Certificate in
Medicines Management
for Pharmacy
Technicians
Programme Handbook
2015/2016
Accredited by the UCL School of Pharmacy
in partnership with:
London Eastern & South East Specialist Primary Services
Colchester Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this Handbook is
correct at the time of going to press (September 2014). UCL reserves the right to
make amendments to the information contained in this Handbook as a result of
unforeseen events or circumstances beyond UCL's control or if deemed reasonably
necessary by UCL.
This handbook is deemed to be the definitive version of information for all students
on this taught programme of study.
In the event that amendments are made, UCL shall take reasonable steps to notify
students as soon as possible.
2
Table of Contents
Welcome from the Programme Director ............................................................................. 5
1. General Information and Key Contacts............................................................................ 6
1.1 Programme Handbook ......................................................................................... 6
1.2 Programme Staff .................................................................................................. 7
1.3 Programme Administration ................................................................................... 7
2.
Programme Information ................................................................................................ 8
3.
Useful Information ........................................................................................................ 9
4.
Course Information ..................................................................................................... 10
5.
Pre-Course Reading List ............................................................................................ 11
6.
Practice Activities ....................................................................................................... 14
7.
Responsibilities of the Practice Tutor.......................................................................... 16
8.
Entry for the examination............................................................................................ 17
9.
Patient Profiles ........................................................................................................... 18
10. Format for the Patient Profile...................................................................................... 19
11. How to prepare a SOAP analysis ............................................................................... 20
12. A note on calculating renal function ............................................................................ 22
13. Referencing ............................................................................................................... 23
13.1. Journals………………………………………………………………. ..................... 23
13.2. Books…………………………………………………………………. ..................... 23
13.3. Plagiarism……………………………………………………………. ..................... 24
13.4. Website Reference…………………………………………………. ..................... 26
14. Case Presentation....................................................................................................... 32
Case Study format guidelines ................................................................................ 32
15. Oral Presentation ....................................................................................................... 34
Reflective Practice Diary ................................................................................................... 36
3
16. Guidance for Writing Procedure.................................................................................. 37
Writing a Procedure ............................................................................................... 37
Introduction ............................................................................................................ 37
Inclusion Criteria .................................................................................................... 37
Exclusion Criteria ................................................................................................... 37
Method .................................................................................................................. 37
Documentation....................................................................................................... 37
Review Date ......................................................................................................... 37
17. Guidance on Review of a Policy or Procedure............................................................ 39
Structure of the Report ............................................................................................. 39
Content ................................................................................................................... 40
18. Assessment of Practice Activities ............................................................................... 41
19. Appendices................................................................................................................. 49
Appendix 1- Syllabus and Outline Certificate in Medicine Management
for Pharmacy Technicians Objectives ...................................................................... 49
Appendix 2 – Certificate in Medicine Management for Pharmacy technicians
sample learning contract ......................................................................................... 58
Student’s Commitment ............................................................................................. 58
Course Organiser’s Commitment ............................................................................. 60
Personal Tutor’s Commitment .................................................................................. 61
Commitment to Study at Work.................................................................................. 62
Appendix 3 – Useful Websites.................................................................................. 64
Appendix 4 – Patient Consultation Skills Accreditation Scheme for Pharmacy
Technicians.............................................................................................................. 65
Patient Consultation Observation Checklist – Facilitator or Witness to complete
during consultation ................................................................................................... 67
Patient consultation Observation Checklist – Facilitator or Witness to complete
during consultation .................................................................................................. 68
4
Welcome from the Programme Director
The CMMPT programme is a part-time programme aimed at qualified pharmacy
technicians. It is a unique programme, one of the very few aimed at developing higher and
clinical skills in the technician workforce.
We at UCL maintain and provide a system for course accreditation at NHS training centres,
and manage the assessments for the award. Teaching and delivery, in the traditional
sense, is NHS owned and led locally in keeping with our partnership engagement
philosophy.
We look forward to welcoming you onto the programme.
Professor Ian Bates
Programme Director
Certificate in Medicines Management for Pharmacy Technicians
5
1. General Information and Key Contacts
1.1
PROGRAMME HANDBOOK
This Programme Handbook provides an introduction to the programme and contains the
key information you need about the programme of study. Amongst other things, this
handbook covers the curriculum, teaching and learning, administrative procedures, key
personnel and assessment.
This handbook should be read in conjunction with the School Student Handbook which
provides information about School staff, academic regulations and policies and
administrative procedures.
The Handbook is relevant to you throughout your studies. There will inevitably be some
changes during your time with us, possibly in relation to the teaching staff, programme
content and assessment patterns and we shall keep you informed of any important
changes. However, you should make sure that you keep up to date by reading our
communications, checking the notice boards, reading your emails and browsing Moodle
and the School and UCL Websites.
More detailed information on UCL procedures and policies in relation to students can be
found on the UCL website at the following link: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/current-students. You
can also find important information on the School website here:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/pharmacy/current-students/student-information. Students are expected
to be fully aware of procedures but, if in any doubt, please enquire at the Student and
Academic Support Office (known as the School Office – SASO).
We hope you find this handbook useful. It is revised every year to include new information
and to make it easier to use. If you have any comments about the handbook or suggestions
for improving the information provided, please forward your comments to the Student and
Academic Support Office (SASO) (email: sop.professionalcourses@ucl.ac.uk ).
6
1.2
PROGRAMME STAFF
Programme Director
Professor Ian Bates
Room:
341
Tel:
020 7753 5866
Email:
i.bates@ucl.ac.uk
Representatives
Richard Gant
Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation
Wendy London
Pharmacy Royal Free Hospital
Jade Robinson
Addenbrookes Hospital Trust
Gill Shelton
Addenbrookes Hospital Trust
Anita Wigham
Addenbrookes Hospital Trust
1.3 PROGRAMME ADMINISTRATION
The School Office (SASO) is the main administrative hub for your programme of study and
is located in Room G11, Brunswick Square. You may also need to visit the UCL Student
Centre on some occasions and further information can be found here:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/current-students/student-centre
Your main administrative points of contact during your time on the programme will be the
Administrator for Professional Postgraduate Programmes, Ms Akua Boakye.
Ms Akua Boakye
Room:
G15
Tel:
020 7753 5567
Email:
sop.professionalcourses@ucl.ac.uk
Opening Hours and Contact Information
Hours:
09.00 to 17.00 (Monday-Friday)
Location:
Room G15, 29-39 Brunswick Square
Tel/Fax:
+44 (0) 20 7753 5567
E-mail:
sop.professionalcourses@ucl.ac.uk
END OF SECTION 1
7
2. Programme Information
PROGRAMME DETAILS
Award:
Certificate in Medicines Management for Pharmacy
Technicians
Awarded by:
University College London
Department:
Practice and Policy
Length and Mode:
1 year distance learning
Credits:
1.5 course units at Level 5 of the QAA Framework for
Higher Education Qualifications
Programme Director:
Professor Ian Bates
8
3. Useful Information
Name : .................................................................................................................
Work place : .........................................................................................................
Contact numbers :
Work : ...................................................................................................................
Home : .................................................................................................................
Mobile number : ....................................................................................................
E-mail address :
Work : ...................................................................................................................
Home : .................................................................................................................
Tutor name : .........................................................................................................
Contact number : ..................................................................................................
E-mail : .................................................................................................................
Course Organiser
Name : ……………………………………………………………………………………..
Contact number :………………………………………………………………………….
E-mail :……………………………………………………………………………………..
9
4. Course Information
Course Aims
On satisfactory completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Discuss the management of medicines in a range of contexts other than within a
pharmacy, with particular reference to legal and policy frameworks
2. Demonstrate a knowledge of pathophysiology, pharmacology and therapeutics for a
specified range of clinical conditions
3. Extract and analyse relevant information from a variety of sources to resolve
medication-related issues
4. Demonstrate competence in performing calculations relevant to medicines
management and the use of appropriate sources of pharmaceutical information.
5. Adopt a problem solving approach to medication issues, based on an awareness of
personal limitations and the value of referral
6. Demonstrate competence in patient consultation and an appreciation of the
importance of patient confidentiality
7. Undertake a range of medicines management activities pertinent to their chosen
field and that require personal responsibility and decision-making.
8. Describe the principles of clinical governance and adopt the conventions of
continuing professional development
FOR A LIST OF LEARNING OBJECTIVES, SYLLABUS SEE APPENDIX 1
Course Content
50 hours (minimum) of workshops/tutorials
70 hours of coursework
60 hours of independent study and assessment
120 hours of guided study
10
5. Pre-course Reading List
To enable you to get the most out of each teaching session, it is strongly recommended that you do
the following pre-course reading/activity.
The standard textbook which this reading list is based upon is:



Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics 5th Edition
Edited by Roger Walker and Cate Whittlesea
Churchill Livingstone
Course Introduction

