The Directors of Pharmacy Scotland (DoPS) are working together to take forward a new strategic framework to support the whole pharmacy profession to meet the increased pressures and expectations being placed on them.

Director of Pharmacy & Medicines at NHS Lothian, Scott Garden, will be talking about ‘the journey ahead for Pharmacy and the plans for professional development’ at the Scotland National Pharmacy Conference in October. He has been sharing some of the thoughts of the Directors’ group with healthandcare.scot

“The Directors of Pharmacy Scotland (DoPS) group works collectively to set strategy and drive priority developments across Pharmacy services in Scotland. The DoPS support care for patients with their medicines through professional and clinical leadership which promotes and enhances the safe, effective and efficient use of medicines across Scotland.

The pharmacy profession rose to meet the challenges of the pandemic. The process of coming out of the pandemic has provided the DoPS with an opportunity to develop ways of working and, following a full review, a refreshed strategic framework has been created. This framework focuses on optimising the interdependence of Pharmacy leaders, enhancing national working relationships with key partners and maximising the influence of Pharmacy throughout the NHS five-year recovery and renewal period.

The framework describes five roles that the DoPS will be focussed upon to deliver these aims. These include shaping strategy, setting standards, providing direction and support across the pharmacy leadership structure, the conduit for links in and out of pharmacy with external stakeholders and creating the conditions for the pharmacy workforce to flourish in line with the NHS Scotland values.

Collaboration with a focus on optimising the unique value adding contribution of pharmacy across patient pathways within the managed NHS service and across the Community Pharmacy Network is a thread that runs through the strategic framework. Community Pharmacies are independent contractors however, as professional leads for Pharmacy, Directors have a role to help support and shape the delivery of community pharmacy – both now and as its role continues to transform.

In the development of the framework the DoPS fully recognise the current and future workforce challenges aligned with the increasing demand on pharmacy services. However, this is balanced with the new opportunities that recent educational reforms across the pharmacy professions have created.  

The DoPS are committed to creating the infrastructure for the delivery of professional frameworks and innovation in the development of new and exciting roles that will release our pharmacy professionals to deliver the best experience for patients in a way that is most fulfilling to all of the pharmacy workforce.”

Scott Garden is speaking at the PM Healthcare Scotland National Conference in Glasgow on 25 October.

The meeting is free for healthcare professionals. For the agenda and to register, go to the PM Healthcare events site.

healthandcare.scot is pleased to be working as a media partner with PM Healthcare.

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