Northamptonshire Healthcare

We provide the pharmacy service to this mental health trust in the south of the county under a service level agreement and work closely with Kettering General Hospital Pharmacy which provides the service in the north. NHT also covers Sexual Health (including Family Planning and the Drug and Alcohol Service).

The Pharmacy

We have a pharmacy at Princess Marina Hospital , which is on the west side of Northampton between junctions 15A and 16 of the M1. There are adult mental health (acute and continuing care), elderly mental health (EMH) and learning disabilities (LD) wards on site, and rehabilitation and LD homes in the community. A new psychiatric intensive care unit has opened with further developments planned both on site and in the community. Pharmacy support is also given to the CMHTs, an assertive outreach team and a recently formed rapid resolution home treatment team. PMH Pharmacy also provides a service to Danetre Hospital, a community hospital run by Daventry & S. Northants. PCT.

Services Provided

Clinical: Pharmacists attend multidisciplinary team meeetings and consultant ward rounds.

Medicines Information: Most MI enquiries from NHT staff are answered by PMH pharmacists although support is available from NGH MI department.

Educational: Talks are given on a regular basis to groups of staff, patients and carers about psychiatric medication. As the MedEd sessions we run with a nurse have proved so successful we will soon be providing them to further areas.

Drug and Therapeutics Committee: The Pharmacy Manager is secretary to the DTC. The Trust is keen to further enhance the role of the committee and we have an enthusiastic membership keen to work together to take forward the many medicines related issues.

Technicians’ Role: Regular visits are made, both to wards and community homes, to organise supplies of temporary stocks. Technician checking is about to be introduced and the role of the NVQ assessor expanded. The role of the Senior Technician (Clozapine) is also developing with the increasing number of clozapine patients.

A Medication Management Scheme is planned to start shortly.

Staff Training: Pharmacists are encouraged to study for the Certificate/Diploma in Psychiatric Pharmacy run by Aston University, with full support being given, and to work towards becoming accredited members of the College of Mental Health Pharmacists. The UKPPG organise excellent study weekends for pharmacists new to psychiatry and also for those who have more experience. Technicians are also encouraged to attend training days.

External Links: There are regular psychiatric pharmacists' regional meetings and links are maintained with pharmacy staff at Kettering General Hospital and St Andrew's Hospital.

The Staff

We are a small, friendly team of seven staff. With the valuable role that Pharmacy has within the Trust being recognised, we have now been allocated funding to increase our staffing level to be able to further develop our clinical input, medicines education for patients and clozapine work.

If you would like any further information please contact Cathy Mortimer, Pharmacy Manager (e-mail cathy.mortimer@nht.northants.nhs.uk) or Yvonne Jerhidri, Senior Pharmacy Technician (e-mail yvonne.jerhidri@nht.northants.nhs.uk) Tel: 01604 595210

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