No pre-course reading
Medical Notes and Pharmaceutical Care Planning

No Pre-Course reading
Medicine Management at Local and National Level
Familiarise yourself with:


Medicines Management at Local and National Level
NICE http://www.nice.org.uk
Medicines Reconciliation

Familiarise yourself with the NICE guidance:
http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng5
Pain Control

Chapter 33
Pain
p519
Adverse Drug events, reactions & interactions

Chapter 4
Drug Interactions
p50

Chapter 5
Adverse drug reactions
p62
Biochemistry & haematology
 Chapter 6
Laboratory data
Pharmaceutical Calculations
 No pre-course reading
p76
Gastrointestinal Disease
 Chapter 12
Peptic ulcer disease
p162
 Chapter 13
Inflammatory bowel disease
p185
 Chapter 14
Constipation & Diarrhoea
p209
Patient Consultation Skills
Observe either a pharmacist or an accredited consultation skills technician undertaking a consultation
with a patient and consider:
1. The consultation as a whole (good and bad points)
2. Communication skills
3. How effective you consider the consultation had been with the patient
Respiratory Disease
 Chapter 25
Asthma
p412
 Chapter 26
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
p431
Diabetes mellitus
p685
 Chapter 19
Hypertension
p295
 Chapter 20
Coronary Heart Disease
p312
 Chapter 21
Chronic heart failure
p333
Diabetes mellitus
 Chapter 44
Coronary Heart Disease
Medicines in special care patient groups (paediatrics, pregnancy & breast feeding)
 Chapter 10
Paediatrics
p132
 Chapter 47
Drugs in pregnancy & lactation
p739
12
Clinical governance
Familiarise yourself with the website for National Patient Safety Alerts
http://www.england.nhs.uk/ourwork/patientsafety/psa/
and
the Central Alerting System (CAS) https://www.cas.dh.gov.uk/Home.aspx
Microbiology & antimicrobials
Familiarise yourself with the common drugs from BNF Chapter 5.1
Medicines in liver & renal disease
 Chapter 16
Liver Disease
 Chapter 17
Chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal failure
p238
p272
EXAM PREPARATION

No pre-course reading
Care of Older people

Chapter 11
Geriatrics
p149
Mental Health

Chapter 29
Affective disorders
p465

Chapter 30
Schizophrenia
p479
 Chapter 31
Epilepsy
p489
 Chapter 32
Parkinson’s Disease
p507
Neurology
13
6. Practice Activities
Students must develop a portfolio of practice activities, assessed to a minimum of a pass grade by the
practice tutor. The portfolio will contain the following records of practice activities.
Patient Profiles
The portfolio must contain TWO patient profiles presented in written form using the standard form in
the practice activities handbook.
Case Presentation
The portfolio must contain a record of ONE case study presented orally and assessed by the practice
tutor. A copy of the visual aids used for the presentation should be included in the portfolio.
Assessed Practical Activities
A portfolio of assessed practice activities largely centred around the Medicines Management and/or
Primary and Community Care option of the London Pharmacy E&T Technician Self Development
Programme (TSDP). This will include the following activities:


Maintain a reflective diary
Conduct 10 observed patient consultations, all of which must be assessed as satisfactory using
an OSCE checklist
PLUS any two of the following:






Write or review a checklist for reusing patient’s own medication, outlining reasons for inclusion
or exclusion
Write or review a standard operating procedure related to your role as a medicines
management technician, outlining inclusion and exclusion criteria
Design a poster to advise healthcare professional(s) and/or patient(s) about EITHER an aspect
of the pharmacy service OR the implementation of a patient safety alert issued by NHS
England National Patient Safety Alerting System (NPSAS).
Design or review a work plan for practice visits or community and mental health clinics for the
duration of the course
Identify the need for, and prepare, a procedure relating to an aspect of the service
Design or review a template that summarises the pharmaceutical implications of one National
Service Framework, an NPSAS alert or NICE guideline which indicates the impact on
prescribing locally
PLUS any two of the following:


Assess 50 medicines for their suitability for on-going use by patients
Conduct a level 2 medicines reconciliation for 10 patients whose care has been transferred
between two different healthcare settings
14






