The Health and Social Care Regulatory Forum are pleased to announce the publication of the Framework for Public and Service User Involvement in Health and Social Care Regulation in Ireland.
This Forum of Chief Executives of Health and Social Care Regulatory Bodies (which includes the PSI) was established in 2008 to provide a mechanism for exploring opportunities to harmonise certain business processes, share best practice and facilitate co-ordination where appropriate between member organisations. It also aims to share knowledge and expertise on matters of common interest with a view to enhancing the overall practice of health and personal social services regulation in Ireland for the benefit of public health.
In response to the recently published recommendations of the Commission for Patient Safety and Quality Assurance, the Forum has published this framework to encourage greater service user involvement among agencies involved in ensuring patient safety and quality assurance in the Irish health services.
Service users and members of the public should be involved in the work of regulatory bodies:
• To promote openness and transparency by enabling the public to review service quality and be directly involved in the development of rules and standards;
• To act as a safety solution so that health and social services can learn from the experiences of service users, carers and others, particularly as it relates to adverse events;
• To improve the quality of regulated services by ensuring that services are sensitive to the needs and preferences of service users and the public; and
• To focus the work of regulatory bodies on service users and encourage public accountability.
The framework points out that the countries with the best public services and indeed healthcare systems have very high levels of citizen empowerment, where public services strive to be truly personalised and power to shape those services is put as close to the individual citizen as possible.
The report refers to five levels of public and service user involvement: to Inform and Educate; to Gather Information; to Discuss; to Engage; and to Partner. Examples of best practice are provided for each activity.
The report has been considered by the Board/Councils of the various regulatory agencies involved in the Forum and a commitment and a high intent has been expressed to ensure public and service user involvement in future regulatory activities.
‘Draft Guidance for Pharmacists on Safe Supply of Non-prescription Medicinal Products Containing Codeine’
The Standards and Practice Committee of the PSI Council has developed draft guidance on the safe supply of non-prescription medicines containing codeine. This guidance aims to ensure the safe supply of these products and assist pharmacists in discharging their professional obligations to patients seeking advice, guidance and assistance in respect of the use of these products.
These Guidelines were endorsed by the Council of the PSI at its meeting of 26 May 2009 and all registered pharmacists and retail pharmacy businesses providing these services are required to be familiar with, and provide services in accordance with, these guidelines.
Pharmacy Security Assessment Template: Guidance Document for Retail Pharmacy Businesses
This security assessment template for retail pharmacy businesses is the result of a joint initiative with An Garda Siochana, and updated following the Pharmacy Act 2007. It is designed to facilitate an audit of the premises of a retail pharmacy business to enhance security and identify risk to the safety of pharmacists, pharmacy employees and members of the public.
The PSI has drawn up a Code of Conduct for pharmacists, as provided for in Section 7 (2) of the Pharmacy Act 2007.
This statutory code outlines the principles and ethical standards which govern pharmacists in the practice of their profession, and breaches of which may be regarded as professional misconduct.
Any person dealing with a pharmacist, whether as a patient, a healthcare professional or a member of the public, is entitled to expect that a pharmacist will conduct himself/herself in accordance with the principles of the Code of Conduct.
Click here to download the document in full.
Information for Pharmacists on Dispensing of Oseltamivir
This information article has been prepared to update pharmacists regarding recent changes to the SPC for Tamiflu and in particular the procedures outlined in the SPC for the extemporaneous dispensing of suspension(s) prepared from the contents of Tamiflu capsules for children and adults unable to swallow capsules, and for infants under the age of 12 months.
This article has been prepared under the auspices of a Pharmacy Pandemic Preparedness Group, chaired by the Chief Pharmacist at the Department of Health and Children. The group, which comprises pharmacists from the PSI, HSE, DoHC and IPU, is working on a number of pharmacy-related issues around the current pandemic.
The PSI and the Office of the Nursing Services Director of the HSE have issed a joint publication on information for pharmacists about nurse/midwife medicinal prescribing in Ireland. This article also appears in the March/April 2009 issue of the IPJ.
The Pharmacy Practice Guidance Manual is a practical tool, developed to assist pharmacy owners and pharmacists to audit their own practice to ensure the pharmacy environment is appropriate and that services provided are regulated and delivered by an accountable professional.
Guidance on Superintendent and Supervising Pharmacists
The Pharmacy Act 2007 establishes the roles of superintendent and supervising pharmacists, with responsibility and accountability for the clinical and professional management of pharmacy practices. The PSI has issued initial guidance on these roles and responsibilities.
The PSI published the interim report of its Pharmacy Ireland 2020 Working Group which charts a course for developing/progressing pharmacy practice and services. The 68 page report, titled 'Advancing Clinical Pharmacy Practice to Deliver Better Patient Care and Added Value Services', was presented to the Minister for Health and Children, Ms Mary Harney TD.
PSI and Road Safety Authority's Leaflet on 'Medicines and Driving'
The PSI and the Road Safety Authority (RSA) launched a public awareness campaign on medicines and driving at the PSI’s Third Annual National Pharmacy Summit in
Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin, on Tuesday, 4 November.
Click here to download the leaflet in full.
Preliminary Overview of the Pharmacy Act 2007
The PSI published a general guide to the Act in 2007, which aimed to provide a high level overview of the legislation.
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