Practical learning

This is a wonderful idea assuming the surgery cooperate. The GP surgery near my pharmacy didn't even like the idea of express repeat prescriptions! As a dispenser I guess this made my life slightly easier but did make the need for emergency supply on a weekend/holiday a regular occurance.
I do believe the idea of new pharmacists following a prescription through to be a leap forward. Are GP's willing to do a cycle in a pharmacy in return?

Hi Babir, enjoying your columns and was particularly interested in this one.

In Hull we send our (hospital) pre-regs for regular multi-disciplinary learning sessions with 5th year medical students from Hull York Medical School: each set of "students" comes away with a greater knowledge about the skill set of the other. Plus, our Trust runs "working with colleagues" sessions as part of the training programme for our first year qualified docs, where they get to spend time with pharmacists, physios, etc. Also aware of a surgery in north Leeds that sends their GP registrars to spend time with a friend of mine in his pharmacy. In return, his pre-reg gets to go to the surgery.

Think these schemes have to be the way forward: it's really easy to criticise someone until you've watched them do their job and seen the pressures they're under and heard the reasons they do the things they do. Let's hope more stuff like this happens!

Ann.

Great idea but needs to work both ways- ie GPs shadowing pharmacists and Pharmacists shadowing GPs.