Services Database On Demand Access to End of Life Medicines (Halton Area)

1.2 Aims and Objectives

To improve the care of the dying in the last few days/hours of life by:

• Maintaining an agreed stock of medicines (Appendix A) used to alleviate the symptoms experienced by patients entering the dying phase of a terminal illness at designated community pharmacies. This is intended for supply by community pharmacies against prescriptions issued.
• Ensuring access to the agreed stock of medicines is available during normal working hours, including weekends and evenings.
• Designated community pharmacies signposting carers to other participating service providers with confirmed sufficient stock, in the event that they are unable to immediately supply the necessary palliative care medicines.
• Supporting patients, carers and clinicians by providing them with up-to-date information and advice and referral to specialist palliative care services where appropriate.
• Avoid unnecessary hospital admissions where the sole purpose of admission is to access appropriate medication.

All regular Pharmacists employed by the service provider must have completed the CPPE distance learning package on Palliative Care and associated e-assessment.

https://www.cppe.ac.uk/gateway/palliative

https://www.cppe.ac.uk/programmes/l/palliative-ec-01

https://www.cppe.ac.uk/programmes/l/palliativeec-a-02

A copy of the certificates of completion of the E-assessment will be submitted at the time of the Pharmacies annual declaration and claim for service fees.

Registered Pharmacy technicians employed by the service provider should also be encouraged to complete the same training.

The Pharmacists must be able to demonstrate on-going CPD related to palliative care through private study and attendance at relevant teaching sessions.

In addition, each service provider will appoint a pharmacist to lead on this service. This pharmacist will attend any relevant training provided by NHS Cheshire and Merseyside ICB Halton Place that will support the delivery of this service.

The service provider must ensure that all staff working in the pharmacy, including locums, have relevant knowledge, are appropriately trained and operate within protocols / SOPs, this includes understanding when to recommend the service to clients and using sensitive client-centred communication skills. This is to ensure that the service is available for the entire opening hours of the pharmacy.