharmacists within the European Union.
The European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) and the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy (ESCP) have collaboratively developed the Oath to Society. The Oath to Society is all encompassing and acts as a contract for excellence in providing compassionate patient care, working as part of the healthcare team and advancing the pharmacy profession, and showcasing how clinical and hospital pharmacists work every day
A day created to highlight the importance and to celebrate the work done by hospital pharmacies. This day celebrates all hospital pharmacy teams.
The Early Career Network aims to empower early-career pharmacists by sharing opportunities, insights, and success stories from across 25 member countries.
Together, we’re building a stronger, more connected hospital pharmacy community: one story, one country, one pharmacist at a time.
Catch up with EAHP’s press releases
Find all EAHP relevant publication like the EAHP Surveys, annual reports and the history books.
The European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy (EJHP) is the only official journal of the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) and is committed to advancing the science, practice and profession of hospital pharmacy. As the premier communication platform for hospital pharmacists worldwide, EJHP is a major source for continuing education as well as updates on advances in the practice and standard of pharmaceutical care for patients.
When EAHP and Hospital pharmacists appear in the news.
EAHP publishes a monthly EU monitor with updates about the latest EAHP initiatives and information relevant for the hospital pharmacy profession.
The Sponsor Channel is designed to maximise visibility and engagement, allowing sponsors to connect with the hospital pharmacy community and partners in a dynamic and interactive environment. From product demonstrations to networking sessions, the Sponsor Channel offers a range of opportunities for sponsors to showcase their offerings and generate leads in the new EAHP Website.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
P. Frandsen
M. Nissen
C. Olesen
Medicines dispensed by an automatic multidose dispensing system (ADS) was introduced on an orthopaedic surgery ward to improve the occupational health of pharmacy technicians. The hope was to release time for medication reconciliation, allowing pharmacy technicians to use their professional skills in supporting the orthopaedic surgeons and enhancing patient safety.
In the orthopaedic surgery ward, pharmacy technicians manually dispensed medication to inpatients and upon discharge. Prior to dispensing, they compared prescriptions in the hospital electronic patient journal to prescriptions patients receive at home. In case of discrepancies, the orthopaedic surgeon was contacted to make any necessary changes.
Due to pharmacy technicians’ occupational health being affected by long hours dispensing medicines, medicines dispensed by an ADS was introduced. Per agreement with the chief surgeon, pharmacy technicians took on expanded responsibilities, including authority to independently adjust certain prescriptions.
Pharmacy technicians were asked to register time used dispensing medicines and time used reviewing prescriptions before the workflow changes and again after six months.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the six pharmacy technicians involved before the workflow changes and again after six months.
Total pharmacy technician time spent dispensing medicines per day was reduced from 326 minutes (range: 175–546) to 203 minutes (range: 105–358).
Time spent on prescription review per day increased from 44 minutes (range: 18–77) to 93 minutes (range: 30–170).
Before introducing the ADS, several pharmacy technicians reported physical strain in their hands and mental fatigue after long hours of dispensing.
After the introduction of the ADS, there was a marked improvement in occupational health. Pharmacy technicians, who had experienced strain in their hands noticed improvement, and half of them also reported reduced mental fatigue.
Collaboration with surgeons was mentioned by pharmacy technicians as problematic before the new workflows but significantly improved, with pharmacy technicians feeling their expertise was appreciated by surgeons and ward staff.
Across Denmark, pharmacy technicians spend hours dispensing medicines in hospital wards. Implementing an ADS could relieve pharmacy technicians, improve occupational health and allow pharmacy technicians to focus on other tasks such as medication reconciliation, which would enhance patient safety.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
A.M. AGUI CALLEJAS1, C. REDONDO GALÁN1, S. MANRIQUE RODRIGUEZ1, C. MARTINEZ FERNANDEZ-LLAMAZARES1, Y. RIOJA DIEZ1, L. MORENO OCHOA2, F. PEREZ MILAN, A. HERRANZ ALONSO1, M. SANJURJO SAEZ1.