Transcribe 100 non-stock items to initiate or maintain supply without error
Prepare a record of 50 enquiries answered or recommendations by self
Prepare a record of 25 enquiries referred to, or recommendations given to, a pharmacist
Accredited prior learning, as agreed with the course organiser, may be used as confirmation
that the student is competent in some or all of these practice activities.
Guided Study
Guided study consists of pre- or post-session study and tasks set by session tutors. A list of
references and other learning resources will be provided.
15
7. Responsibilities of the Practice Tutor
The tutor should:
1. Ensure that the student is responsible for downloading and printing off all presentations and
any other materials needed to bring with them for all their study sessions.
2. Assess the practice activities and meet with the student for a minimum of 15 minutes each
week to give constructive feedback on practice activities and general progress.
3. Advise on the suitability of patients for the patient profiles and case study, ensuring that the
student is able to recognise independently a range of pharmaceutical care problems.
4. Participate in moderation of the assessment of practice activities organised by the course
organiser.
5. Arrange an opportunity for the student to present his/her case study orally within the
department.
6. Ensure adherence by the student to agreed deadlines for completion of practice activities.
7. Grant an extension of one week only to agreed practice activity deadlines where it is
considered that there is a genuine reason for failure to meet the deadline.
8. Inform the course organiser if any student:
8.1. Continually fails to meet deadlines for completion of practice activities, and/or
8.2. Continually fails to present work of an acceptable standard
9. Decide whether the student is competent to enter the final examination for the course.
10. Complete a report on the student’s practice-based activities.
16
8. Entry for the Examination
1. The course organiser will advise students and tutors as to the online availability of tutor’s report
forms.
2. The completed tutor's report form and practice activities checklist must be sent to the Head of
Educational Development at the School of Pharmacy by the required closing date.
3. All practice activities must be completed by the deadline for exam entry.
17
9. Patient Profiles
The purpose of a patient profile is to:
1. Identify patients who require monitoring.
2
List the patient’s medical problems and discuss the management of the disease process(es).
3
Identify pharmaceutical problems and suggest appropriate action(s).
4
Evaluate drug therapy for selection, efficacy and toxicity.
5
Establish criteria for patient drug usage.
Introduction to patient profiles:
The objective of a patient profile is to evaluate the appropriate use of drugs in individual patients by:
1. Discussing the appropriate selection of the drug(s)
2. Monitoring the therapeutic effects of the drug(s) prescribed
3. Monitoring for adverse effects of drug(s) prescribed
4. Taking appropriate action to resolve any pharmaceutical care problems identified
Each student is required to complete two patient profiles. These will take the standard format as
described below. Each profile will contain a minimum of two SOAPs and a maximum of three SOAPs.
The profile should be typed. All profiles should be referenced using the standard reference style. It is
intended that standard texts and reviews are used to collect information, not trial data or on-line
searching.
The patient should be prescribed a minimum of THREE medications. Ideally the student should start
by selecting simple management problems and build to monitoring more complex disease states and
treatment regimes.
Identification of pharmaceutical care problems:
Refer to your notes from pharmaceutical care planning tutorial.
18
10. Format for the Patient Profile
For each profile constructed, the following data must be included:
(Items in italics may be more relevant to students in primary care)
1.
Patient identification details (maintaining patient confidentiality)
2.
Presenting complaint(s) / Reason for referral
3.
History of presenting complaint /Events leading to referral
4.
Relevant past medical history
5.
Drug therapy on admission and during admission / Drug therapy prior to and after referral
6.
Drug allergies
7.
Medical problem list (classified as active or inactive problems)
8.
Pharmaceutical problem list (classified as active or inactive problems)
9.
Summary of relevant laboratory and other clinical tests, to include an estimation of renal function
10. Comment on the significance of abnormal laboratory and clinical test results
11. SOAP analysis of TWO or THREE pharmaceutical problems
12. Need for referral to other health care professional(s)
13. Counselling points / discharge or follow up plan
14. Summary of the outcome for the patient
15. A reflection on the learning points
16. References used, stated using the standard format (see ‘Referencing guidelines’ page)
19
11. How to Prepare a SOAP Analysis
SOAP analysis is a means of analysing a patient's problems, whether medical or pharmaceutical. The
initials SOAP stand for:
S
Subjective data
O
Objective data
A
Assessment
P
Plan
You are required to analyse TWO or THREE of the identified pharmaceutical problems using the
SOAP method. The medical problems need not be analysed. This helps you to concentrate on
optimising and monitoring drug treatment rather than on the medical condition itself. However, an
understanding of the medical condition is essential in understanding the role of drug treatment in the
overall care of the patient. You will find it useful to do some background reading about the medical
condition using a standard medical text. Each SOAP analysis should be NO MORE THAN 2 SIDES
OF A4 IN NORMAL FONT. It should present a summary of your findings and analysis of the literature
clearly related to your patient.
Pharmaceutical problems should be identified with the aid of the notes provided during the lecture on
pharmaceutical care planning. Medical and pharmaceutical problems are often related. For example:
Medical problem:
Heart Failure
Pharmaceutical problem: Management of heart failure
Subjective
Subjective data include patient complaints or symptoms and observations by the medical or nursing
teams. Subjective data are obtained by talking to the patient or a carer. They are data which are NOT
measured. Examples might include:
Patient complains of feeling short of breath
Nurse reports patient is confused
Objective
Objective data are data that can be measured. Examples include clinical signs, results of laboratory
tests and the results of various procedures e.g. X-rays and ECG. You should only include data that
are relevant to the problems that you have identified. Where laboratory results are included, the usual
reference range must be stated and results must be interpreted.
20
For example:
Serum creatinine 190 mol/L (ref. < 120 mol/L)
High
BLOOD PRESSURE 123/82 mmHg
Both subjective and objective data are important to monitor or assess therapy and to document
adverse drug reactions. It is important to select the data that are necessary to assess drug therapy.
For example, if you were using a beta-blocker to treat hypertension, you should include objective data
which will demonstrate:
Therapeutic effect:
Blood pressure (to ensure that the desired therapeutic endpoint is being achieved)
Avoidance of toxic effects:
Pulse to ensure that the drug is not causing bradycardia (maintain pulse > 60 bpm)
Assessment
The assessment should be used to define the problem and any medical conditions involved. This
should be followed by the usual first line treatment, stating the drugs most commonly used including
the dose and most frequent side effects. You should also include the common alternative treatments,
again including dose and frequent side effects.
The subjective and objective data for each problem should be considered and related back to the
patient’s treatment. Remember to consider how subjective and objective data can be used to
demonstrate the efficacy or toxicity of a prescribed treatment. You should develop a systematic
approach so that the assessment is complete and accurate. It is important to remember, however,
that it is the PATIENT being treated, not a set of laboratory values.
Plan
The plan should follow on from the assessment and can include the following:
1. Continuing treatment for the patient
2. Monitoring parameters to check for efficacy and safety of drug therapy
3. Patient education and counseling
4. Clinical endpoints of therapy indicating the aim and duration of therapy.
5. Discharge planning such as planning medication supplies if there is a problem obtaining a
medicine in the community.
Outcome
You should describe briefly the treatment that was given to the patient and whether or not it agreed
with the plan.
21
12. A Note on Calculating Renal Function
When calculating renal function (creatinine clearance), we use the Cockroft and Gault equation:
Creatinine clearance (CrCl) =
(140 – age) x Weight (kg) x F
Serum creatinine
F = 1.23 males
F = 1.04 females
Use ideal body weight if obese
Male:
Ideal body weight = 50 + (2.3 x every inch over 5’)
Female:
Ideal body weight = 45.5 + (2.3 x every inch over 5’)
If
CrCl = 20 – 50 ml/min MILD renal impairment
CrCl = 10 – 20 ml/min MODERATE renal impairment
CrCl = <10 ml/min
SEVERE renal impairment
If you are unsure about how to use or interpret this equation, then please ask your personal tutor for
support. A new system of calculating renal function using a scale to describe chronic kidney disease
and calculation of the eGFR has been developed. Calculation of renal function will be covered during
the Calculations session and also during the Medicines in Renal Disease session. Students must be
aware of how and when to use the two calculation systems as they are not interchangeable.
22
13. Referencing
Students should reference all materials used when preparing coursework.
books, journal articles, guidelines, websites etc.
This can include text
You must use the HARVARD style of referencing throughout your work. The reference in the text must
be referred to using the author and year of publication. The reference list at the end of the document
is an alphabetical listing, according to the surname of the first named author. Where two references
are cited by one author in the same year, the year must be annotated with a, b etc. in both the text and
the reference list.
13.1
JOURNALS
The sequence of the reference is:
Author (s). Title of article. Journal. year; volume: page(s)
For example:
In the text: The possibility of intravenous nutrition was first discovered about 45 years ago but there is
now a much better understanding of the nutrients required (Murphy and Scott, 2000)
In the reference list:
Murphy A, Scott A. Artificial nutritional support – what are the options? Hospital Pharmacist. 2000; 7
(6): 146 – 154.
13.2
BOOKS
Books are referenced according to the author(s). Title. Year of publication. Town/city of publishing
company. Publishing company.
For example:
Schön D. The reflective practitioner. 1983. New York. Basic Books.
Where chapters of a book are written by different authors and the book is edited, the author and
chapter are referenced like this:
Scott D. Ischaemic heart disease. In: Walker R, Edwards C (Eds). Clinical Pharmacy and
Therapeutics. 1999. London. Churchill Livingstone: pp 261-275.
Where an organisation is the author and/or publisher, it is referenced like this:
General Medical Council. Good Medical Practice. London: General Medical Council. 1999.
23
13.3 PLAGARISM
Defined as an act or instance of wrongful appropriation, close imitation or purloining and publication of
another author’s language/thoughts without authorisation.
Do not steal, pass off or copy anything for your coursework
INTRODUCTION TO PLAGIARISM
When preparing your coursework for the CMMPT course it is important that you do not unintentionally
plagiarise the resources you are extracting information from. When submitting coursework for
assessment in hard copy or electronically you are agreeing to the following declaration on Plagiarism
by the UCL School of Pharmacy:
“I confirm that this assignment is exclusively my own except where referenced. This assignment has
not been submitted previously for assessment on this or another module. I have read and understood
the plagiarism information in the Student Handbook and any additional information in the Programme
Handbook and understand that committing plagiarism could result in my exclusion from the School.”
Failure to adhere to this will mean that your coursework will not pass and in extreme cases
could mean withdrawal from the course.
WHAT IS CONSIDERED PLAGIARISM?






