Government officials visit Chelsea and Westminster Hospital to learn from our pharmacy technicians

We were pleased to welcome representatives from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) to our inpatient pharmacy at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital on Thursday 3 November 2022.

The focus of the visit was to see the systems and processes used to deliver effective pharmaceutical care in hospitals, and the critical role that pharmacy technicians play in service delivery.

Members from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, within the Department of Health and Social Care, want to find ways for community pharmacists to take on a more clinical and public health role. Observations from our pharmacy, alongside clinical insight from our staff, will help the DHSC work with the pharmacists to develop innovative ways of achieving this in the future.

Deirdre Linnard, Chief Pharmacist and Head of Professions, said: "During the COVID-19 pandemic, community pharmacists have played a vital and extended role in providing care to their local population. The value of these extended services is recognised by DHSC.

"I was delighted to host a visit for DHSC colleagues, to share our experience of how we utilise the skills of registered pharmacy technicians to benefit our services and our patients, releasing pharmacist time for direct clinical care."