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The PSI and the Irish Centre
for Continuing Pharmacuetical
Education (ICCPE) are to
hold a number of information
meetings for superintendent
pharmacists to advise them on
their statutory responsibilities
under the 2007 Pharmacy Act.
The meetings, which will
take place at a number of
locations around the country
later this month and in early
December, are also intended
to facilitate a dialogue with
superintendent pharmacists
and to clarify any issues or
concerns they may have.
Attendants will also hear
about the development of
new resource material for the
training and development of
superintendent pharmacists,
who have a key professional,
clinical and strategic role in
the management and operation
of pharmacies.
The ICCPE has also recently
launched its autumn 2010
educational programme that
includes a number of important
lectures specifically
designed for pharmacists.
Theses include: Men’s health,
Schizophrenia, Challenging
Behaviour, Making Medicines
Management Safer, High
Tech Medicines, and needle
Exchange.
For more information please
see: www.iccpe.ie
issue 10 volume 12 • novemBeR 2010
irish CPD model: "supportive, enabling, and transformative"
THE PSI is planning to host a
number of Continuing Professional
Development (CPD) information
meetings for pharmacists
around the country in the new
year Irish Pharmacist reports.
The meetings, which are
planned for late January/early
February 2011, aim to inform and
advise pharmacists about the
PSI’s new CPD model for Irish
pharmacists which was launched
by the Minister for Health last
month.
Under the 2007 Pharmacy
Act all pharmacists on the PSI
register must be compliant with
the new CPD system of lifelong
learning by 2014.
The Review of International CPD
Models was one of two reports
commissioned by the PSI and
launched by the Minister on the
15th October last, which form
part of a new framework of
education and training for Irish
pharmacists.
The report’s vision of a CPD
system for pharmacists in Ireland
is one, which is focused on patient
safety, assures competency
across the profession to meet
patient needs and demonstrates
this competency to others.
According to the report the
new CPD model will provide for
a mechanism to allow for innovation
and development in the role
of the pharmacist. The system
will also be supportive, enabling
and transformative and one that
meets personal and professional
needs. It will also be flexible,
user-friendly, contemporaneous
and recognised by pharmacists
Ms Deanna Williams, registrar of the ontario College of
Pharmacists, spoke about the merits of the ontario CPD
model.
as helping to support the way
in which they practise. The new
report envisions a system that
rewards learning by professionals
and provides internationally
recognised accreditation as well
as encouraging and supporting
engagement with other healthcare
professionals.
Speaking at the launch Professor
Paul Gallagher, Chair of the
Professional Development and
learning Committee of the PSI,
said that the new CPD framework
should become an integral
part of a healthcare professional’s
practice experience.
“The new system has been
determined by the Council of
the PSI, on the basis of best
international practice and experience
and following a thorough
consultation with pharmacists
and other key stakeholders.
There is no doubt that there is
solid support for this new CPD
system. Pharmacists are anxious
to expand on the services they
provide and to provide the best
possible care to their patients
and to the public.”
Ms Deanna Williams, Registrar
of the Ontario College of Pharmacists,
was also present at the
announcement and outlined the
merits of the new CPD model,
which is based on a template
that has existed in Ontario since
1997. Ms Williams said that the
effectiveness of the Ontario
CPD model for pharmacists was
reflected in its roll out across
other healthcare professions in
the region.
At the launch the PSI also
unveiled its new Tutor Training
and Accreditation Programme
(TTAP), an innovative programme
that has been developed
by the RCSI on behalf of
the PSI to train and accredit tutor
pharmacists who oversee the
workplace training of pharmacy
interns.
Pharmacy education reforms will be “very challenging” to implement
The recently announced pharmacy
education reforms which
will see the current 4+1 model
of pharmacy education replaced
by an integrated five-year programme
will be “very challenging
to implement” in the current
economic climate the Head of
the School of Pharmacy at TCD
has said.
Commenting on the reforms,
which were announced by the
Minister for Heath last month
Professor Marek Radomski said
that while the proposals were
“groundbreaking” they would
be “very challenging to implement.”
According to Prof Radomski
the current economic climate
across Ireland has not escaped
higher education and Irish
pharmacy programmes have
become “chronically underfunded.”
“The budget for the School
of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical
Sciences has been reduced
over the past two years. We’ve
managed to weather the storm
by the hard work and dedication
of our staff but resources
are now stretched to breaking
point. While we are enthusiastic
about the delivery of a new programme
we are acutely aware
of the necessity for adequate resourcing
of undergraduate cur-
Psi/iCCPe meetings on role of
superintendent pharmacists
ricula. As a result, I believe that
these new reforms in pharmacy
education will be difficult to
implement without concomitant
changes in the funding of Irish
higher education. The School
of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical
Science looks forward to
working together with government,
PSI and other educational
institutions to ensure the future
success of our students and
schools”.
According to the TCD School
of Pharmacy the new curriculum
“will better integrate academic
studies with pharmaceutical
practice and experience from
the beginning, allowing stu-
dents to get the hands-on experience
they’re currently lacking.”
The national Pharmacy Forum
will oversee the implementation
of this new programme across
the three schools of pharmacy in
TCD, UCC and RCSI.
The TCD School said that
it “embraces these proposed
changes” championed by the
PSI. “Trinity recognises that these
plans are founded on the most
progressive trends in undergraduate
pharmacy education worldwide.
This new programme will
enable students to be on top
of the latest pharmaceutical
studies and research while at the
same time getting the hands on
patient care experience that is
crucial for practising pharmacists.”
Pharmacists legally obliged to collect 50 cent prescription charge
Pharmacists who fail to collect
the controversial 50 cent
prescription charge as mandated
by the Minister for Health may be
subject to disciplinary proceedings
the PSI has warned.
According to a letter sent by
the PSI to all pharmacists, the
Society notes that it has “received
a large number of queries in
relation to the requirement on
the part of community pharmacy
contractors to collect the
prescription levy introduced by
the Health (Amendment) (no. 2)
Act 2010.”
In the letter the PSI explains
that as of 1st October 2010 “it is a
legal requirement for a community
pharmacy contractor to
collect the levy of €0.50 per item
dispensed under the Medical
Card Scheme.”
Prof Marek radomski
“A failure to collect the prescription
levy is a breach of this
legislation and it should be noted
that all pharmacists are obliged
to “comply with all relevant laws,
regulations, rules, professional
standards” (Principle 3 of the
Code of Conduct for Pharmacists)
and also to “practise within relevant
legislative and professional
regulatory guidance” (Principle
4 of the Code of Conduct for
Pharmacists). Any pharmacist
who fails to collect this levy in accordance
with this legislation may
be subject to disciplinary process
under Part 6 of the Pharmacy Act
2007,” the PSI stated.
The disciplinary process under
part 6 of the Pharmacy Act forms
part of the complaints, inquiries
and discipline process. Where a
formal complaint is made about a
pharmacist this would be initially
considered by the PSI’s Preliminary
Proceedings Committee
and then progressed through the
process in accordance with the
legislation.
Meanwhile the President of
the IPU Mr Darragh O’loughlin
last month criticized the HSE for
its failure to communicate to the
public about the introduction of
the new levy
In terms of the implementation
of the levy he said: “Pharmacists
are opposed to the levy;
however, we are legally obliged
to collect it on behalf of the HSE.
We would encourage patients to
continue taking their medicines
as prescribed. If people have any
questions on their medication,
they should drop in to their local
pharmacist for advice.”