1 GREGORIO MARAÑON UNIVERSITY GENERAL HOSPITAL, PHARMACY, MADRID, SPAIN.
2 HOSPITAL GREGORIO MARAÑON, OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY, MADRID, SPAIN.
Patients undergoing AR treatments face a substantial information burden and complex drug regimens, including injectable self-administration, which complicate understanding and adherence while increasing the risk of errors. A single-visit care programme was developed, integrating medical consultation, nursing-led administration training, pharmaceutical care, and treatment dispensing. This coordinated model aims to enhance follow-up, reduce patient burden, and improve healthcare quality, resulting in safer, more effective, and efficient outcomes.
A pharmaceutical care programme was developed and implemented to monitor treatment and dispense medication to patients undergoing assisted reproduction (AR) procedures.
A multidisciplinary team was established, including gynaecologists, clinical pharmacists, and advanced practice nurses. Patients were selected according to local healthcare criteria. The programme addressed logistical coordination, pharmacotherapeutic monitoring, and patient support. A mobile application (including medication management, adverse events and bidirectional messaging) was developed from March to August 2025 and launched in the final month. Medication was dispensed in exact patient-specific amounts, following quality and traceability protocols, to reduce costs and minimise home waste. Main limitations were the short implementation period and small sample size, related to the app’s recent launch.
93 patients were included (mean age: 40 years, SD=3.9). 102 treatment initiation consultations and 194 follow-up visits were recorded (7 patients with > 1 cycle). Medication dispensing was based on Madrid Health Service criteria: In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) in women over 40 years (45%) or with previous children (30%), fourth IVF cycle (7%), artificial insemination (AI) in patients with previous children (13%), and oocyte preservation (OP) in patients with previous offspring (5%). Eight patients were enrolled in the app: 12.5% sought supplement compatibility advice, 37.5% reported adverse effects, and 50% recorded medication intake. Median treatment duration was 8 days [interquartile ranges: 4–10 (IVF and AI); 8-10 (OP)]. The estimated savings, derived from the difference between the units supplied in full medication packs and those actually consumed by patients, amounted to €15,441.
This initiative exemplifies good practice by integrating medical consultation, nursing-led training, pharmaceutical care, and dispensing in one visit, reducing burden while improving safety and efficiency. A digital tool enhanced monitoring and communication, making the model transferable to other outpatient settings.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
Dhorn Amnuayphonwiwat, Pharm.D.
Outpatient Pharmaceutical care unit, Outpatient Pharmacy Division, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Bangkok Noi, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
Within this integrated heart failure (HF) clinic, A HF pharmacists collaborate with multidisciplinary HF specialists to optimize guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT), increase GDMT usage, resolve drug-related problems (DRPs), reconcile medications, and educate patients. They also help patients adhere to therapies and thereby improve clinical outcomes.
Optimizing GDMT in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) was suboptimal because many factors, such as patients being unable to tolerate side effects or having non-compliance, health care insurance was limited in access to GDMT and there was a lack of a multidisciplinary care team. Our objective was to optimize GDMT, enabling patients to achieve reach the target or maximally tolerated dose and to resolve DRPs, thereby improving therapeutic outcomes.
Pharmacists performed medication reconciliation, reviewed all medications including GDMT, optimized doses, and identified DRPs at each visit. They also provided relevant interventions to physicians. After physician consultation, pharmacists counseled patients on their home medications. All information was recorded in both the pharmacist’s database and the hospital database. We analyzed the data annually and continuously improved our interventions.
We created education tools for HF patients such as flipchart, booklets and animations for focusing on empowering patients’ GDMT knowledge and improving self-care monitoring.
Data on GDMT dosage optimization, usage, and DRPs were gathered from all patient visits between January 2020 and September 2023. Among 2907 patient visits over 4 years, the annual GDMT dose rates were 67% for beta-blockers, 93% for RAAS blockade, 41% for sacubitril/valsartan, 100% for MRAs, and 100% for SGLT2i. The proportion of visits achieving more than 50% of the GDMT dose was 68%, 80%, 46%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. At the one-year follow-up, these 79 patients showed significant improvements in left ventricular ejection fractions, New York Heart Association functional class and signs and symptoms of congestion such as orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, edema, and lung crepitation.
