Section 5, dealing with Patient Safety and Quality Assurance probably the most important of all the Sections in respect of the clinical care patients receive. However, there are some individual Statements that are equally important and one or two others where the importance varies between countries. Austerity has been an issue across Europe, with some countries facing greater problems than others, a general theme being to ensuring health systems maximise the use of resources available. Many patient groups have commented on the shortages of medicines and it is clearly important that hospital pharmacists have contingency plans  to address such issues.

The availability of a formulary together with the presence of a Drug & Therapeutic Committee assists with the very difficult task of addressing antimicrobial resistance.

While the use of a formulary is best practice, the individual clinical needs of patients cannot always be met. It is therefore important that there is scope to use medicines that are not in the formulary. Where such medicines need to be prepared for the patient it is important that the medicine is appropriately quality assured. Patients need information about the medicines being recommended to them, this is particularly important where medicines are being used outside of their marketing authorisation.

Patients are also concerned about waste and want to see clear processes for managing any medicines that a patient takes in to hospital. Additionally, patients want to see well managed transfer of their care. 

The 44 European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy cover the full range of services provided from hospital pharmacies across Europe. However, not all hospital pharmacies provide all the services covered by the Statements. This does mean that some Statements have greater importance than others for some hospital pharmacies.

The same is true for Stakeholders, some Statements will appear to have greater relevance than others. Stakeholders are encouraged to examine all the Statements for relevance to them. However, what is provided below are links to either sections of the Statements or the individual Statements where there is believed to be greater relevance. The choices have been driven through comments received from the various Stakeholders.