The impact of the Pharmacy Professionals Group

Louise Organista, Advanced Clinical Pharmacist in the Frail Elderly Assessment team at the University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, is a co-chair of the BGS Pharmacy Professionals Group. Louise posts on X via @Louise1401.

In February 2021, I started my role as a frailty pharmacist and proceeded to join the BGS for the network and support of colleagues caring for older patients across the country and beyond.

I was unable to seek out pharmacy peers but was welcomed by the Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) group and other Special Interest Groups (SIGs) which I joined. However, on realising that the "pharmacist" category did not yet exist, I raised this with the BGS and not long after, our group was formed and led by the Chair at that time, Ann Bentley.

In October 2022, our group decided on the title of "Pharmacy Professionals", recognising the importance and key involvement of our pharmacy technician colleagues who work with us as part of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) in caring for older patients. Since then, the number of pharmacists registered as members within the BGS has increased from 59 to 87.

Although we may be a smaller cohort of the MDT within the wider membership, our group has had significant impact in the frailty world. This includes contributions both locally and regionally, both within the BGS and outside it. The members of our group come from all areas of practice within pharmacy practice, and vitally, we provide support to one another, share opportunities and enhance one another's learning.

As some of our members are at consultant level of practice, mentoring support has been made freely available to those who are at earlier stages in their career in older people’s healthcare. We also are strong advocates for pharmacists being involved in research, an area which is less established in the pharmacy world for those wishing to pursue a career as a clinical academic.

The group is currently chaired by me and Đula Alićehajić-Bečić, Consultant Pharmacist in Frailty working in the Ageing and Complex Medicine Department at the Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust.

Here are some of the group's achievements since its commencement in Oct 2022:

• Pharmacy contributor to British Geriatrics Society Reablement rehabilitation recovery - Everyone’s Business report, 2024 - emphasising that medicines are everyone's business in the reablement, rehabilitation and recovery pathway and early identification of potential harm, non-adherence and transfer of care issues is facilitated through upskilling colleagues across MDT.
• Collaboration with Geriatric Medicine Educators Collaborative to review the appropriateness of pharmacy education in preparing pharmacists to support an ageing population.
• BGS World Pharmacist Day blogs in 2024 - providing the opportunity to reflect on the role, value and contribution of our profession in providing holistic and patient-centred care to the population.
• Input to NHS Confederation’s development of Accelerating transformation: How to develop effective NHS-industry partnerships guidance
• Input into development of Royal Pharmaceutical Society ‘Acute Care Toolkit 17: Managing Multiple Medications’.
• Liaison with Royal Pharmaceutical Society for their development of a frailty curriculum for Advanced Pharmacy Practice
• Development of older adult pharmacy resources to guide clinicians on medicines management and deprescribing in older adults
• Active participation in CHARMER study at various hospital sites (e.g. as Principal Investigator and Project Manager) supporting reduction in inappropriate prescribing
• Briefing for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society on Joining the dots: A blueprint for preventing and managing frailty in older people published by the British Geriatrics Society
• Speakers at Spring and Autumn meetings in 2023/2024 presenting topics including: medicines reconciliation in older patients, deprescribing towards the end of life, medicines related harms in older adults, medicines optimisation in falls and the role of MDT in medicines optimisation.
• Support and networking for peers wishing to pursue a career as a clinical academic in the care of older people
• Development of a BGS Medicines Optimisation in Frailty guide (to be published for Spring 2025)
• BGS prizes presented for ‘Best Poster by Nurse or AHP’ and ‘Best Clinical Quality Poster Supervisor’

If you are a pharmacy colleague who is passionate about caring for older patients and who wishes to join a supportive and inclusive community within the BGS, we welcome you!

For more information about us, please see our recently launched section of the BGS website.