With more improvement in the HF pharmacist’s role, we aim to develop the program for calculating the GDMT dose in the individual level and design supportive tools to enhance patients’ adherence. Moreover, the HF pharmacist collaborates with multidisciplinary team to disseminate this education initiatives to the other hospitals for improving the HF patients’ standard care.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
C González-Pérez, E Tejedor Tejada, F Capdevila, C Martínez Nieto, A Ferrer Artola, G Lizeaga Cundín, JA Domínguez Cháfer, A Martín Uranga, V Morales, M Serrano Alonso.
Spain aims to reinforce its position as a leading country in clinical research at the European and global level. Hospital pharmacists are essential to ensuring the safe and efficient management of IMPs, yet their role is often under-recognized or inconsistently defined.
The increasing complexity of clinical trials—driven by digitalization, decentralization, and environmental demands—requires updated, standardized guidance to support excellence, regulatory compliance, and equitable access.
A multidisciplinary working group, including representatives from the pharmaceutical industry (Farmaindustria), hospital pharmacists from the Spanish Society of Hospital Pharmacy’s (SEFH) Clinical Trials Group, and the General Council of Official Colleges of Pharmacists, revised the 2022 edition of the Excellence Guide for the Conduct of Clinical Trials in Hospital Pharmacy.
The updated guide focuses on:
Clear definitions of pharmacy and sponsor responsibilities across trial phases.
Practical recommendations for investigational medicinal products (IMP) handling, labelling, donations, traceability, and medicine shortages.
Integration of digital tools and electronic documentation systems.
Sustainability practices aligned with European standards.
Strategic recommendations for decentralized trials and remote patient access.
The guide was developed through consensus among stakeholders, combining regulatory expertise, clinical experience, and operational insights. Contributions were based on real-world practices and aligned with current European legislation.
The updated Guide to Excellence in Clinical Trials in Hospital Pharmacy was developed and launched in Barcelona on September 30, 2025. The new edition offers a comprehensive framework to support hospital pharmacists throughout all phases of clinical trials, while also serving as a reference for sponsors and Contract Research Organizations (CROs) regarding hospital pharmacy department procedures.
Additionally, it includes annexes with practical infographics covering key areas such as a welcome manual model for sponsors, IMP accountability, site initiation preparation, remote monitoring, hazardous drug disposal, and non-sponsored medication management. These resources aim to facilitate implementation and harmonize practices across institutions.
The guide will be disseminated through professional networks, social media, specialized journals, and mailing lists targeting hospital pharmacists, CROs, pharmaceutical sponsors, and universities offering specialised training for clinical trial monitors.
A national survey will be launched to assess the reach and impact of the new edition and to identify challenges and improvement areas for future updates.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
RAZEYRE Charlotte, QUINTARD Adeline, BAROUX Gaëlle
Since 2019, the pharmaceutical team (PT) dedicated to advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) in our institution has been integrated into the care pathway of patients treated with CAR-T cells. The PT intervenes upstream of the first medical consultation through an optimized medication reconciliation (OMR), then 48 hours before apheresis to ensure its update and compliance with wash-out periods. Prior to CAR-T infusion, a pharmaceutical consultation is conducted to update the OMR, explain the different steps of the pathway, and address patients’ questions. All data are recorded in the electronic medical record. Quality support materials are also provided to healthcare teams. In this context, we aimed to assess healthcare professionals’ satisfaction with these interventions in order to identify opportunities for practice improvement.
To collect and analyze feedback from healthcare professionals involved in the CAR-T pathway regarding the activities and tools implemented by the pharmaceutical team.
A questionnaire was designed using Google Forms by the ATMP-PT and disseminated by e-mail to professionals involved in the CAR-T pathway. It covered several domains: respondent’s role, knowledge and use of OMR and checklists, perceived relevance of pharmaceutical consultations, and satisfaction with quality documents.
