‘Human Factors and Evidence in prescribing’ was the key theme at a recent conference for healthcare professionals in the north-east who have prescribing responsibilities.
More than 90 nurses, pharmacists and allied health professionals attended the Non-Medical Prescribing Conference at Robert Gordon University (RGU) on Thursday 14 September.
Funded by NHS Grampian and facilitated in collaboration with RGU, the free conference offered learning and networking opportunities for non-medical prescribers within Grampian.
The event was held in RGU’s Health and Social Care building at the university’s Garthdee campus.
The conference was opened by Caroline Hiscox, Deputy Director of Nursing at NHS Grampian, before delegates attended a series of presentations and workshops delivered by experts from academic and clinical backgrounds.
Linda Harper, Associate Nurse Director at NHS Grampian, worked with the conference committee to organise an event which meets the needs of the healthcare community.
She said: “We were delighted to attract such a large number of delegates to the conference this year. It has developed and grown over the last several years, with the partnership between NHS Grampian and RGU allowing both organisations to take a leading role in innovating healthcare to the benefit of the north-east.
“The conference offers a good opportunity for non-medical prescribers to share experiences and best practice with each other and our keynote speakers did a great job with their presentations, sparking a lot of discussion throughout the day.”
Dr Catherine Paterson, lecturer in RGU’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, delivered the first address: ‘Non-medical prescribing embedded in evidence-based practice: an overview’.
Dr Trudi McIntosh, lecturer in Pharmacy Practice at RGU’s School of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, discussed her PhD research findings on non-medical prescribing.
While Manoj Kumar, Consultant Surgeon and honorary senior lecturer at the University of Aberdeen, focussed on the human factors that delegates should focus on in their roles.
Following the presentations, delegates attended two workshops selected from a choice six on offer:
– Ophthalmology: The Red Eye
– Prescribing in Diabetes
– Prescribing guidance of inhaled therapies in asthma and COPD
– Prescribing in chronic liver disease
– Sexual health
– Prescribing in older adult mental health psychiatry
Non-Medical prescribing in the UK is now well-established, with evidence of improvements in access, patient safety and patient-centred care continuing to strengthen the foundations underpinning the success of this practice.
Find out more and view the conference programme: http://www.rgu.ac.uk/events/non-medical-prescribing-conference-2017/