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NHS Grampian and RGU collaborate on Non-Medical Prescribing conference

Healthcare professionals from across the North-east will gather at Robert Gordon University tomorrow (Wednesday 31 August) to attend a free conference that is the outcome of a unique collaboration between the institution and NHS Grampian.

Around 150 nurses, pharmacists and other health professionals will attend the Non-Medical Prescribing Conference which will take place throughout the day in the Faculty of Health and Social Care building at the university's Garthdee campus.

This second conference follows the success of the inaugural event held in April 2010. Funded by NHS Grampian, the conference aims to provide a learning and networking opportunity open to all non-medical prescribers within the NHS Grampian area.

The extension of prescribing responsibilities to non-medical healthcare professionals is a relatively recent development. The aims of this development are to improve the quality of service to patients, make it easier for them to get the medicines they need, make better use of the skills of health professionals and to contribute to the introduction of more flexible team working across the NHS.

Tomorrow's event will offer an excellent continuous professional development opportunity for non medical prescribers in NHS Grampian through a series of presentations and workshops delivered by local 'experts' either covering a particular clinical speciality or addressing an aspect of patient safety.

Mr David Pfleger, Director of Pharmacy and Medicines Management for NHS Grampian, will deliver the morning keynote speech focusing on evidence based prescribing. Mr Pfleger qualified as a pharmacist in 1989 and has since worked in senior positions in community pharmacy, academia and public health. In his position as lecturer in the Department of pharmacy at RGU, Mr Pfleger contributed to the design and delivery of the early non-medical prescribing courses for nurses and pharmacists pioneered by the university.

Following this session delegates will attend a morning and an afternoon workshop selected from a choice of nine workshops on offer with a break for a lunchtime networking session. The day will close with an afternoon keynote delivered by Dr Susan McGeoch, Specialist Registrar in diabetes and endocrinology and diabetes Specialist Nurse Ms Sandra Wilson, who will speak about medicines used in the management of type 2 diabetes.

Mrs Linda Harper is one of the main forces behind the conference. As lead for non-medical prescribing at NHS Grampian, she and the conference committee have worked hard to organise an event that is current and reflects the needs and interests of the professional community. The content of this year's conference has been informed by feedback gathered from delegates who attended the 2010 event.

Regarding this year's conference, Mrs Harper said: "NHS Grampian recognises the importance of offering continuous professional development opportunities for all staff and is delighted to be able to deliver this conference in collaboration with colleagues at Robert Gordon University"

Professor Brian Webster of the School of Nursing and Midwifery will deliver the welcome note and opening remarks on the day. He said: "Non-medical prescribing is a pivotal development for nurses in the delivery of safe, effective and evidence based care to patients in a time of redesign of the healthcare workforce. Conferences such as this play an important role in supporting the nursing workforce in the changing roles"

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