Royal Pharmaceutical Society Scotland

Northern Scotland using technology to bring pharmacists together.

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21 December 2009

Northern Scotland - using technology to bring pharmacists together

Attending Pharmacy meetings for many Highland pharmacists and pharmacy technicians is problematic - a six hour round car trip to the nearest 'local' venue, lack of evening ferries and of course 'the weather' can all conspire to make many journeys impossible.

To overcome this problem, individuals from NHS Highland and NHS Western Isles are now videoconferencing into Pharmacy evening meetings in Inverness.   Despite early technical problems, the most recent evening meeting was the most successful yet, with 40 participants videoconferencing in from 12 remote locations - the largest videoconference yet hosted by the NHS Highland Videoconferencing centre.   Participants particularly valued the direct contact with specialists and they in turn welcomed the opportunity to deliver training to so many pharmacists and technicians across the Highlands and Islands in one session.  As with any new technology, new ways of working are required and we are all learning together, both how to deliver training and how to be trained using this different technology.
This innovation is a collaboration:
With 40% of Scotland's land mass but only 6% of its population, NHS Highland has invested heavily in the infrastructure to support quality videoconferencing access for all its staff in remote communities 
Following on from this investment, pharmacists have started to become familiar with videoconferencing facilities in their local hospitals and health centres.  
Joint working with the committee of the local branch of RPSGB / Local Practice Forum 
For those unable to access direct learning, videoconferencing provides an opportunity to access the quality training provided by Pharmacy.  An evaluation of this way of working is planned.

Attending Pharmacy meetings for many Highland pharmacists and pharmacy technicians is problematic - a six hour round car trip to the nearest 'local' venue, lack of evening ferries and of course 'the weather' can all conspire to make many journeys impossible.

To overcome this problem, individuals from NHS Highland and NHS Western Isles are now videoconferencing into Pharmacy evening meetings in Inverness.   Despite early technical problems, the most recent evening meeting was the most successful yet, with 40 participants videoconferencing in from 12 remote locations - the largest videoconference yet hosted by the NHS Highland Videoconferencing centre.   Participants particularly valued the direct contact with specialists and they in turn welcomed the opportunity to deliver training to so many pharmacists and technicians across the Highlands and Islands in one session.  As with any new technology, new ways of working are required and we are all learning together, both how to deliver training and how to be trained using this different technology.

This innovation is a collaboration:

  • With 40% of Scotland's land mass but only 6% of its population, NHS Highland has invested heavily in the infrastructure to support quality videoconferencing access for all its staff in remote communities 
  • Following on from this investment, pharmacists have started to become familiar with videoconferencing facilities in their local hospitals and health centres.  
  • Joint working with the committee of the local branch of RPSGB / Local Practice Forum 

For those unable to access direct learning, videoconferencing provides an opportunity to access the quality training provided by Pharmacy.  An evaluation of this way of working is planned.