Pharmacist prescribing in primary care: the views of patients across Great Britain who had experienced the service.

OBJECTIVE  To evaluate the views of patients across primary care settings in Great Britain who had experienced pharmacist prescribing. METHODS  All Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) prescribers (n = 1622) were invited to participate. Those consenting were asked to invite up to five consecutive patients who had experienced their prescribing to participate.

Exploring pharmacists' perceptions of the feasibility and value of pharmacist prescribing of antimicrobials in secondary care in Scotland.

Objectives: The introduction of non-medical prescribing in the UK has provided opportunities and challenges for pharmacists to help ensure prudent use of antimicrobials. The objective of this research was to explore pharmacists' perceptions of the feasibility and value of pharmacist prescribing of antimicrobials in secondary care in Scotland.

Methods: Pharmacists' perceptions were explored using focus groups in five Scottish regions representing (a) urban and rural areas and (b) district general hospitals and large teaching centres.

Views of pharmacist prescribers, doctors and patients on pharmacist prescribing implementation.

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of pharmacist supplementary prescribers, their linked independent prescribers and patients, across a range of settings, in Scotland, towards pharmacist prescribing.

Method: Telephone interviews were conducted with nine pharmacist prescribers, eight linked independent prescribers (doctors) and 18 patients. The setting was primary and secondary care settings in six NHS Health Board areas in Scotland.

Cross sectional survey of the Scottish general public's awareness of, views on, and attitudes toward nonmedical prescribing.

Background: Nonmedical (ie, nonphysician) prescribing is a key development in the UK that has brought about many changes in prescribing policy and practice. Systematic research into the views of the general public toward such developments is limited.

Objective: To determine the awareness of, views on, and attitudes of members of the Scottish general public toward nonmedical prescribing, with an emphasis on pharmacist prescribing.

Exploring patients' perspectives of pharmacist supplementary prescribing in Scotland.

Aim: The aim of this study was to explore patients' perspectives and experiences of pharmacist supplementary prescribing (SP) in Scotland.

Method: A survey in primary and secondary care in Scotland. Pharmacist supplementary prescribers (n = 10) were purposively selected across Scotland.

Views, attitudes and self-assessed training needs of Scottish community pharmacists to public health practice and competence.

Objective: To assess the education and training needs of community pharmacists to support the delivery of an expanded public health role. Setting Community pharmacy in Scotland.

Method: Two focus groups of community pharmacists (n = 4 in each) in geographically distinct regions of Scotland explored issues of public health function, competencies and education and training.

Views of pharmacists and mentors on experiential learning for pharmacist supplementary prescribing trainees.

Objective: To explore the views and experiences of pharmacists and their mentoring designated medical practitioners (DMPs) about the 'period of learning in practice' (PLP) as part of supplementary prescribing (SP) training.

Method: Two focus groups (n = 5 and 7) of SP pharmacists were organised in Scotland. The experiences and views of DMPs (n = 13) were explored using one-to-one telephone interviews.

Developing consensus around the pharmaceutical public health competencies for community pharmacists in Scotland.

Objective: The new community pharmacy contract in Scotland will formalise the role of pharmacists in delivering public health services. To facilitate assessment of education and training needs it is necessary to define the relevant public health competencies for community pharmacists. The objective of this research was to define and develop consensus around such competencies.

Experiential learning as part of pharmacist supplementary prescribing training: feedback from trainees and their mentors.

Background: A period of learning in practice (PLP) is an integral part of supplementary prescribing training for pharmacists in Great Britain. During the PLP, a designated medical practitioner (DMP) supervises and supports the trainee to develop competence in prescribing.

Objective: To evaluate the views and experiences of supplementary prescribing pharmacists and DMPs regarding the PLP and identify their perceived support needs during the PLP.

Prescription medications: beliefs, experiences, behavior, and adherence of sheltered housing residents.

Background: Data on medication utilization among residents of sheltered housing complexes (SHCs) are limited.

Objective: To evaluate the extent of nonadherence to prescribed medications among residents of SHCs and identify factors associated with nonadherence.

Methods: A 58 item, pre-piloted questionnaire with validated items for patient self-assessment of medication risk; adherence; disability; health beliefs, experiences, and behavior; and general items on demographics, health, and medication use was mailed to 1137 SHC residents in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Supplementary prescribing: early experiences of pharmacists in Great Britain.

Background: Pharmacists in Great Britain can undertake supplementary prescribing (SP) after training at a higher education institution and completing a "period of learning in practice" in accordance with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) curriculum.

Objective: To explore SP pharmacists' early experiences of prescribing and their perceptions of the prescribing course.

Methods: A questionnaire was mailed to all RPSGB prescribers (N = 518, on June 1, 2005; 30 used in pilot questionnaire).

The impact of guidelines on long-term asthma care: a study of hospitalised patients in Malta.

Objective: To compare actual practice to that recommended in asthma guidelines, published in Malta in February 1998, with respect to the management of asthma. These were the first national clinical guidelines to be published locally.

Method: A piloted, structured interview was conducted with patients between 14-59 years who were hospitalised with an admission diagnosis of acute asthma.