The aim of the NHS Forth Valley Pharmacy Service is to develop and deliver an integrated pharmaceutical service, ensuring that the patients residing in the board area receive high-quality pharmaceutical care, in and across all settings (social, community and hospital).
- Acute & Specialist Services
- Community Pharmacy, Public Health and Integrated Services
- Pharmacotherapy and Care Homes
- Medicines Management Team
Acute & Specialist Services
The Acute and Specialist Services Pharmacy Service is made up of the following sections:
Procurement, stores and distribution
Safe and efficient procurement, storage and distribution of medicines used in all hospitals and departments in NHS Forth Valley.
Dispensary
All inpatient discharge, outpatient dispensing including clinical trials activity for all hospitals and departments in NHS Forth Valley.
Aseptic
The aseptic unit prepares cytotoxic chemotherapy, central intravenous additives and parenteral nutrition products in a controlled environment to minimise particulate, microbial and chemical contamination.
Clinical Pharmacy
The team of clinical pharmacists and clinical pharmacy technicians based in FVRH provide pharmaceutical care to patients in the majority of inpatient areas of mental health, women & children, palliative care and acute.
The HePMA pharmacy team manage the electronic prescribing system, deliver user training and work with clinicians to expand the application of the system functionality to promote safer prescribing.
Quality Assurance, Medicines Governance and Research
The Quality Assurance Lead supports our quality management system and undertakes medical gas testing in FVRH. This post is supported by a Service Level Agreement with NHS GGC for Pharmaceutical Quality Assurance Services.
Acute and Specialist Services Pharmacy Team contribute to medicines governance through membership of committees within the Area Drug and Therapeutics Committee structure.
Clinical Trials of Investigational Medicinal Products are supported through the pharmacy team in review, set up, supply and monitoring in line with current regulations.
Cancer Pharmacy Service
The cancer pharmacy team ensure that all elements of systemic anticancer therapy (SACT) are safe, effective and of a high quality.
The pharmacy team is involved in prescribing cytotoxic chemotherapy and other supportive therapies by staff in advanced practice pharmacist roles; verification of all SACT prescriptions and supply of medicines for outpatients from the Oncology Unit Satellite Pharmacy.
Mental Health and Substance Use
The Mental Health and Substance pharmacy team provide specialist services to community mental health teams and an advanced practice pharmacist role in Substance Use Services.
Community Pharmacy, Public Health and Integrated Services
Community Pharmacy
Community pharmacies provide a number of services in Forth Valley including:
- Pharmacy First
- Stop Smoking Service
- Emergency Hormonal Contraception
- Injecting Equipment Provision
- Palliative Care Service
They are easily accessible and should be the first port of call for anyone suffering from a minor illness. You do not usually need an appointment and can go to any pharmacy.
For more info about NHS Pharmacy First, go to the NHS Inform website.
Vaccine Holding Centre
The vaccine holding centre is based within Falkirk Community Hospital. The team are responsible for the ordering and distribution of vaccines across Forth Valley. They also respond to cold chain incidents and provide information and advice on cold chain products and maintaining the cold chain.
Community Hospital Pharmacy Team
Our community hospital pharmacy teamwork across all the Community Hospitals and Bellfield within Stirling Care Village. The team provide a clinical pharmacy service to all patients and liaise with members of the multi-disciplinary team to support patients being discharged.
Care At Home Pharmacy Team
Our Care at Home Pharmacy Technicians work across Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) where they provide training to Homecare staff on medicines administration. The team also visit patients in their own homes to carry medication assessments and work with Community Pharmacies in Falkirk HSCP.
Pharmacotherapy and Care Homes
Pharmacotherapy Team
We have a team of pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and pharmacy support staff working within GP practices across all practices in Forth Valley. The team support practices with patients’ medicine requests, hospital discharge letters, clinic letters and any medication related queries to ensure that medicines prescribed for patients are appropriate and safe.
Medicines Management Team
The Medicines Management Team promotes the rational and cost-effective use of medicines.
Services provided include:
- The review and maintenance of the Forth Valley Formulary and associated guidance documents
- Identification of prescribing efficiencies and supporting prescribing initiatives
- Analysis of prescribing data
- Providing advice and support to healthcare staff across both primary care and hospital settings in relation to prescribing and pharmaceutical issues
The Medicines Management Team consists of:
- The Lead Pharmacist Formulary & Medicines Management
- Prescribing Adviser/Medicines Management Pharmacist
- Lead Pharmacy Technician
- Pharmacy Technician
- Prescribing Support Nurse
- Administration support