turning in someone else’s work as your own
copying words or ideas from someone else without giving credit (including fellow
students)
failing to put a quotation in quotation marks
giving incorrect information about the source of a quotation
changing words but copying the sentence structure of a source without giving credit
copying so many words or ideas from a source that it makes up the majority of your
work, whether you give credit or not
TIPS TO AVOID PLAGIARISM
PARAPHRASING YOUR WORK
When using resources to prepare your patient profiles, it is not acceptable to just change a few words
of an original sentence from a website/textbook and pass this off as your own. To avoid plagiarism you
must restate in your own words someone else’s idea. You will need to change both the words and the
sentence structure of the original without changing the content.
It is important to remember that you must reference the material you are using even though you are
putting it into your own words. You must use the Harvard style of referencing throughout your work
(see the course handbook for further information). Failure to reference would mean that you have still
plagiarised.
The following example illustrates how sentences taken direct from the recommended course textbook
‘Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics 5th Edition Walker and Whittlesea’ can be paraphrased into your
own words for use in coursework:
24
Selected sentences from original source material:
“Hypoglycaemia can occur both with insulin treatment and in those taking some oral agents, especially
the longer acting sulphonylureas, for example, chlorpropramide and glibenclamide.”
“The most common causes of hypoglycaemia are either a decrease in carbohydrate consumption,
excess carbohydrate utilisation from unexpected exercise or increase in circulating insulin”
Quotations from ‘Hackett E, Jackson S. Diabetes Mellitus In: Walker R, Whittlesea C (Eds) Clinical
Pharmacy and Therapeutics 2012. London. Churchill Livingstone p689
When preparing your coursework, an example of how you might paraphrase this information together
with your own knowledge might be:
There can be many causes of hypoglycaemia including a decrease in carbohydrate consumption or
increased/unexpected exercise. An increase in the circulating insulin can also result in hypoglycaemia,
and this can occur with insulin treatment. Hypoglycaemia can also occur in patients receiving some of
the oral agents. In particular the longer acting sulphonylureas such as chlorpropramide and
glibenclamide have a greater risk of hypoglycaemia. (Hackett and Jackson 2012)
Reference
Hackett E, Jackson S. Diabetes Mellitus In: Walker R, Whittlesea C (Eds) Clinical Pharmacy and
Therapeutics 2012. London. Churchill Livingstone p689
USING QUOTATIONS
Sometimes in your coursework you may want to use an exact sentence from a text. This is called
quoting. This should only be done if you believe that the way an author expresses an idea is the most
effective way of communicating the point you want to make. If you don’t need the exact words, you
should try paraphrasing instead. It is generally sufficient to paraphrase and summarise your sources
and so quoting should be used infrequently.
An example of a quotation might be:
The Audit Commission defines medicines management in hospitals as
“Medicines management in hospitals encompasses the entire way that medicines are selected,
procured, delivered, prescribed, administered and reviewed to optimise the contribution that medicines
make to producing informed and desired outcomes of patient care.” (Audit Commission 2001)
Reference
Audit Commission. A Spoonful of Sugar: Medicines Management in NHS Hospitals. The Audit
Commission 2001
25
Summary
In general by planning your coursework well you can prevent plagiarism. If you are planning on using
a variety of reference sources you need to plan on how you are going to include them in your
coursework. You should write an outline so you can clearly structure your discussion using the
information you have found along with your own ideas so that there is a balance.
Try to organise your reference sources so that you can effectively take notes and therefore properly
reference the material in your coursework. It may help to use coloured pens or highlighters to separate
information from the different sources prior to writing your coursework. Don’t forget to also note down
page numbers /web addresses for every source right away as it may prove difficult to remember
exactly where you found the information when you finally try to write the coursework. Remember,
improper referencing and misquotation are both forms of plagiarism.
We hope that you found this guide useful, however if you are still unsure about plagiarism please
consult with your tutor or one of the CMMPT course organisers who will be happy to help answer your
query.
14. WEBSITE REFERENCES
Website references must be fully referenced with author, date of publication etc. Because websites
can easily be updated, it is important to give the full URL and the date on which the website was
accessed. For example:
General Medical Council. Tomorrow’s Doctors: Recommendations on Undergraduate Medical
Education. 1993.
URL http://www.gmc-uk.org/med_ed/tomdoc.html Accessed 04/10/01
Electronic journals should be referenced like this:
Stockhausen L. The Clinical Portfolio. Australian Electronic Journal of Nursing Education. 1997;
2(2).URL http://www.scu.edu.au/schools/nhcp/aejne/archive/vol2-2/v2-2ljs.htm accessed 5 November
2002
26
Certificate in Medicines Management for Pharmacy Technicians
Name of Student: ………………………….
Code Name:
Sex:
Ward:
Date admitted:
Age:
Height:
Weight:
Obese:
PC / Reason for referral:
HPC / Events leading to referral:
PMH:
FH/ SH:
Allergies:
Drugs on admission / Drugs prior to referral:
Diagnosis / Active Problem:
27
Drug Administration Problems?
Drug Therapy After Admission / Drug Therapy After Referral:
PROBLEM LIST
Medical:
Pharmaceutical:
Progress Notes / Outcome:
Other Comments:
28
Relevant Laboratory Tests and/or Clinical Data
Test
Dates
Reference
Range
(include units)
1. ONLY DOCUMENT THE RESULTS WHICH ARE RELEVANT TO THE PATIENT PROFILE
2. MAKE SURE YOU DOCUMENT A SERIES OF RESULTS
RE N AL FUNCTION:
CrCl = (140 – age) x IBW x F
Serum creatinine
LIVER FUNCTION:
NORM AL
F
ABNO RM AL
male = 1.23
NORM AL
female = 1.04
ABNO RM AL
SIGNIFIC ANCE OF ABNO RM AL RESULTS:
29
SOAP NOTES (max 2 sides A4)
Pharmaceutical Problem …………………………………………………
Subjective Data:
Objective Data:
Analysis:
Plan:
Outcome:
Need for Referral to Other Health Care Professional(s):
Discharge Plan / Follow up Plan
Counselling Points:
References Used:
Reflection on Learning Points from this Profile
31
14. Case Presentation
Students are required to prepare one case study to be presented orally at the base hospital / site. The
practice tutor will assess the oral presentation. The case will be a simple, retrospective analysis of a
patient’s case notes. It should last for 15 minutes with 5 minutes for questions. Students may wish to
use one of the patient profiles as the basis for their case presentation.
If you use Microsoft PowerPoint® for your presentation, as a rough guideline you will have time for a
maximum of one slide per minute or about 15 slides in total. Therefore you must choose carefully the
information you present. Remember that you are trying to present an outline highlighting the main
aspects of a patient’s case to your audience. Any extra information you have found out may be useful
in helping you to answer any questions at the end.
Case Study format guidelines
Introduction
1. Introduce yourself to the audience.
Patient Details
Present a brief summary of your patient sufficient to give the audience the background to the case.
You could include any/all of the following as appropriate.
1. Presenting complaint/reason for referral
2. History of presenting complaint/events leading to referral
3. Past medical history
4. Drug history (including allergy status)
5. Social/family history
6. Initial diagnosis
Medical and Pharmaceutical Problems
1.
Indicate the current medical problem(s) and say which one you have decided to present in
detail
2.
Indicate the current pharmaceutical problem(s)
32
Show what you have learned about your chosen medical problem by describing some or all of
the following details, make sure that you concentrate on those details that are particularly
relevant to you patient.






Incidence
Known or proposed cause of the condition and/or predisposing factors
Male/female ratio
Any Major Method(s) used to classify disease severity
Clinical features (signs, symptoms, laboratory tests)
Treatment options (including treatment guideline used where appropriate)
Compare the treatment of your patient to the standard treatment you have described. Were there any
differences? Could they be explained?
Summary
At the end of your case presentation, you should summarise the outcome for the patient. Be ready to
explain your own role in the case. Reflect on what you learned from your case study. For example,
you could include:



The Outcome for the patient, such as a summary of the key events, discharge plan, major
counselling points
Brief summary of your contribution to the patient’s care
Reflection on what you have learned from the case
33
15. Oral Presentation
Time allocated - 20 minutes total. The presentation should be approximately 15 minutes and 5
minutes allowed for discussion and questions.
Audience: Local tutor, fellow students, members of pharmacy department and/or other invited
healthcare professionals
Visual Aids
1. One main idea per slide, 5-8 lines maximum.
2. Keep it simple, but try to use a variety of slides. For example, could your results be in the form
of a table or a chart?
3. Use colour to your benefit
4. Avoid overusing cartoons, slide animations
5. Check for spelling mistakes
6. Ensure that your slides are in a logical order
7. Try doing a practice run-through with a friend or colleague to rehearse the timing.
Terminology
Avoid the use of jargon.
Make sure you understand & can explain the meaning of all terminology used.
Selection
Cover one problem in depth rather than touching the surface of many problems in a complex case.
Anticipation
Be prepared for questions that you may be asked. Ensure that you have researched the subject
thoroughly. However, if you don't know the answer to a question asked do not guess.
34
Certificate in Medicines Management for Pharmacy Technicians
ORAL PRESENTATION
Name of Student………………………………………………………
Name of Tutor………………………………………………
Grade


















