Department Overview

Our mission is to provide a high quality, safe, efficient and cost-effective service that is patient centred and flexible.

We provide pharmaceutical care to approximately 500 beds. These include two regional hospitals: St Vincent’s in Athy and Baltinglass District Hospital.

We have 27 staff currently employed in the department. They consist of:

• Pharmacists
• Technicians
• Attendants

We provide:

• a medication supply service to all wards
• clinical review of patients on admission
• drug information
• staff prescriptions
• named in-patient dispensing of non-stock to all wards

Services

Ward-based top-up Service: We supply all wards in the hospital with a stock top-up service. We work with nursing staff to decide on the right amount of commonly used drugs for each ward, making sure they are well stocked. This system ensures that the department can track levels of stock kept on wards. Technicians visit wards on a regular basis to ensure stock levels are maintained. Technicians also manage the non-stock medications for the patients. Ordering, dispensing and replenishing these items as required.

Clinical Service The clinical pharmacists perform a Medication Reconciliation for patients’ on admission. They review in-patient medication profiles and diagnosis to ensure that the treatment is appropriate. Added to this they ensure the prescribing is clear, unambiguous and in compliance with the hospital policy. The main aspects of the clinical pharmacy services are as follows:

• Patients medication review
• Medication reconciliation on admission
• Patient education
• Drug information training and education for other health care professionals
• Contributing to medication-use policies, clinical audits and research

Specialist pharmacists are also involved in providing pharmaceutical care to:

• Oncology day unit
• Psychiatric unit
• Antimicrobial team
• Medication safety

Our staff are encouraged to continue their education within/outside the department. Weekly/fortnightly educational talks take place within the department.

We provide in-house lectures to the public in areas such as:

• Warfarin education
• Direct Oral Anticoagulant (DOAC) education
• Cardiac rehabilitation.

Our department provides training for student pharmacy technicians and undergraduate pharmacists.