A Multi-professional Taught Course in Primary Care Therapeutics: Description and Evaluation

Authors

  • Christopher J Derrett Department of General Practice and Primary Care, St Bartholomew’s and the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Medical Sciences Building, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
  • Martin R Underwood Department of General Practice and Primary Care, St Bartholomew’s and the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Medical Sciences Building, Queen Mary, University of London, London E1 4NS, UK

Keywords:

multi-professional, primary care

Abstract

Aim: To describe and present an evaluation of a taught certificate course in therapeutics for primary care professionals.

Design: A questionnaire study of the course participants analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. Subjects and setting: Students attending four primary care therapeutics courses held in east London and North Essex. Outcome measures: Participation and pass rates, participants comments and measures of course effectiveness in fulfilling participants aims.

Results: 44 pharmacists, 48 GPs, and eight nurses attended the courses. They attended 91% of the sessions, 83% of assignments were submitted and 83% of students were awarded a certificate in primary care therapeutics. The course appears to be effective in satisfying most of the participants’ aims particularly “general  interest” and promoting professional and inter-professional development; it was less successful in fulfilling specific objectives such as the development of formularies,  becoming a trainer, participating in prescribing reviews and in reducing drug costs.

Conclusions: Community pharmacists, general practitioners and senior primary care nurses have much to gain from being educated together in an activelearning environment. This programme meets the demand for courses of intermediate length  and difficulty within primary health care. There is the possibility that such courses will enhance inter-disciplinary working and encourage rational prescribing.

References

Calman, K.C. (1998) A Review of Continual Professional Development in eneral Practice (Department of Health, London).

Carter, Y., Carson, D., Jackson, N., et al. (1998) East London and the City LIZEI valuation Report, (Department of General Practice and Primary Care, Queen Mary and Westfield College, London).

Department of Health (1997) The New NHS, Modern, Dependable Cm 3807, (HMSO, London).

Department of Health (1998) A First Class Service: Quality in the New NHS (HMSO, London).

Department of Health (1999) “A review of prescribing, supply and administration of medicines”, Final report of the Crown Committee, Department of Health, London).

Government Statistical Services (1999) “Statistics of Prescriptions Dispensed in the Community: England 1988–1998”, Statistical Bulletin (Department of Health, London).

Majeed, A. and Moser, K. (1999) “Age- and sex-specific antibiotic prescribing patterns in general practice in England and Wales in 1996”, British Journal of General Practice 49, 735–736. National Electronic Library for Health (2000) Website. Available: http://www.nelh.nhs.uk (Accessed 2000,

August 1).

National Institute of Clinical Excellence (2000) Website. Available: http://www.nice.org.uk (Accessed 2000, August 1).

Downloads

Published

01-01-2015

How to Cite

Derrett, C. J., & Underwood, M. R. (2015). A Multi-professional Taught Course in Primary Care Therapeutics: Description and Evaluation. Pharmacy Education, 1(2). Retrieved from https://pharmacyeducation.fip.org/pharmacyeducation/article/view/5

Issue

Section

Research Article