Statement 1.7

“Hospital pharmacists must be involved in the design, specification of parameters and evaluation of ICT within the medicines processes. This will ensure that pharmacy services are integrated within the general Information and Communication Technology (ICT) framework of the hospital including electronic health (eHealth) and mobile health (mHealth) procedures.”

What does it mean for patients?All patients will receive required treatment and care by hospital pharmacists where appropriate. It is important to identify criteria in order to focus on the activities of the hospital pharmacy ensuring the best possible outcome for patients in line with the available resources.

What does it mean for healthcare professionals?Health systems have limited resources and these should be used responsibly. Hospital pharmacists should develop, together with other healthcare professionals, criteria in order to focus on the activities of the hospital pharmacy ensuring the minimal impact for patients.

What does it mean for Hospital Pharmacists?Criteria should be developed in-formally together with other healthcare professionals and administrators. The criteria should be rational, ethical and based on agreement of all parties.

The Uppsalla University Hospital is SILCC Host providing training on this Statement. Please learn more about the SILCC programme here.

Statement 1.6

“Hospital pharmacists should take the lead in coordinating the activities of multi-disciplinary, organisation-wide Drug & Therapeutics Committees or equivalent. They should have appropriate representation as full members of these Committees which should oversee and improve all medicines management policies.”

Hospital management, taking account of national guidelines, determines what structures are in place to assure the efficacy, safety and cost-effective use of medicines.

What does it mean for patients?Modern advances in technology can improve patient safety regarding medication use. The eHealth and mHealth technologies help patients use their medicines more effectively and safely from anywhere they are. Patients can be assured that their health data are updated, complete and secured due to in part the contribution of hospital pharmacists in the developing procedures and evaluation of their medication records.

What does it mean for healthcare professionals?Doctors and nurses may rely on the hospital pharmacists’ knowledge of the new technology and collaborate in order to have complete and secure health patient records with improved availability by being accessible by new devices, such as laptops, tablets, kiosks, smartphones, etc.

What does it mean for Hospital Pharmacists?Modern advances in technology can improve patient safety regarding medication use. For this reason hospital pharmacists should be involved in the patient records with improved availability by being accessible by new devices, such as laptops, tablets, kiosks, smartphones, etc

The  Sindelfingen­Boeblingen Medical Center is SILCC Host providing training on this Statement. Please learn more about the SILCC programme here.

Statement 1.5

“Hospital pharmacists should work with all relevant stakeholders to develop hospital pharmacy human resource plans covering the breadth of hospital pharmacy practice. These should be aligned to engage hospital pharmacists as supervisors in all steps of all medicine use processes to meet health needs and priorities across public and private sectors that optimise medicines use and patient outcomes.”

What does it mean for patients?Patients can be assured all medication policies and practices are coordinated through one multidisciplinary committee in the hospital. The medication use process appraisal is done by a multidisciplinary team which includes hospital pharmacists, who are experts in medication.

What does it mean for healthcare professionals?Doctors and nurses base their practice of prescribing and administration of drugs (including those related to off-label use and investigational medicines) on policies and procedures established by the Drug & Therapeutics Committee, a multidisciplinary team that includes several experts including hospital pharmacists.

What does it mean for Hospital Pharmacists?Hospital pharmacists are key resource of the Drug &Therapeutics Committee. The Hospital Pharmacist must provide all the relevant information to the committee as well as managing the practice changes that arise from the committee decisions. This will be measured by the change management processes and clinical audits.

Statement 1.4

“All hospitals should have access to a hospital pharmacist who has overall responsibility for the safe, effective and optimal use of medicines. Health authorities should ensure that each hospital pharmacy is supervised by a pharmacist with appropriate working experience in the hospital setting, and explicit demonstration of competence in hospital pharmacy.”

What does it mean for patients?Current evidence-based best practice for the treatment of patients is conducted through a multidisciplinary team. In order to ensure patients have the best possible outcomes whilst within the hospital, workforce planning must be conducted, in collaboration with health authorities. Hospital pharmacy staffing requirements should be agreed by all parties to avoid compromising the safety and treatment of patients.