All professionals involved in the pathway were contacted, with at least one response from each professional group except apheresis physicians. Only 42% of respondents reported being aware of and using OMR during their consultations. However, 86% considered pharmaceutical consultations relevant and were satisfied with their contribution to the CAR-T pathway. In addition, 71% were satisfied with the quality documents, while the remaining respondents reported not using them. Regarding potential improvements, one respondent suggested that the PT should be more involved during the patient’s hospitalization.
This study highlights the overall positive perception of the PT’s interventions. Nevertheless, the responses reveal limited use of some tools, particularly OMR and checklists, whose impact remains difficult to assess in the absence of feedback from apheresis physicians the main intended users. These findings underscore the need to further raise awareness among healthcare teams about these tools, in order to optimize their integration into the care pathway and strengthen interprofessional coordination.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
Megan Stevens
The National Health Service (NHS) is under pressure due to workforce shortages. Staff numbers cannot match service demand. In our Trust, Specialist Biologic Pharmacists are not being fully utilised.
Promoting the role of a Clinical Pharmacy Technician in a specialist service; releasing Specialist Pharmacists to expand their service.
Showing that Clinical Pharmacy Technicians, with relevant training and support, can safely screen biologic prescriptions and manage stock on BDU.
Reducing the number of items being returned from BDU, by allowing the Clinical Pharmacy Technician to be more present in BDU and make proactive interventions to prevent unnecessary dispensing.
The Specialist Biologics Pharmacist developed a list of tasks appropriate for a Clinical Pharmacy Technician.
A procedure was written to outline the screening process and returns process for biologics by a Clinical Pharmacy Technician. They are unable to screen prescriptions with a change of drug, dose or frequency.
Full training was provided, and competencies were used to assess capability.
Any errors in the screening process will be reported and monitored by Pharmacy Governance.
From April to June 2024, a total of 938 biologic prescriptions were screened. 750 of these were screened by a Clinical Pharmacy Technician. This equates to a 70% decrease in Pharmacist screening workload- that’s 9 hours per week of pharmacist screening time saved.
Within those three months, 17 items were returned from BDU. In the same three months the previous year, 64 items were returned. This shows a 73% decrease in returns.
There have been no Datix reports for screening errors on prescriptions screened by Clinical Pharmacy Technicians to date.
This service development shows that employing a Clinical Pharmacy Technician allows Specialist Pharmacists to be utilised more appropriately. It allows them to increase their outpatient activity; starting a Pharmacist-led Dermatology Biologics clinic and increasing patient numbers in Pharmacist-led Gastroenterology clinics.
The reduction in returns shows that Clinical Pharmacy Technicians can make proactive interventions and prevent unnecessary items being dispensed. This reduced unnecessary workload for the Dispensary and Aseptic Unit.
No Datix reports being submitted shows that Clinical Pharmacy Technicians are capable of screening biologic prescriptions when fully trained and supported
Clinical Pharmacy Services
Before this initiative, surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP) monitoring was paper-based and mainly handled by nursing staff, with little pharmacist or surgeon engagement. Entries were often incomplete or inaccurate, with frequent confusion between prophylactic and therapeutic use. Critical parameters—timing, duration, and patient-specific factors—were inconsistently recorded, and data were rarely analysed, so protocol compliance went unmonitored. Consequently, surgeons paid limited attention to guideline adherence or to the contribution of suboptimal prophylaxis to antimicrobial resistance. These gaps exposed patients to unnecessary antibiotic exposure and avoidable infection risk. The project was therefore launched to create a reliable, accountable monitoring process that would improve data quality and enable systematic feedback and stewardship.
A clinical pharmacist-led, electronic monitoring system for SAP was developed. A comprehensive data-capture form (demographics, surgery type and duration, wound class, antibiotic choice, dose, timing, and duration) was designed after benchmarking similar tools and implemented in the hospital information system (HIS). Clinical pharmacists reviewed all SAP entries, verified completeness before discharge, and generated reports shared with the Infection Control Committee and hospital management to support data-driven interventions.
