Pilot sites for pharmacists in A&E scheme revealed

Pilot sites for a national initiative to place pharmacists in A&E departments across England have been unveiled by Health Education England (HEE).

A total of 53 sites across England have been confirmed by HEE, slightly less than the initial estimate that 65 sites would take part, but far more than the 12-36 sites first anticipated when the scheme was announced.

These sites will now run a five-week pilot of the initiative, described by the RPS – which called for such a move in its urgent and emergency care campaign – as “fantastic news” for patients and pharmacists.

The projects will run until Friday 3 April. Health Education North West has the largest number of sites of any English region, with 10 trusts taking part.

The pilots will inform an analysis of the effect of a pharmacist with non-medical prescribing and enhanced clinical capability on emergency departments’ work-flow and productivity, according to HEE.

This evaluation data will then be used “to lead and justify the development of a competency and curriculum framework and corresponding role specification for an advanced clinical pharmacist”.

Furthermore, the scheme will “test the clinical boundaries of an independent prescriber pharmacist and how their existing clinical role could be developed”. The aim of this is to provide an enhanced clinical pharmacy service within urgent and acute/emergency care within community and secondary care, HEE says.

Confirmed project NHS trusts

Health Education South West (five trusts):
South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; North Bristol NHS Trust; Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust; Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust.

Health Education Wessex (three trusts): Isle of Wight NHS Trust; Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.

Health Education Kent, Surrey and Sussex (four trusts): Brighton & Sussex University Hospital NHS Trust; Surrey & Sussex Hospital Healthcare Trust; East Kent University Hospitals Healthcare Trust; Dartford and Gravesham Hospitals Healthcare Trust.

Health Education East Midlands (four trusts): Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Northampton General Hospital; Royal Derby Hospital; Nottingham University Hospital.

Health Education Yorkshire and Humber (four trusts): Sheffield Teaching Hospitals; Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Health Education East of England (four trusts): Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust; The Luton & Dunstable Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Health Education North West (four trusts): East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust; Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Tameside Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust; Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; East Cheshire NHS Trust; Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust; Wrightington, Wigan & Leigh NHS Foundation Trust; Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Health Education Thames Valley (three trusts): Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust; Heatherwood and Wexham Park Hospitals (part of Frimley Park NHS Foundation Trust); Milton Keynes Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Health Education North Central and East London (five trusts): North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust; Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust; East London NHS Foundation Trust; Barking Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust; Barts Health NHS Trust.

Health Education South London (three trusts): Croydon Health Services NHS Trust; St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Health Education West Midlands (three trusts): University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust; Burton Hospitals NHS Trust; South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust.

Health Education North East (five trusts): South Tees NHS Foundation Trust; Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust; City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust; Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.