Letters

Letter

What do Black pharmacists say about their professional progress?

In recent years, various attempts have been made to better understand and address racial disparities within pharmacy leadership positions. The Inclusive Pharmacy Practice initiative1, the publication of the first national overview of the varied experiences that registered pharmacy professio…

Published: 28 October 2024

Letter

Contributing to global health needs: examples of roles and our top tips for those interested in global health

World Pharmacist Day, led globally and yearly by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) on 25 September, is an opportunity to recognise the essential role pharmacists play in healthcare. The theme for 2024 is ‘Pharmacists: meeting global health needs’. Here, three pharmacists who have…

Published: 25 September 2024

Letter

Management of overprescribing of oral nutritional supplements in a community hospital

Malnutrition costs the UK an astounding £23.5bn annually1, an increase from £19.5bn reported by the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (BAPEN) in 2015, with half of this amount spent on its treatment in older people aged over 65 years2. Dehydration and malnutritio…

Published: 23 September 2024

Letter

How knowledge mobilisation led to the NASA team visiting the UCL School of Pharmacy

In the ever-evolving landscape of scientific discovery and innovation, the concept of knowledge mobilisation has become vital for linking research to real-world impact. It involves actively sharing knowledge between communities to ensure that academic findings extend beyond laboratories and journal …

Published: 20 September 2024

Letter

Royal college proposals show that the RPS has listened to members’ concerns

Over recent years I have been a critical friend of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). I have repeatedly questioned its lack of ambition, some of its decisions that were seemingly designed to undermine its own credibility, and its lack of engagement with members. I …

Published: 18 September 2024

Letter

Opioids stewardship: an opportunity for community pharmacy

Opioid prescribing is a necessary component of post-operative pain management but carries a risk of misuse and dependency formation1. Community pharmacists are uniquely placed to contribute to effective opioid stewardship2. We previously reported on potentially valuable entries on PharmO…

Published: 30 August 2024

Letter

Reflecting on the benefits of my cross-sector placement

I want to share with readers about my cross-sector hospital placement. It proved to be an enlightening journey, rich with educational opportunities that broadened my understanding of clinical pharmacy practice and afforded me the chance to discern practical differences between hospital and community…

Published: 7 August 2024

Letter

Pharmacy is ready to deliver, if NHS IT is up to the job

I read The Pharmaceutical Journal’s article on the relative demise of structured medication reviews with a mixture of resignation and frustration ('Less is more: the struggle to prioritise structured medication reviews', 25 July 2024). Resignation because if clinical activity is not priori…

Published: 31 July 2024

Letter

How the IPP talent management resource tool works

Inclusive Pharmacy Practice (IPP) is a joint initiative between NHS England, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK and 13 other national partner organisations, aimed at making the workplace environment more inclusive for pharmacy professionals whilst ensuring …

Published: 25 July 2024

Letter

Standardising and expanding pharmacy services in the emergency department improves safety for high-risk patients and increases standards of care

Emergency departments are under unprecedented levels of pressure and strain across the UK and now more than ever are caring for an increasing number of undifferentiated patients that are both more acutely and chronically unwell and for a longer period of time1–3. Underpinning reasons behi…

Published: 15 July 2024