SHPA releases standards
August 19, 2013
The Society of Hospital
Pharmacists of Australia has
released new clinical pharmacy
standards, which address national
safety and quality initiatives for
pharmacists working in a range of
practice settings.
The SHPA Standards of Practice
for Clinical Pharmacy Services
have been compiled by the SHPA
Committee of Specialty Practice,
and “describe the activities
delivered by pharmacists to
patients to minimise the risks
associated with the use of
medicines and to optimise the use
of medicines”.
The 2013 Practice Standards are
applicable to the delivery of clinical
pharmacy services across all care
settings, including communitybased
professional pharmacy
services as well as in both private
and public hospitals for inpatients,
outpatients and patients in
emergency departments.
SHPA says they are also
relevant for home medicines
reviews, residential medication
management reviews and
MedsChecks.
“The new Practice Standards have
a focus on facilitating the continuity
of medication management when
patients transition between
care settings: on presentation to
hospital, when moving between
areas in the hospital and on
discharge,” an SHPA statement said.
The standards also include
recommendations on pharmacy
services for non-admitted patients
including hospital outreach
services.
“The activities described in these
Practice Standards are recognised
as key components of medication
safety and the quality use of
medicines,” said George Taylor,
chair of the SHPA committee which
put the standards together.
“Clinical pharmacy services for
individual patients support the
objectives of many safety and
quality initiatives,” he added, with
practice-based evidence from both
Australia and overseas confirming
that “the pharmacist activities
described in these Practice
Standards support an individual
patient’s medication management
plan and overall reduce morbidity
and mortality and the cost of care”.
The SHPA Standards of Practice
for Clinical Pharmacy Services can
be viewed by CLICKING HERE.
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