NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has appointed Jennifer Laskey as Scotland's first consultant pharmacist, marking a significant step forward for pharmacy
profession in the country.
Laskey's new role involves providing support to the West of Scotland Cancer Network, where she will play a pivotal role in enhancing healthcare outcomes.
Her appointment underscores the commitment of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to improving patient care and highlights the growing importance of pharmacist-led
initiatives in Scotland's healthcare landscape.
Laskey, a pharmacist from Scotland, will extend her expertise to bolster the West of Scotland Cancer Network, aiming to enhance outcomes and survival rates
across various healthcare settings.
As part of recruitment to become a consultant pharmacist, Laskey obtained credentials from the RPS serving in an accredited consultant post ensuring
standardisation across the UK for patients and the system.
Six pharmacists based in Scotland were acknowledged by the profession this week during a celebratory event held at the home of Scottish pharmacy, the RPS
building on Melville Street, Edinburgh.
Four pharmacists have been officially conferred with Fellowships of RPS for their significant contributions to the practice of pharmacy. The recipients are:
Richard Lowrie
Lynn Morrison
Deborah Steven
Audrey Thompson
Two pharmacists, Katherine Davidson and Emily Kennedy, have attained accreditation as consultant pharmacists. This designation is granted in recognition of their
demonstrated expertise at a senior level, spanning clinical practice, leadership, research, and education, RPS said in a statement.
Pharmacists with 'relevant experience in a pharmacy setting' can enroll for accredited independent prescribing course, as the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has decided to scrap the requirement of spending at least two years on the register and having previous experience in a specified clinical or therapeutic area before enrolling for the course.
The GPhC Council meeting held on Thursday instead proposed that applicants must have "relevant experience in a pharmacy setting and be able to recognise, understand
and articulate the skills and attributes required by a prescriber." This experience and awareness will act as the basis of their prescribing practice whilst training.
The regulator noted that the majority of stakeholder organisations, including the Chief Pharmaceutical Officers, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and the statutory education bodies, were in favour of removing the requirement in a consultation on the topic.
They highlighted that a specific two-year period was not in itself a robust indication of whether an individual was ready to become a prescriber.
They also highlighted that the rapidly developing roles in the profession meant more pharmacists were likely to gain the necessary experience more quickly than in the past. A smaller number of organisations and a larger minority of individuals were opposed, citing that a specific two-year period gave pharmacists the time they needed to develop experience and confidence before being ready to enrol on a course.