Lately I seem to have become a bit of a file linker and server. But many of the smaller specialised newsletters I find worthwhile and wish to share either don’t have a home on the web or are only put up quite some time later. The Victorian Residential Aged Care Coronial Communique is a case in point.
Another specialised newsletter is the HAI Africa Practical Pharmacy Newsletter. Again the current edition is not on the web. Previous editions can be found here. Click on the picture to download the current issue 7MB)
click on picture for newsletter
This newsletter is designed to help train indigenous workers in Africa about all things pharmacy. The current edition focuses on the basic building block of logistics. Stock Control.
It covers everything from ordering to stock management and expired drug disposal. In remote Australia we can receive medications regularly by plane and no cost but many of these principles we still use in our clinics.
Tagged as:
HAI,
HAI Africa,
logistics,
medicines,
Pharmacy,
Practical Pharmacy,
stock control
In the USA in areas probably not as remote, pharmacists have been part of the team as pharmacists are in all other health systems. Pharmacists within the US’s Indian Health Service (IHS) have seen about 15% of all primary healthcare interactions including independent prescribing since 1996 along with many other roles.
In 2005 I started work on a project putting a pharmacist out bush with a remote health service as part of the team. Despite having the same skills pharmacists in Australia are usually not identified as playing some of the roles as occurs in the IHS. This may be part of the reason I am still the only pharmacist in Australia working in this type of role.
The first year was a project supervised by the Centre for Remote Health. Contact me here if you wish a copy of the report. This review of the project identified the needs for support and extra education to prepare for the role. It was thought the Graduate Certificate in Remote Health Practice (Individual practice) then being developed at the Centre for Remote Health could be adapted.
And after a lot of work by Fran Vaughan the Graduate Certificate in Remote Health Practice – Remote Pharmacy Practice will commence this year with several of the topics presented to multi-disciplinary groups.
Download (PDF, 202.02KB)
As I suggested it I had better do it. But apparently I may be also lecturing on it. It should be interesting!
The course is suitable for any pharmacist involved with aboriginal health services whether it be a visiting S100 or QUMAX pharmacists as well as those wanting to work remote.
Tagged as:
Centre for Remote Health,
CRH,
Pharmacy,
remote,
remote health practice
I have mentioned the Practical Pharmacy newsletter produced by Health Action International Africa previously.
This issue looks at adherence from a number of positions including the factors that contribute to poor adherence, ways for children to take medicine and tailoring dosage regimes.
Adherence: The degree to which patients follow medical advice and take medicines as directed. Adherence depends not only on patient’s acceptance of information about the health threat itself but also on the practioner’s ability to persuade the patient that the treatment is worthwhile and on the patient’s perception of the practitioner’s credibility, empathy, interest and concern. (WHO/MSF)
Although based on African experiences many of the examples and points made are pertinent in Australia’s ‘fourth world’, remote indigenous Australia. The current issue is below or it can also back issues can be found here
Download (PDF, 1.29MB)
Tagged as:
adherence,
Drug Information,
HAI,
Pharmacy,
Practical Pharmacy