Comments
Presentation style (self)
Clarity
Eye contact
Use of language
Rapport
Presentation Style:
(audio-visual aids)
Quantity of slides
Quality of slides
Data presentation
Used advantageously
Content
Introduction
Background information
Identification of issues
Understanding of disease and
treatment
Assessment
Plan
Patient counselling / discharge
planning
On Questioning
Manner
Attitude
Knowledge
Overall Grade (Pass or Fail):
Strengths of the presentation:
Areas for future improvement:
35
Certificate in Medicines Management for Pharmacy Technicians
REF LECTIV E PR AC TI CE DI ARY
TITLE OF TEACHING SESSION:
DATE:
WHAT WERE THE MAIN CONCEPTS THAT YOU LEARNT TODAY?
HOW WILL THIS CHANGE YOUR PRACTICE AS A TECHNICIAN?
WHAT LEARNING NEEDS HAVE YOU IDENTIFIED AS A RESULT OF THIS TEACHING?
HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS THESE LEARNING NEEDS?
36
16. Guidance for Writing a Procedure
(e.g. for re-use of Patient’s Own Drugs or for Self Administration of Medicines)
Before starting this task, check carefully to see if your organisation has a standard format for
writing procedures. This could include both the way the procedure needs to be set out and
also how it is written (for example, font style, font size etc.)
Writing a Procedure
As a minimum a procedure would be expected to contain the following:
Introduction
A brief description of the reasons for drawing up the procedure. The introduction may also contain a
description of the advantages or aims of the procedure.
Author
The document should include details of who wrote it and who is responsible for approving / updating it.
This is often referred to as the document’s ‘author’ and ‘owner’.
Inclusion Criteria
A list of those patients to whom the procedure applies. If appropriate, it may also include those
members of staff who can apply the procedure and any training that may be necessary.
Exclusion Criteria
A list of those patients who are not covered by the procedure.
Method
A step-by-step guide to applying the procedure. This should be logical and easy to follow.
Documentation
Include any documentation that may be necessary to demonstrate all aspects of the procedure have
been applied.
Review date
Your organisation may require that you add other details such as document history, audit standards
and audit criteria. It must be clear that the document is a ‘draft’ copy until it is approved for release.
37
17. Guidance on Review of a Policy or Procedure
Introduction
The purpose of this assignment is for you to demonstrate that you are able to write a report that could
be submitted to a senior member of staff. Senior staff tend to receive large volumes of materials that
they are required to read. It is therefore essential that your report is clear and succinct. Such reports
usually begin with a one-page summary of the key recommendations contained within them at the
front so that the person can immediately see if it is of relevance or interest. The detail is then
contained within so that the person can read further if they have time, or if the document is of
particular interest to them. The following is a guideline of how you might tackle this report. However,
because of the varied nature of the guidelines, policies, procedures etc that you might choose to
review, you may need to adapt it slightly to your needs. You may also follow your organisational
guidelines on writing a report if they exist.
Throughout this guideline I have included examples from a review of the POD procedure by Julie
Lofts-Constable who took the CMMPT course in 2006-07. Julie has very kindly given me permission
to share this with you. The sections from Julie’s report are in blue text.
STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT
Front page
Begin with the title of the report, date and author’s name(s). Make sure you use the recommended
document format if your Trust has one (e.g. font style, font size). At Addenbrooke’s, for example, we
have to use Verdana font 10. You may also be required to insert the official logo of your organisation.
Next you need to add your summary of the key recommendations from your report. This should not
exceed one-side of A4. I would suggest that you use bullet points or a numbering system
A Review of the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP)
‘Re-use Patients own drugs: medical technical officer’
Review by:
Date:
Julie Lofts Constable
March 2006
Summary of Key Recommendations
The key recommendations for changes to the ‘Re-use of patients own drugs: Medical technical officer’
are:
 To clarify the terminology used regarding the term ‘technician’. The preferred term for the SOP
is ‘accredited medical technical officer (MTO).
38
Content
1. Purpose of the Report
Briefly in one or two sentences explain the purpose of your report. Think about what you want
to happen as a consequence of your report. For example, you might say that the purpose of
reviewing your POD procedure was to ensure that it is up-to-date with current practice. You
might say that the purpose of reviewing the NSF for older people was to ensure that the
recommendations regarding patient self-administration are implemented. Think about this in
the context of the document you are reviewing.
1. Purpose of the report
This report presents a review of the current standard operating procedure for the review of patients’
own medication by pharmacy technicians to ensure that it is up-to-date with current practice.
2. Introduction
Next there should be a brief summary of the background as to why you have carried out this
review. For example, is it because the current procedure is out of date? Has practice
changed? Have new recommendations emerged? Is there a new national guideline which you
are reviewing to decide how it might be implemented in your organisation?
Introduction
The SOP ‘Re-use of patients own drugs: medical technical officer’ is aimed at medical technical
officers (MTOs) working within the clinical services section of the pharmacy department. The
procedure was last reviewed in September 2005 and the next revision is due in September 2006. The
current review has been carried out as part of the coursework for the ‘Certificate in Medicines
Management’. The main sections of the procedure have been reviewed and recommendations for
change included at each stage.
3. Review
The next section should be a succinct review of the guideline/protocol/procedure. It is difficult
to be prescriptive about the content of this section because it will vary according to what you
are reviewing. However, if for example your POD procedure was structured in separate
sections, you might have a paragraph per section. You could briefly describe the content of
that section and then detail if it is correct, or, if not, what needs to change. End each section
with the key recommendations in bold, even if no change is required.
Section 1: Purpose
This section details the reason the procedure was written and who the procedure is aimed at. The
term ‘technician’ has been used throughout but is not strictly accurate. A technician implementing this
procedure must be a medical technical officer (MTO) who has been especially accredited to carry out
these duties. The accreditation consists of being checked for a period of one month on ward orders
(100 items transcribed), individual patient ‘patient’s own drug’ (POD) assessments (50 items),
individual patient discharge prescription (TTO) checks (30 TTOs) and label-only transcriptions (30
items). A person reading this procedure who was not familiar with the pharmacy department staffing
39
structure may not understand that ‘technician’ referred to this more highly qualified technician, rather
than any other pharmacy technician.
Recommendation 1: change the term ‘technician’ to ‘accredited medical technical officer (MTO)’
throughout.
4. Conclusion
It may be appropriate to end your report with some sort of conclusion. If, for example, you
were reviewing a policy belonging to another organisation, you might wish to end with a
concluding statement or paragraph about whether it is feasible to introduce such a policy within
your own organisation. If you were reviewing an NSF, you might wish to end with a concluding
section on how far the organisation has got with implementing its recommendations. These
are some ideas – not an exhaustive list.
5. Bibliography
If you have used any references these must be included in your report in the appropriate style
i.e. Harvard. Look at page 18 of the course handbook for advice on how to do this.
6. Other Information
The length of your report will vary according to the size of the guideline/protocol/procedure etc
that you have chosen to review. However, as a rough guide I would suggest that your report
ought to be 3 to 5 pages long.
The style of this document gives you an example of how your report should be laid out. Your
report may have been created because you have to do this assignment for the CMMPT
course, but inevitably one day you will have to write a report for real, so it is very important that
you can make a professional job of it.
Headings should be emboldened but not underlined and not in upper case letters. You should
leave one line-space between the heading and the text or between paragraphs. Text should
be aligned to the left of the page and not justified. Remember to use correct grammar and
spelling throughout and to set your document out correctly. Use bullet points where
appropriate. Highlight your recommendations within the text by emboldening them.
If you have difficulty with spelling and grammar or if you need help with word processing skills,
ask a colleague to review your report for you and point out any errors. One of the
administrative or secretarial staff would probably give you advice on word processing.
Remember hwo baldy it relfects on you’re deparmtent if you’re speling and gramar are rong!
40
18. Assessment of Practice Activities
The practice tutor will assess the following:
1. ONE case study, presented orally
2. TWO patient profiles
Any assignments submitted to the personal tutor may be commented on ONCE before marking.
Failed assignments can be re-submitted on only one further occasion.
Students are required to assemble their practice activities into a portfolio for final review by the tutor in
preparing the tutor's report. The practice tutor will be required to submit a tutor's report form
documenting the student's progress throughout the course, ability to apply the principles of clinical
pharmacy in practice and attitude to their work. A satisfactory tutor's report form is ESSENTIAL for the
award of the qualification. It may also be used to assist in assessment of final grade for the course
where examination results are borderline.
I T IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TH AT TUTORS NEGOTI ATE A LE ARNI NG
CONTR ACT WI TH THEI R S TUDENTS.
A S AM PLE L E ARNING CONTR ACT IS
I NCLUDED ( APPENDIX 2). THE AG REEMENT SHOULD DEF INE:
1. A timetable for completion of practice activities
2. An agreement detailing the time allowed for marking by the tutor
3. An agreement detailing the procedure for requesting the extension of a deadline and the
circumstances in which this will be allowed
4. An agreement detailing resubmission of pieces of coursework
Tutors who have difficulties with any individual student regarding completion of practice activities may
contact the course organiser for advice.
ALL COURSE ASSI GNMENTS WILL BE ASSES SED AS EI THER PAS S OR FAI L
The grade awarded should reflect the following criteria:
Pass: Gives clear account of what has been done and relates this to ideas in the course. Shows that
some parts of the course material have been examined.
Fail:
Does not achieve the course requirements. Unsafe practice.
A marking checklist is provided for each assignment as a guide for tutors
41
Certificate in Medicines Management for Pharmacy Technicians
Assessment Form for Patient Profiles
Name of Student………………………………
Profile Number ………
Name of Tutor…………………..….………………
Tutor's Comments