What does it mean for healthcare professionals?There should be a structured national plan to ensure that the pharmacy services can be provided to patients and healthcare professionals. These services are proven through evidence-based research to contribute to improved patient outcomes. Hospital administrations should ensure that healthcare professionals are able to refer to the expert knowledge of hospital pharmacists at all stages of the medicine-use-process.

Staff shortages should be avoided by sustainable strategies.

What does it mean for Hospital Pharmacists?Health authorities and hospital administrators should acknowledge that the role of hospital pharmacists is integral to all the medication management processes. At a national and European level there should be a structured approach to the delivery of pharmacy services. For hospital pharmacists this will mean that resources should be prioritised to areas where they are of proven benefit and deliver the optimal outcome for the patient. There should be a clear career pathway with opportunities for on-going personal and professional development in each area of hospital pharmacy.
This includes data collated at local and national level to improve human resource strategy and avoid human resource shortages through sustainable strategies for workforce supply, recruitment, and retention.

Statement 1.3

“Health systems have limited resources and these should be used responsibly to optimise outcomes for patients. Hospital pharmacists should develop, in collaboration with other stakeholders, criteria and measurements to enable the prioritisation of hospital pharmacy activities.”

What does it mean for patients?Without the presence and advice of hospital pharmacists medication processes may be ineffective and unsafe. Hospital pharmacists should be part of the medication processes in every hospital to ensure patient safety. The responsible pharmacist should be a senior professional to guarantee the quality of the counselling and practise.

What does it mean for healthcare professionals?Pharmacists help other healthcare professionals to use medicines in the most effective way for the benefit of patients. Thus the expertise of hospital pharmacists should be available in every hospital. The important responsibility of advising healthcare professionals, such as doctors and nurses, and the requirement of high standards of practise requires a senior pharmacist supervising the hospital pharmacy.

What does it mean for Hospital Pharmacists?To ensure the quality of medication processes all hospitals should have access to a hospital pharmacist’s services, including hospitals without a pharmacy The head of a hospital pharmacy should be experienced due to the important responsibility and therefore should have additional, specialised training in hospital pharmacy.

Statement 1.2

“At a European level, ‘Good Hospital Pharmacy Practice’ guidelines based on the best available evidence should be developed and implemented. These guidelines will include corresponding human resources and training requirements and assist national efforts to define recognised standards across the scope and levels of hospital pharmacy services.”

What does it mean for patients?Patients should be assured that for each individual patient pharmaceutical care that is provided in each hospital of any country is in accordance with European standards.

What does it mean for healthcare professionals?Healthcare professionals should be aware that hospital pharmacists approach their work and provide their support to all healthcare professionals is according to, defined and guided by European approved standards.

What does it mean for Hospital Pharmacists?Hospital pharmacists will have clear goals and pathways to achieve excellence in their professional practice in the hospital. They are expected to contribute to and organize the work according to European guidelines concerning coverage and scope of the services provided and to assure adequate training of pharmacists with this aim. 

Statement 1.1

“The overarching goal of the hospital pharmacy service is to optimise patient outcomes through working collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams in order to achieve the responsible use of medicines across all settings.”

What does it mean for patients? Pharmacists are trained in the use of medicines, and can advise that they are uses effectively, safely and cost effectively. As a result of hospital pharmacist’s professional judgement and contribution patients are provided with safe and effective treatment needed to achieve the best possible outcomes.

What does it mean for healthcare professionals? Doctors prescribe the therapeutic plan for their patients with the assurance that hospital pharmacists will assist in ensuring that the care provided is safe, effective, appropriate and cost effective. Nurses are provided with the prescribed medication for the patient in order for it to be administered in the appropriate and safest way.

What does it mean for Hospital Pharmacists? All the work of hospital pharmacists should be conducted with the aim to ensure the optimization of a patient’s care by ensuring the safe, effective, appropriate and cost-effective use of his/her medication. Hospital pharmacists should provide the necessary information so that medicines are prescribed and administered safely and appropriately.

The Tyne and Wear NHS Foundations Trust Hospital is SILCC Host providing training on this Statement. Please learn more about the SILCC programme here.