A multidisciplinary team of pharmacists, infection control experts, IT staff, and surgeons collaborated under hospital leadership to design and implement the process. All patients undergoing surgery and receiving SAP were monitored by trained pharmacists in the wards, and data entries were completed before discharge to ensure accuracy. The collected information was analysed by clinical pharmacists, and discrepancies between clinical practice and established protocols were flagged. The Infection Control Team, in collaboration with hospital management, provided feedback to surgeons and developed targeted training programmes where needed. Initial barriers—limited familiarity with digital forms and resistance to workflow changes—were overcome through structured training, ongoing communication, and continuous on-ward support.
Documentation completeness and accuracy improved markedly, enabling routine compliance assessment across antibiotic choice, dose, timing, and duration. Analysis identified delays in administration; corrective actions, education, and protocol updates followed. Surgeon awareness of correct timing increased, and the pharmacist’s role in antimicrobial stewardship was strengthened.
Next steps include embedding the revised SAP protocol across all surgical units, regular audits, and continued pharmacist-led monitoring to sustain improvements. By integrating SAP monitoring data with patient readmission data for surgical site infections, we aim to evaluate whether improved documentation, training, and protocol revision lead to measurable reductions in infection-related readmissions. The model is effective, scalable, and transferable to other hospitals. Integration with AI-assisted decision-support tools within the HIS is being explored to further optimise prophylaxis management.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
Naila Aljahdali, Hala Al-Buti, Basem Elbehiry, Mohammed AlZahrani, Hani AlZahrani, Jalal Alharbi, Raien Algaidi, Ali AlZahrani, Wael AlZahrani
Medication adherence is a global challenge, with nearly half of patients failing to take prescribed therapies consistently. This issue contributes to avoidable hospitalizations, treatment failures, and increased healthcare costs. At King Fahd Armed Forces Hospital (KFAFH) in Jeddah, medication refills are identified as a critical issue affecting both patient outcomes and pharmacy workload, and as key barriers to optimal care. This project aimed to improve patient medication adherence and satisfaction while also reducing pharmacy staff workload.
ADHERE Initiative was implemented as value-added services (VAS) include: home medication delivery services (HMDS) integrated with digital health tools (delivery refill tracking, telepharmacy consultations) and streamlined logistics, patient education, and feedback loops. A multidisciplinary team oversaw implementation. Performance was monitored and evaluated.
This Quality Improvement (QI) project was conducted from November 2023 to June 2025, using the Plan Do-Study-Act (PDSA) methodology. Baseline data were collected on patient adherence, satisfaction, and pharmacy workload. Root cause analysis was performed using a fishbone tool. ADHERE Initiative was introduced as an intervention to address identified barriers.
The real-world data shows that Patients’ Medication Adherence improved by 51%, and HMDS uptake grew substantially from a negligible start (1%) to sustained levels around 30–44%, surpassing the target in several months. Waiting times improved to around 7 minutes after interventions, indicating reduced in-person demand. Delivery performance was strong inside Jeddah with rapid same-day/24-hour delivery for most patients, while outside Jeddah deliveries reliably reached patients within 2–3 days. Estimated refill-related counter workload reduced by ~40%, freeing staff for clinical duties.
ADHERE Initiative significantly improves patient medication adherence, enhance patient satisfaction, and reduces pharmacy workload. It highlights the dual benefit of technology-enabled pharmacy services for both patients and healthcare providers. Also, it represents a scalable model for healthcare institutions to transform patient-centered care in Saudi Arabia.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
Elisabetta Volpi, Hospital Pharmacy, Ospedale del Cuore, Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio;
Irene Benassi, Specialisation school in Hospital Pharmacy, University of Pisa;
Sara Tonazzini, Hospital Pharmacy, Ospedale del Cuore, Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio;
Giuseppa Lo Surdo, Hospital Pharmacy, Ospedale del Cuore, Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio;
Stefania Alduini, Hospital Pharmacy, Ospedale del Cuore, Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio;
Stefania Biagini, Hospital Pharmacy, Ospedale del Cuore, Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio.