1. Background information:
Choice of patient
Relevant patient, drug and clinical data
presented
2. Investigations:
Relevant laboratory tests and clinical
findings presented
3. Medical and pharmaceutical problems
correctly identified
4. Comments on SOAP analysis:
Has the student identified the
subjective and objective data and
adequately related these data to the
assessment of the patient?
Has the student evaluated and advised on
an appropriate plan for the patient's
management?
Has the student identified correctly the
parameters required to monitor the
efficacy and toxicity of drug treatment?
Have relevant patient outcomes been
identified?
5. Has the student highlighted important
counselling points and devised a follow
up /discharge plan where relevant?
6. Has the student reflected on his/her
learning points from the profile?
Overall mark (Pass or Fail):
Strengths of this profile:
Suggestions for future improvement:
42
Assessment Form for Writing a Procedure
Name of Student:………………………
Name of Tutor:………………..............
COMMENTS
1. Introduction
Does the procedure include the rationale behind its
production? Does it include the advantages of the
procedure? Is it clear whether this is a draft or an
approved version?
2. Inclusion Criteria
Is a list of patients covered by the procedure included?
Does it include a list of staff who can carry out the
procedure and any training required?
3. Exclusion Criteria
Is a list of patients excluded from the procedure
included?
4. Method
Does the procedure contain a logical, stepwise guide to
carrying out the procedure?
5. Documentation
Does the procedure contain any relevant
documentation? Is it clear, concise and easy to use?
6. Review Date
Is a review date included? Is it appropriate?
7. Author
Is it clear who the author of the procedure is?
OVERALL MARK
PASS
Strengths of this procedure:
Suggestions for future improvement:
Signature:
Date:
43
FAIL
Certificate in Medicines Management for Pharmacy Technicians
Assessment Form for Review of a Policy or Procedure
Name of Student: ...........................................................................................................................................
Name of Tutor: ..............................................................................................................................................
Tutor's Comments
1. Background information:
Title, date, author, purpose of the report
2. Summary
Has the student included a summary of key
recommendations
3. Body text
Has the student explained why the review has
been carried out?
Has the document been appropriately
reviewed?
Do you understand the changes that have been
recommended?
Are recommendations for change and/or a
conclusion included?
4. Applicability
Has the student made sensible and practical
recommendations?
Could you actually put these recommendations
into practice?
5. Presentation
Is the word-processing style correct and
appropriate?
Have organisational recommendations
regarding font size and style, logo etc. been
followed?
Are the spelling and grammar correct?
Have references been included, and are they in
Harvard style?
As a guideline, could you present this document
to the head of your department without needing
to change it?
6. Overall mark (Pass or fail)
Strengths of this report:
Suggestions for future improvement:
Signature:.................................................................................
Date: .......................................................................................
44
Certificate in Medicines Management for Pharmacy Technicians
Assessment Form for Design of a Poster
Name of Student: ...........................................................................................................................................
Name of Tutor: ...............................................................................................................................................
Tutor's Comments
1. Background information:
Is the purpose of the poster clear?
Is it referenced appropriately to a source
document (e.g. NPSA safety alert)
Is the referencing method correct?
1. Choice of topic
Does the topic lend itself to the use of a poster?
Will it be useful in practice?
2. Content
Is the required information clearly and
accurately presented? Does the content reflect
the source document accurately?
Would the poster be likely to lead to an
improvement in medicines management?
4. Presentation
Is the word-processing style correct and
appropriate?
Can the writing be read easily from a distance?
Are the illustrations clear and appropriate?
Are the spelling and grammar correct?
Is the design of the poster acceptable?
5. Overall
Could the poster be displayed without significant
amendment?
6. Overall mark (Pass or fail)
Strengths of this poster
Suggestions for future improvement:
Signature:.......................................................................
Date: ..............................................................................
45
SAMPLE ENQUIRY FORM
Enquiry Number:
[insert no] of 25
Date of query:
Patient’s initials:
Enquirer: PT/ HCP / GP ?
D.O.B:
Allergies:
Present medication:
Enquiry details:
Reference sources
Answer to enquiry:
Reflection points
46
Certificate in Medicines Management for Pharmacy Technicians
Assessment Paperwork for Medicines Reconciliation
Name of Student……………………………………………………… Name of Tutor………………………………………………
Episode No
Date
Information
sources used
(minimum 2)
Discrepancies
identified
Referral made to
pharmacist
(Actions
suggested, reason
for decision)
47
Technician’s
Checker/facilitator
Checker’s/
signature
agrees with referral? Facilitator’s
Y/N
Signature
(Give comments)
Certificate in Medicines Management for Pharmacy Technicians
Assessment Paperwork for Assessing PODs etc.
Name of Student……………………………………………………… Name of Tutor………………………………………………
Item
No.
Date
Drug Name
Drug
Form
(Code)
Suitable
for reuse?
Reason for decision
Y/N
48
Technicia
ns
Signature
Checker/facilitator
agrees with
decision?
Y/N
(Give comments)
Checker’s/
Facilitator’s
Signature
DRUG FORM
CODES
SO Solid oral
LO Liquid oral
I
Inhaler /
device
ED Eye drops
OC Eye
ointment
AD Ear drops
ND Nose drops
TOP Topical
PR Suppository
PV Pessary
Appendices
Appendix 1 - Syllabus and Outline Certificate in Medicine Management for Pharmacy
Technicians Objectives
NOTE: THE FOLLOWING ARE EXPRESSED AS CONTENT AREAS FOR EACH SESSION AND
ARE NOT NECESSARILY IN THE FORMAT OF SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES.
1. Policies and proce dures (local and national ), Clinical Governa nce and CPD
1.1
To identify main features of the Trust’s Medicines Policy
1.2
To describe how a policy or procedure is developed, approved and implemented within the
Trust
1.3
To understand the responsibilities of a registered technician
1.4
To identify the principles of clinical governance
1.5
To describe the benefits of continuing professional development (CPD)
1.6
Define the GPhC’s requirement of Continuing Fitness to Practice
1.7
To describe the work of NHS England’s National Patient Safety Alerting System, NICE and
be familiar with the National Service Frameworks
1.8
To describe Trust procedures for recording and responding to medication errors
2. Patient Cons ultation skill s and Medi cines Reco ncili ation
2.1.
To define the terms ‘compliance’ and ‘concordance’
2.2.
To understand issues around patient confidentiality
2.3.
To describe the principles of effective communication and barriers to effective
communication
2.4.
To demonstrate the ability to retrieve information from case notes/patients/carers in order
to carry out an effective consultation
2.5.
To be able to identify problem areas when consulting with patients/carers and suggest
appropriate action
2.6.
To demonstrate the provision of accurate information during a consultation in a
professional manner
49
2.7.
To demonstrate the ability to recognise own limitations and the professional referral to
other health care professionals
2.8.
To demonstrate the ability to use relevant medicines information sources in the provision
of information to patients/carers
2.9.
To def ine the term ‘medic in es reconcil iation’ ( MR)
2.10.
To def ine the compo nents of MR
2.11.
To describe ho w MR diff ers f rom drug history
2.12.
To understand the basic pr inciples of medicines reconciliat ion
2.13.
To describe th e k ey benef its of medicines reconci liation
2.14.
To know how to reconcile med ic ine s when pat ients are transf erred f rom one
care setti ng to another
2.15.
To appreciate some of the barriers to medic in es reconci liat ion and ho w
the y mig ht be o verco me
3. Understand medi cal notes and pharma ceutical care planni ng
3.1.
To state sources of information on patients that are used within the Trust
3.2.
To understand the manner in which this information is recorded
3.3.
To identify where the information is located and the methods for retrieving it
3.4.
To interpret a set of medical notes and be able to duplicate the standard clerking format
3.5.
To understand basic abbreviations and know where to look up others
3.6.
To contribute to a pharmaceutical care plan
3.7.
To identify and resolve simple pharmaceutical care issues
4. I nterpretation of end-of-bed, biochemi cal and haematol ogical results
4.1.
To describe common observational and biochemical patient monitoring parameters and
their reference ranges
4.2.
To interpret common biochemical test results with respect to efficacy or toxicity of drug
therapy (sodium, potassium, glucose, urea and electrolytes, liver function tests, calcium
and phosphate)
50
4.3.
4.4.
To interpret common biochemical test results with respect to efficacy or toxicity of drug
therapy (sodium, potassium, glucose, urea and electrolytes, liver function tests, calcium
and phosphate)
To interpret common haematological tests with respect to efficacy or toxicity of drug
therapy
4.5.
To describe drug treatment used to correct abnormal blood biochemistry such as hyper- or
hypokalaemia
4.6.
To understand the principles of B12, folate and iron therapy and heparin/warfarin
treatment
5. Adve rse drug rea ctions ( ADRs) and dr ug interaction s
5.1.
To describe the classification of adverse drug reactions
5.2.
To list the factors predisposing patients to ADRs
5.3.
To describe the reporting scheme for ADRs to the Committee on Safety of Medicines
5.4.
To use reference sources to identify or confirm suspected ADRs
5.5.
To describe mechanisms of drug interactions
5.6.
To identify the drugs most commonly implicated in drug interactions
5.7.
To identify potentially harmful drug interactions and how to manage them in clinical
practice
5.8.
To source information on drug interactions and state the limitations of relevant texts
6. Antibioti cs and mic robiol og y
6.1.
To describe common methods of classifying bacteria, fungi and viruses
6.2.
To describe common microbiological test methods and their relevance to the management
of infectious disease
6.3.
To list the clinical parameters used to monitor success of antibiotic therapy
6.4.
To describe the likely causative organisms, clinical signs and symptoms and empirical
antibiotic therapy for THREE infections: urinary tract infection, lower respiratory tract
infection and cellulitis
6.5.
To define the factors affecting antibiotic choice (patient, drug and organism factors)
6.6.
To explain the rationale for combining antibiotics within a treatment regime
51
6.7.
Describe the importance of infection control in reducing the incidence of
acquired infections
hospital
7. Pharmaceutic al cal culations
8.
9.
7.1.
Understand how to calculate a drug dosage for a child (mg/kg body weight and surface
area)
7.2.
To calculate the volume of solution containing a given dose of drug
7.3.
To calculate the rate of an infusion in millilitres per hour
Principles of drug t herap y i n liver di sease
8.1.
To describe the basic functions of the liver
8.2.
To describe the key pathological changes, first line drug therapy and basic drug monitoring
requirements for:

Hepatitis

Cirrhosis

Cholestasis
8.3.
To describe hepatic function based on the results of liver function tests
8.4.
To describe the principles of drug handling in hepatic disease: dosage alteration in hepatic
disease and selection of drugs in liver disease
Principles of drug t herap y i n renal disease
9.1.
To describe the basic functions of the kidney
9.2.
To describe the differences between acute, chronic and end-stage renal failure.
9.3.
To describe the common causes of acute kidney injury.
9.4.
To describe the causes and long-term complications of chronic renal disease.
9.5.
To understand the assessment of renal function using Cockcroft and Gault, eGFR and
laboratory results.
9.6.
To calculate renal function using Cockcroft and Gault and understand the limitations of the
various methods
9.7.
To describe the principles of drug handling in renal disease: dosage alteration in renal
disease, selection of drugs in renal disease (acute, chronic, end-stage)
52
10. Drug u se i n sp eci al care gro ups (pa edi atrics, preg nan cy, breastfeedi ng)
10.1. To describe the 3 main stages of foetal development
10.2. To recognise the relative risk from drug exposure during each trimester of pregnancy
10.3. To list key teratogenic drugs
10.4. To recognise the importance of breastfeeding to both mother and baby
10.5. To understand the principles of drug transfer into breast milk
10.6. To list the major drugs contra-indicated in breastfeeding
10.7. To understand the basic principles of answering/dealing with ‘Drugs in Pregnancy’ and
‘Drugs in Breastfeeding’ enquires
10.8. To list the relevant medicine information sources on drug use during pregnancy and
lactation
10.9. To be aware of the role of the National Teratology Information Service and the National
Drugs in Breast Milk Information Centre
10.10. To understand the principles of drug use in children
10.11. To use paediatric formulary to identify correct drug dosage for children
11. Coronar y heart di sease
11.1.
To describe the differences between stable angina, acute coronary syndrome and
STEMI
11.2.
To describe the signs and symptoms of stable angina, acute coronary syndrome and
STEMI
11.3.
To describe the risk factors for coronary heart disease and ways in which they can be
reduced.
11.4.
To describe the standard drug therapy used for coronary heart disease
11.5.
To describe the signs and symptoms of chronic heart failure
11.6.
To describe the common agents used to treat heart failure, their mechanism of action
and how treatment can be monitored
11.7.
To describe the diagnosis of hypertension and the treatment thresholds.
11.8.
To describe the hypertension algorithm for treatment choices of hypertension.
11.9.
To state the possible consequences of untreated hypertension
53
11.10.
To describe the common agents used to treat hypertension and how treatment can be
monitored
11.11.
To be able to advise and educate patients on the use and adverse effects of medicines
for coronary heart disease, hypertension and chronic heart failure
12. Diab etes mellitus (DM)
12.1
12.2
To describe key pathophysiological changes, first line drug therapy and basic drug
monitoring requirements for:
12.1.1
Type 1 DM
12.1.2
Type 2 DM
To be able to advise and educate patients on the use and adverse effects of medicines for
these diseases
12.2.1
To state the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus
12.2.2. To understand the possible long term consequences of diabetes mellitus e.g.
MI
12.2.3. To describe the first line treatment of diabetic ketoacidosis and how this
treatment can be monitored
12.2.4. To be able to advise and educate patients on the use and adverse effects of
medicines for diabetes
13.
Res piratory Diseas e
13.1
To describe key pathophysiological changes, first line drug therapy and basic
drug monitoring requirements for:
13.1.1. Asthma
13.1.2
13.2.
COPD
To be able to advise and educate patients on the use and adverse effects of
medicines for these diseases
13.2.1
To state the differences between COPD and asthma
13.2.2
To describe the common treatment of asthma and how treatment can be
monitored
13.2.3
To describe the treatment of an acute asthma attack
13.2.4
To describe the common treatment of COPD and how treatment can be
monitored
54
13.2.5
14.
To be able to advise and educate patients on the use and adverse
effects of medicines for asthma and COPD
Gastrointestinal dis ease
14.1
14.2.
To describe key pathophysiological changes, first line drug therapy and basic
drug monitoring requirements for:
14.1.1
Constipation and diarrhoea
14.1.2
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
14.1.3
Inflammatory bowel disease
14.1.4
Peptic ulceration
To be able to advise and educate patients on the use and adverse effects of
medicines for these diseases
14.2.1
To describe the standard treatment for diarrhoea and constipation
14.2.2
To describe the signs and symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux
disease (GORD)
14.2.3 To state the precipitating factors for GORD
15
14.2.4
To describe the common treatments and lifestyle advice recommended
for GORD
14.2.5
To state the difference between ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease
14.2.6
To state the signs and symptoms of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s
disease
14.2.7
To describe the signs and symptoms of gastric and duodenal ulcers
14.2.8
To describe the common treatments and lifestyle advice recommended
for peptic ulceration
14.2.9
To be able to advise and educate patients on the use and adverse
effects of medicines for GORD, inflammatory bowel disease, constipation
and diarrhoea and peptic ulceration
Pain Control
15.1
To describe the analgesic ladder
15.2
To discuss the use of analgesics in acute, chronic, neuropathic and palliative pain
15.3
To be able to advise and educate patients on the use and adverse effects of oral
medicines for acute and chronic pain
55
16
Care for older pe ople.
16.1
To describe key pathophysiological changes leading to changes in drug sensitivity
in older people
16.2
To understand the Single Assessment Process and the implications for medicines
management
16.3
To describe key pathophysiological changes, first line drug therapy and basic drug
monitoring requirements for:
16.3.1 Treatment and prevention of stroke
16.3.2 Dementia
16.4 To describe the key risk factors for stroke
17
16.5
To describe the main factors complicating drug administration in patients with
dementia or who are post stroke and how this might be overcome.
16.4
To describe the major drug groups that contribute to falls in the elderly
Mental Health
17.1
To describe key pathophysiological changes, first line drug therapy and basic drug
monitoring requirements for:
17.1.1
Schizophrenia
17.1.2
Depression
17.1.3 Bipolar Disorder
17.2. To be able to advise and educate patients on the use and adverse effects of
medicines for these diseases
17.3. To describe the signs and symptoms of schizophrenia, depression and bipolar
disorder
17.4 To describe the NICE guidance relating to typical and atypical antipsychotics
18
Neurology
18.1
To describe key pathophysiological changes, first line drug therapy and basic drug
monitoring requirements for:
18.1.1
Parkinson’s Disease
18.1.2
Epilepsy
56
18.2. To be able to advise and educate patients on the use and adverse effects of
medicines for these diseases
18.3 To describe the signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease and epilepsy
57
APPENDIX 2 - CERTIFICATE IN MEDICINES FOR PHARMACY TECHNICIANS SAMPLE
LEARNING CONTRACT
Name of Institution: ..............................................................................
Pharmacy Manager:.............................................................................
Course Organiser:................................................................................
Tutor’s Name: ......................................................................................
Student’s Name ...................................................................................
Date: ....................................................................................................
Student’s Commitm ent
Personal St udy
Students are required to undertake 300 hours learning during the period of September to June. The
study periods consist of:


