Minutes of the 9th NICaN Pharmacy Group Meeting
Friday, 9th March 2007
Park Plaza Hotel, Belfast international Airport
9.30am – 12.30pm
Record of Attendees
Peter Armstrong / Maire McGradyCathy Farragher / Claire Walsh
Anne Lyttle / Kathy Stephenson
Fionnuala Green / Katharine Wallace
Apologies: Marbeth Ferguson, Lorraine Mullan, Anne Friel, Barbara Jackson, Nicola Martin, Stephen McNeice, Ewan McGrattan, Maurice Regan.
Mrs Maire McGrady welcomed everyone to the 9th NICaN Pharmacy Group meeting.
Matters arising from the Minutes of the 8th NICaN Pharmacy group meeting.
There were no matters arising from the minutes.
Chemotherapy Planning Oncology Resource Tool (CPORT)
Mrs M Mc Grady explained that significant effort had been made in trying to secure a presentation on CPORT (Chemotherapy Planning Oncology Resource Tool) today but unfortunately that had not been possible. The Regional Co-ordinator is working with others from the Network to secure a multi professional meeting probably in June. This is a more appropriate time for this meeting as the initial pilot sites will have reported back and lessons will already have been learned.
Group Work Plan – Progress Reports
Capacity Planning – Mr Stephen McNeice
Mr S McNeice had sent his apologies and an email update of this work strand. Ms Julia Tolan (Deputy Pharmacy Services Manager BCHT) has been in contact with Ms Jill Mairs (Regional Procurement Pharmacist) re dose banding. News of further progress is awaited.
Cytotoxic Handling – Ms Nicola Martin
Ms N Martin had sent her apologies and Ms K Wallace updated the group on the progress of the sub group. The subgroup met on Friday February 2nd. All comments that had been received after the first consultation with the NICaN Pharmacy group, were taken into consideration. The policy is lengthy but comprehensive. When finished it will represent ‘best practice’ and as such will be available to non haematology/oncology specialties to adopt/adapt should they wish to do so.
It is envisaged that a second draft will be available before June for wider consultation.
Financial Data Collection – Ms Fionnuala Green
Ms F Green stated that the ‘Regional Usage of Pharmacy Supplies Oct – Dec 2006’ had been produced and circulated. The January 2007 monthly report had also been distributed and data collection for February was ongoing. Ms Green thanked the group for their ongoing hard work and support for the reporting mechanism.
Ms Green stated that she had presented the third quarterly report to the Regional Medical Services Consortium (RMSC) on Thursday February 8th. Regional expenditure has increased by approximately £1.8million between April-December 2005 and April- December 2006. Bortezomib and Trastuzumab in the adjuvant setting have been funded and introduced and account for £1.6 million of the increase in expenditure. The presentation was well received by the committee.
Person Centre Pharmaceutical Care – Mrs M McGrady
This sub group met with two patients in December.The purpose of the meeting was to acquire a patient’s perspective on the Patient Information leaflet (PIL). It was an insightful meeting re patients’ experiences during their attendances at the Bridgewater Suite.
One patient stated that the presence of a nurse when a patient has their initial appointment with the consultant was essential as it is not possible to absorb all the information been given.
Patients perceived that they waited a long time for their chemotherapy. They felt that as Bridgewater was very busy sometimes it was difficult to get some one to talk to.
The patients were unaware of Pharmacy’s role in chemotherapy delivery. The patient information leaflet is given out when the patient first attends Bridgewater.
Ms Anne Lyttle stated that she was a member of a communication group for Bridgewater. This group was finalizing a leaflet explaining how Bridgewater works. Ms A Lyttle stated she thought this leaflet would go out with the appointment letter. She stated there was a need to raise awareness of different areas within Bridgewater.
Ms Katharine Wallace stated that Antrim Area hospital was working on an A4 poster and a ‘generic’ leaflet.
Ms M McGrady stated the group needed to reconvene to identify a way forward.
