This community of hepatology and gastroenterology pharmacy specialists also provide contributions to national consultations and standards, and engagement with gastroenterology and liver charities and associations.
The Committee is made up of professionals with experience in hepatology and gastro pharmacy, and are dedicated to advocating for and providing pharmacy expertise to multidisciplinary organisations. This includes the British Society of Gastroenterology and the British Association for the Study of the Liver
Many committee members are involved in the standards and guidelines produced by these organisations.
Members of the committee have been heavily involved in the UK inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) Audit, managed and published by the Royal College of Physicians. This programme of work aims to improve the delivery of care for people with IBD through effective measurements against standards and feedback to providers.
Members of the Committee work closely with the British Society of Gastroenterology and the British Association for the Study of the Liver (BASL). The Committee also has strong links with the Crohn’s & Colitis UK charity.
Members of the Committee have been heavily involved in the UK IBD audit which measures the efficacy, safety and appropriate use of biological therapies in patients with IBD in the UK, as well as capturing patients’ views on their quality of life at intervals during their treatment.
A gastroenterology pharmacist is a fully qualified pharmacist with a specialism in gastro pharmacy. They play a crucial role within gastroenterology teams at hospital trusts, providing specialist pharmacist advice on gastroenterology treatments, optimising and developing medicine management pathways, and delivering patient care.
Hepatology pharmacists specialise in disorders and conditions affecting the liver. A specialist in hepatology pharmacy will consult with hospital trust pharmacy departments and medical teams on the most suitable prescriptions for affected patients, and help to develop optimised treatment pathways.
To become a specialist gastroenterology pharmacist, you must first undertake training to become a qualified pharmacist. This entails the following:
Once qualified, you can begin to specialise in a particular branch of pharmacy, such as gastroenterology or hepatology. You’ll find plenty of support from members as you take the next steps in your career when you join our community.
A specialist gastroenterology pharmacist is an integral part of any gastroenterology team. Their roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
You’ll start your career as a student pharmacist, before progressing to trainee pharmacist, and then qualifying as a registered pharmacist. Once you reach this stage, you can gain further experience in order to specialise as a cardiovascular pharmacist.
Within cardiovascular pharmacy, you can explore multiple career paths, including working towards becoming a clinical lead or consultant in the field. Joining the UKCPA cardiovascular pharmacy community allows you to network with a wide variety of professionals in the field, showing you the breadth of opportunities available as you advance in your career. Continuing education and development is at the heart of our cardiovascular pharmacist community, so sign up today to find specialist support at every stage of your career.
David Gibson - Associate dean foundation pharmacist at NHS England
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