Twenty one study sessions of 3 hours (total 60 hours)
1 day for the written examination
Whenever possible, the student will avoid taking time off in lieu or annual leave on the days of study
sessions. Students are expected to participate actively in study sessions, according to the direction of
the tutor.
Practice Act ivitie s
The student is required to undertake practice activities in the workplace in addition to self-directed
private study. The minimum time commitment for the practice activities is 70 hours, which breaks
down into approximately 2 to 3 hours per week. Tutors and students are expected to document the
progress of practice activities on the checklist provided. The course organiser retains the right to see
this document at any time throughout the course as required.
Students will follow exactly the guidelines for the format of coursework activities defined in the course
handbook.
The defined course activities are:
1. Pre and/or post course reading as defined by the tutor for each tutorial
58
Completed to a minimum competent standard:
1.
A portfolio of assessed practice activities from the Medicines Management option of the
London Pharmacy E&T Technician Self-development Programme.
OR
2. A portfolio of assessed practice activities from the Primary and Community Care option of
the London Pharmacy E&T Technician Self-development Programme
Completed to a minimum pass grade as defined in the course handbook
1.
Two patient profiles
2.
One oral case study presentation
3.
Summative assessment of 10 satisfactory patient consultation episodes by the course
organiser or tutor(s) to whom this has been delegated, using an OSCE type assessment
proforma.
The grading system is defined in the course handbook.
Time Manag ement
The student is responsible for managing his/her own time. The student will hand in work for marking
by the deadline agreed with the personal tutor. Exceptionally, the student may discuss an extension
to the defined deadline of one week only with the personal tutor if the original date cannot be met.
The student may only discuss an extension to the defined deadline of greater than one week with the
course organiser. If the need for this extension is due to sickness, a sick note must be obtained from
the G.P. as evidence.
In normal circumstances, the student must allow the personal tutor at least two weeks to assess
patient profiles. The personal tutor will not be required to mark practice activities handed in after the
agreed deadline.
Course Materials
The student is personally responsible for accessing course materials from the School of Pharmacy’s
Blackboard site. After receiving instruction on how to do this from the course organiser, the student
must access and print off all presentations and other materials needed for each study session.
Course materials will be made available approximately one week in advance of each study session.
59
Course Organis er ’s Commitment:
The course organiser will:
1.
Provide personal tutors and students with appropriate handbook(s) at the start of the
course.
2.
Organise an induction training session for personal tutors and an introduction for students to
explain the course requirements.
3.
Provide personal tutors and students with access to the School of Pharmacy’s Blackboard
site to download all relevant course materials required. However, if exceptionally a study
session tutor fails to provide the relevant course materials in time for the student to
download, the course organiser will make sure that photocopies are provided for use at that
study session.
4.
Liaise with the senior pharmacy manager at the practice base to ensure that an
appropriately qualified personal tutor has been assigned to the student at the base hospital.
5.
Liaise with the senior pharmacy manager and personal tutor at the practice base to ensure
that the student has access to sufficient practical clinical experiences to underpin the
course.
6.
Provide advice to personal tutors as to students' suitability to enter for the final course
examination.
7.
Provide support to personal tutors and students as required.
8.
Plan the timetable of study sessions.
9.
Define the learning objectives of each study session.
10. Assign tutors to teach at each study session.
11. Organise the moderation of assessment of coursework activities.
12. Attend feedback sessions at the School of Pharmacy, University of London.
13. Organise and/or participate in quality audit of the course.
14. Liaise with personal tutors to ensure that students meet minimum course requirements for
practice activities and personal study before they are entered for the examination.
60
Personal Tutor’s Commitment
The tutor will:
1.
Commit a minimum of 15 hours for tuition, appraisal and assessment of coursework.
2.
Attend the tutors' induction meeting at the start of the course.
3.
Ensure that the student completes the coursework according to timetable agreed with
student.
4.
Ensure that the student takes responsibility for downloading and printing off all
presentations and any other material(s) needed for all of the study sessions.
5.
Inform the course organiser if a student's coursework fails to meet the required standards.
6.
Grant an extension of one week only to defined coursework deadlines only in circumstances
deemed genuine and acceptable.
7.
Liaise with the course organiser if a student requests an extension to a coursework deadline
of greater than one week.
8.
Liaise with other tutors and the course organiser to moderate the marking of practice
activities.
9.
Complete the tutor’s report form and practice activities checklist to accompany the
examination entry form.
10. Decide whether a student is competent to enter for the final examination of the course.
61
Commitment to Stud y at Work
The pharmacy department is committed to allowing time for the student to complete the following
activities:
1.
Approximately 30 minutes each week to discuss patient profiles, course work and progress
with the tutor (or as negotiated with the personal tutor).
2.
One oral case study presentation.
3.
Twenty one planned study sessions according to the published timetable.
4.
One day for the examination.(date TBC)
5.
One day for revision prior to the examination. This will not necessarily be the day
immediately prior to the examination, but will be agreed to accommodate the needs of all
students involved and to ensure adequate service provision within the department.
NOTE: IN THE EVENT OF STAFF SHORTAGES, THE STUDENT MUST BE AWARE THAT STUDY
LEAVE MAY BE CANCELLED AT SHORT NOTICE
THE STUDENT IS NOT ENTITLED TO STUDY TIME OTHER THAN AS STATED ABOVE.
EX AMI N ATIO N
Students will be entered for the examination at the School of Pharmacy only if they meet the minimum
course requirements. A student will not be entered for the examination if he/she:
1.
Fails to complete practice activities to the required standard, or
2.
Fails to complete practice activities before the closing date for entrance to the examination,
or
3.
Fails to achieve a satisfactory tutor's report form.
RESO URCES AVAILABLE
The student will have access to departmental education resources including books and other
reference sources, photocopying equipment and computers. However, these resources must be
accessed in the student’s own time. Departmental reference texts must not be removed from the
medicines information department.
62
Signed:
Head of Pharmacy Department (print name):
Signature:
Date:
Personal Tutor (print name):
Signature:
Date:
Student (print name):
Signature:
Date:
63
APPENDIX 3 - USEFUL WEBSITES
For SPCs and PILs www.medicines.org.uk
Pharmaceutical Society www.rpsgb.org.uk
PJ on www.pjonline.com if wanting to search for Pharmaceutical Journal or Hospital Pharmacist
articles.
The PJ links page www.pjonline.com/links has all sorts of links including diseases, health topics,
swallowing difficulties and WHO fact sheets.
UKMI at www.ukmi.nhs.uk lots and lots of different resources. Will need passwords to reach many of
the resources (speak to your MI department about password access).
Pharm-line www.pharm-line.nhs.uk
which requires a hospital specific password, now used for
practice issues (speak to your MI department about password access).
National Library for Health www.library.nhs.uk Gives links to the National Library for Guidelines,
NICE, NSF, PRODIGY, Clinical Evidence, Bandolier, BNF, BNF-C, Cochrane, Athens registration
which leads to EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, Allied & Complementary Medicines. Also 'Hitting the
headlines’ - an archive of newspaper reports of medicine, with evaluation.
NHS Direct
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk Has a useful health encyclopaedia, and also 'Best Treatments
website' that is linked to clinical evidence that provides simultaneous information for patients and
doctors.
For vaccines and immunisation go to the Green book, found at www.dh.gov.uk click on a-z site index
then Green book, this leads to a menu of health and social care topics that include infectious
diseases. For the new vaccines etc, and the green book www.immunisation.nhs.uk
Drug Tariff is now accessed via the lwww.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/prescriptionservices
www.labtestsonline.org.uk is an excellent website aimed at patients which explains what each test
means and the significance of abnormal results.
List produced by Tim House, Medicines Information Department, Addenbrookes
Hospital September 2004.
Updated by Anita Wigham May 2012
64
Appendix 4 - Patient Consultation Skills Accreditation Scheme for Pharmacy Technicians
Page 1 of 2
………..Patient Consultation Observation Record
To be completed by the Facilitator/Witness at the end of the Consultation
1
2
Question Style
Demonstrates the appropriate use of open, closed and
reflective questions
Structuring
Unacceptable
Not quite
acceptable
Acceptable
Good
Very
good






























Conducts the consultation in a sequence logical to that
of patient’s needs, and lets the patient know and follow
the sequence, so that time is used effectively
3
Listening
Listens to the patient and responds to offers
4
Patient’s Understanding and Ideas
Explores the patient’s understanding and ideas about
the nature and cause of the problems and their
management
5
6
Identification of patient’s needs
Ensuring the use of open/probing questioning
techniques
Patient’s Concerns
Explores and responds to the patient’s worries and
concerns about the drug therapy and their management
65
Page 2 of 2
Patient Consultation Skills Accreditation Scheme for Pharmacy Technicians
Patient Consultation Observation Record continued
7
Unacceptable
Not quite
acceptable
Acceptable
Good
Very good

























Explaining
Offers an appropriate explanation in plain English to
the patient of the problems and their management that
is related to the patient’s own ideas
8
9
Checking
Checks that the patient understands any explanations
and that concerns have been addressed
Involving
Takes opportunities to involve the patient in the
decision making and his or her own management
10
11
Relationship
Establishes an effective relationship with the patient
and demonstrates respect for the patient as a person
Referral
Identifies patients who need referral to other
healthcare professionals
66
Page 1 of 2
Patient Consultation Skills Accreditation Scheme for Pharmacy Technicians
Patient Consultation Observation Checklist –
Consultation
No.
Consultation
No.
Facilitator or Witness to complete during consulation
Consultation
No.
Confirms Identity of
Patient
Confirms medication
is for patient
Confirms drug
allergies
Confirms whether
patient has had
medication before
States name of
medication
Explains the
indication for the
drug(s)
Explains Clearly:
Dose
Directions
Warnings/Side Effects
Checks:
Ability to see print on
label
Ability to open bottles,
boxes etc
Gives appropriate
leaflet or warning card
67
Consultation
No.
Consultation
No.
Consultation
No.
Page 2 of 2
Patient Consultation Skills Accreditation Scheme for Pharmacy Technicians
Patient Consultation Observation Checklist –
Facilitator or Witness to complete during consulation
Checks other
medication including
over the counter
medicines
Explains duration and
need for a further
supply
Written instructions
given e.g. medicines
card
Confirms patient
understands advice
taken
Explores patients
concerns and need for
further questions
Appropriate referral
made
Rounds off session
professionally
Signature of assessor
Comments:
GRID – Leave blank if not assessed
 if achieved
68
 if not achieved