Palliative Care – Ms Kathy Stephenson
Ms K Stephenson stated that a multi professional group had met on Monday January 15th to discuss whether a regional syringe driver chart was required. Ms M McGrady chairs this group. The group had consulted widely by distributing a questionnaire to key stakeholders across Northern Ireland. The consultation process identified the need for a regional syringe driver chart. Samples of syringe driver charts in use across the network were collected.
The group met a second time on Wednesday February 28th to agree the core elements of a regional syringe driver chart. It was agreed that all the members of the group would review the sample charts and identify the core elements individually. The aim is to produce a draft chart before the next meeting on April 3rd.
The NICaN Palliative Care group meets the week after this meeting.
Ms K Stephenson stated that there was a possibility that a virtual institute of hospice and palliative care may be established, linked to one of the universities. It is envisaged that this would be an all Ireland body. The concept is in the early stages of development.
Ms K Stephenson stated that a sub group of the NICaN Supportive and Palliative care group was currently carrying out a scoping exercise on guidelines. She stated there was confusion in relation to what qualifies as a guideline. There are currently seventeen different syringe driver guidelines in Northern Ireland.
Ms K Stephenson stated that the group was looking at lobbying Parliament for increased funding for palliative care.
Matters Emerging
Education & training – Ms M Mc Grady
Ms M Mc Grady stated that five full days of education had already been completed with Northern Ireland centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education and Training (NICPPET). She encouraged the group to share ideas for further education and training events. Ms A Lyttle stated that a radiotherapy day would be very desirable. This could include a tour of the Belvoir Park Suite in the Cancer Centre and management of side effects of radiotherapy e.g. skincare and mouthcare.
A urology day was also proposed to cover prostate, renal cell and bladder. These diseases are often encountered in the community. A discussion ensued about the education needs of primary, secondary and tertiary care pharmacists.
There is a palliative care day on Wednesday 2nd May ‘Communicating with Terminally Ill patients’.
An education day relating to setting up an outpatient/day patient clinic was discussed. It was suggested that speakers could include independent prescribers who were running established clinics.
Ms M McGrady stated that she was currently involved in some early work looking at the educational pathway in oncology/ haematology with Mr Colin Adair (NICPPET Director).
Me K Stephenson stated she was involved in looking at competencies in palliative care and how these would relate to KSF.
Ms M Mc Grady requested that group members discuss this with their relevant constituents and feed back any further ideas.
Cancer Services Framework Response – Ms M Mc Grady
The Cancer Services Framework document was completed on behalf of the group by Ms F Green and Ms M Mc Grady. The response document had been submitted and confirmation of this had been received. Ms M Mc Grady thanked the group for their time and effort in contributing to the response document.
Audit of Trastuzumab usage in the metastatic setting – Ms M Mc Grady
Ms M Mc Grady also stated that Dr Paula Scullin had approached the Regional Co-ordinator about repeating the audit into the use of trastuzumab in metastatic breast cancer patients. Pharmacy had been instrumental in identifying relevant patients in the first audit. More details to follow.
Cancer Chemotherapy Service Standards – Ms F Green
Cancer Chemotherapy Service Standards have been developed under the auspices of the NICaN Chemotherapy group. The standards have been ratified by the NICaN Board.
Ms F Green stated that is was hoped that baseline assessment could be completed before the end of April. This would be a ‘tick box’ exercise and Trusts would not be required to provide evidence or reference evidence. It was envisaged that within the cancer units the lead nurse and a pharmacist would liaise in completing the audit sheet. Ms F Green suggested that the group review the standards and identify which standards pharmacy would be responsible for completing the baseline, or which standards Pharmacy would be involved in completed the baseline assessment. This work was undertaken at the meeting. Ms F Green thanked the group for this work.
Ms F Green stated that a meeting had been arranged on Friday May 4th 10-12noon in Antrim Area hospital to share best practice, identify regional pieces of work and compile results to report back to the NICaN Chemotherapy group on Friday 18th May. All pharmacists and nurses involved in completing the baseline assessment are invited to attend.
Ms M Mc Grady then thanked the participants for their full and active participation during the meeting before closing the meeting.
Dates of Future Meetings
June 8th 2007
September 14th 2007
December 14th 2007
March 7th 2008