Fife Prescribers Forum

Dunnikier House Hotel
Kirkcaldy
Tuesday 7th April 2009

Present
Lindsay Pert
Olga Fielding
Michelle Horne
Heather Preston
Susan Chapman
Sheila Robertson
May Currie
Kecia McDougal
Nicky Credland
Lynne Coyne
Lorna Stewart
Aeltsje O
Susan Gallacher
Anne McKean
Jaquie Taylor
Lynn Pollock
Caroline Craig
Caroline Osborn
Janice Birrell
Ann Lawson
Colette Henderson
Christine Watson
Gaynor Black
Minutes of Previous Meeting
Minutes of previous meeting read and accepted by those present
Update on other Meetings
Operational Division – Jacqui Taylor informed group that last prescriber meeting was cancelled.
CHD study days including
– Keep Well Project. Discussion around inclusion criteria for project
- Diabetic MCN Meeting will be held on 28/4/09
COPD Study day : take home messages from meeting were
– Everyone should be using a pulse oximeter
– Everyone should be checking the calibration of spirometer
– Not sending sputum specimens during exacerbation
– Potential legislation around wrong diagnosis.
Diabetes UK : take home messages from meeting were
– New therapies
– New NICE Guidelines
– Oral therapies
– Clinical Governance with insulin management
Travel Update : feedback from meeting was
– Excellent meeting
– CD available for protocols
– Level of service offered
– Concern around deskilling of nurses not offering service
– GPs are paid 2% of global sum therefore should not be charging patients.
Update from NMP Advisor
– Colette’s contract is now permanent
– NMP Advisor for 20 hours per week.
– Next CPD Event on 14/5/09: topic supplementary prescribing. Flyers have already been sent & additional information to follow.
What’s on Your Mind?
Singulair
– Ann McKean asked if any other HCP were experiencing any problems with patient reaction on Singulair. Karen Lee raised ABPI compliance and completing a yellow card in instances like this. No other awareness in room to patient behavioural changes on Singulair.
Diabetes
– Nicky Credland asked if anyone has noted reduced control with non branded metformin with their patients.
COPD
– Caroline Osborn raised that an audit in practice looking at FEV1 <50% on steroid inhaler and discussion around patient risk / benefit of this practice – FEV1 does not always correlate with patient symptoms. Conclusion was to justify decision for treatment and question decision to remove steroid if that is action that was taken.
Operational Division Meetings
– Ann McKean asked about the possibility of having lunch time meetings or ? protected learning time meetings. Issue of pharma industry sponsored meetings not inviting op division nurses along – response was that often nurses don’t attend due to time constraints, but this is no reason why they should not be invited along.
– ADH nurse training/study days are funded by pharma industry
– Seems from op division that only medical staff are invited. ACTION : Education centre manager to be asked to add prescribers to list of HCP that she invited along to educational meetings in acute setting.
Funding for training / education
– Funding from Pharma industry
– RCN Grants
– GPs are given monies in global sum for training
Working with Pharma Industry
– If HCP are concerned with working closely with pharma industry there is guidance in the document “A Common Understanding” this offers guidance for working together, and a template for this.
– DoH – guidance / toolkit for NHS and pharmaceutical companies working together.

Professor Molly Courtenay
– Discussion around indemnity insurance
– MDDU / RCN
Handout / Study Discussed
Questions asked around repeat & acute prescriptions
ANP Website
– Educational Modules
– Linked to healthcare republic
– Weekly news section
– Journal
– Links
– Social networking forum
– Free to members
– Costs £25 to join
Professor Courtenay thanked for coming along and speaking at the meeting. Meeting closed.