Paediatric Pharmacy

Introduction

Guy’s and St Thomas’ Paediatric Pharmacy Visiting Professional Programme aims to equip pharmacists with the knowledge, skills and competencies required to deliver comprehensive pharmaceutical care to paediatric patients. A key aspect of the programme is to consider how the knowledge and skills acquired on the course can be applied back at work in the intern’s own setting.

Programme aims

The programme will cover aspects of the following areas:

• Pregnancy and the first month of life
• Childhood issues
• Drug Handling and Pharmacokinetics
• Nutrition
• Gastroenterology
• Cardiology
• Respiratory
• Nephrology
• Surgery
• Neurology
• Endocrinology
• Infectious diseases
• Intensive care
• Neurosurgery
• Liver Disease
• Haematology and Oncology

Learning outcomes

On completion of the programme students should be able to:

• Critically evaluate the evidence-based use of medicines in the management of commonly-encountered paediatric clinical conditions.
• Demonstrate how pharmacokinetic principles affect drug handling in neonates and children in practice.
• Advise on the selection of appropriate drug formulations for neonates and children.
• Discuss how medication errors may occur in the paediatric population and how risk can be minimised.
• Discuss how the pharmaceutical licensing system impacts the use of medicines for children.
• Respond to medication-related queries using appropriate and reputable local, national and international paediatric resources.
• Demonstrate clear and effective communication and consultation skills with patients, their families and other healthcare professionals.

Individual weekly timetables will be created depending on each visiting professional’s requirements.

A Certificate of Attendance will be awarded to visitors upon the end of their programme.

Format

Interns will be based within the hospital environment and will work alongside, and learn from, experienced paediatric clinical pharmacists within a variety of specialist clinical areas. They will receive one-to-one tuition and supervision and will take part in case discussions and ward-based tutorials. Interns will have the opportunity to contribute to patient care and interact with patients, their carers and healthcare professionals. A unique focus of this programme is the opportunity for interns to be totally integrated in the delivery of paediatric pharmacy services at the hospital. Interns will also join the pharmacy team’s weekly teaching and training activities.

University assessment

The programme is accredited by Kings College London University. The summative assessment of competence to practice will test underpinning knowledge, decision making and application of theory to practice.

Who can apply

The Paediatric Pharmaceutical Care Internship programme is intended primarily for overseas pharmacists with an interest in paediatric pharmaceutical care. Experience in paediatric pharmaceutical care is not essential but would be an advantage for those attending. Interns are expected to have worked in a hospital pharmacy.

Programme duration

The internship is designed to run over six weeks, although in exceptional cases the student placement can be run over a four week period, providing all the course work required for accreditation is completed successfully. Shorter courses may be applied for, but these will not be accredited by King’s College London.

Paediatric Pharmacy service

The programme will cover the following areas: 

• Pregnancy and the first month of life 
• Drug handling and pharmacokinetics 
• Gastrointestinal disorders 
• Respiratory disease (including asthma, croup, cough, hay fever, cystic fibrosis) Renal disease (including transplantation) 
• Endocrine disorders 
• Neurological and metabolic disorders 
• Childhood infections (including respiratory, otitis media and externa, sore throat, community acquired pneumonia, skin and soft tissue infections, bacterial meningitis, fungal infections, eye infections, urinary tract infections). 
• Dermatology 
• Neurosurgery 
• Liver disease 
• Paediatric and neonatal intensive care 
• Parenteral nutrition

Fees

A course fee per week will be applied; this fee will cover the accreditation from KCL but excludes accommodation and travelling expenses. To find out the fee amount please email [email protected].

Please note

Clinicians are able to offer bursaries or discounted placements on an individual basis. This is at the discretion of the Directorates of GSTT and does not affect the terms and conditions of the Visiting Professional Programme agreements.