Medication reconciliation and review are essential tools to ensure patient safety and therapeutic appropriateness, particularly in preventing unintentional discrepancies during transitions of care.
In our hospital, a structured process was implemented that fully integrates the hospital pharmacist into the multidisciplinary care team. The process includes several key steps: i. a pharmacist interviews the patient to gather their home medication list; ii. this list is compared with the hospital-prescribed therapy to identify any discrepancies. iii. at discharge, the pharmacist and physician jointly reconcile the final therapy plan, addressing any discrepancies. iv. the pharmacist then prepares and dispenses the medications.
For pediatric patients, liquid formulations are provided when possible. If solid forms are necessary, instructions for reconstitution, dilution and dose splitting are given. For adult patients, labels include clear dosing schedules and administration times. Each medication is labeled with personalized instructions.
A critical part of the process is a final counseling session between the pharmacist and the patient or caregivers. During this meeting, the pharmacist explains the therapy in detail to ensure proper administration and adherence.
The pharmacist collaborate with other healthcare professionals collecting the patient’s home medication history at admission, comparing it with in-hospital therapy and jointly reviewing the discharge therapy with the physician. The pharmacist then dispenses the medication and provides counseling to the patient or caregiver.
The primary goals of this intervention were to improve patients’ and caregivers’ understanding of their medication regimens, reinforce the educational and clinical role of the pharmacist, and support therapeutic adherence post-discharge.
A survey conducted from July to September 2024 on 36 patients showed very positive feedback: 100% of patients and 96% of caregivers found the information about the discharge therapy clear and understandable and 100% of patients and 86% of caregivers felt actively involved and supported.
Based on these results, pharmacist-led counseling at discharge has become standard practice. This counseling service has become standard practice at discharge. Our goal is to further strengthen and consolidate this model and adapt it to other clinical settings and other hospitals.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
Richard Sykes – Pharmacist Executive Manager, Portiuncula University Hospital/ Hospital Pharmacists Association Of Ireland
Muriel Pate – Chief II Pharmacist, Health Service Executive
Prof. Judith Strawbridge – School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences (PBS), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
The development of hospital clinical pharmacy in Ireland has steadily progressed over recent decades. Historically, pharmacists working in the Health Service Executive (HSE) lacked a career structure that recognised specialist-level practice.
Following extensive stakeholder negotiations, a validation model was introduced to assess pharmacists’ practice against internationally recognised standards. Pharmacists submitted evaluation forms to a validation panel, which reviewed their evidence. Those meeting the criteria were regraded as Advanced Specialist Pharmacists.
The validation criteria were aligned with the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Advanced Stage 2 framework, covering six domains: Expert Professional Practice, Working with Others, Leadership, Management, Education, Training and Development, and Research and Evaluation. A panel of pharmacists assessed electronic applications and scored them accordingly. Over 300 Acute Hospital Pharmacists submitted evidence, and those meeting the threshold were deemed to demonstrate advanced practice. These individuals were regraded to the newly created Advanced Specialist Pharmacist grade.
The HSE has now formally recognised that pharmacists in acute hospital settings are working at an advanced level. This recognition allows for the direct creation of advanced roles within the health system. A job specification outlining responsibilities and educational requirements has been published, ensuring transparency. Over 200 pharmacists successfully demonstrated specialist practice across a range of specialties and were regraded.
The creation and appointment of Pharmacists to the grade of Advanced Specialist has now prompted the need for further development. 1. The utilisation of existing Hospital Pharmacists Association Specialist Interest Groups to facilitate peer support for Pharmacists in their specialist roles.
2. A plan to establish a pipeline of Pharmacists to fill new and replacement Advanced Specialist Pharmacist vacancies.
3. Further negotiation to apply the same structures within the service in non acute hospital roles
References
1 .Advanced Specialist Pharmacist resources, Health Service Executive, July 2024, (online) https://www.hse.ie/eng/staff/resources/hr-circulars/hr-circular-016-2024-phase-2-implementation-of-the-mc-loughlin-report-in-hospital-pharmacies.html
