Lindsey is Medicines Optimisation Research & Development Lead at the Pharmacy Department at John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. She was interviewed by Dr Sarah Carter for Rx magazine.
What is your current role?
Medicines Optimisation Research & Development Lead at the Pharmacy Department at John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford.
What is your training/professional background?
My training and professional background is in health psychology, clinical trials, project management, patient-reported outcomes and medicines optimisation.
What attracted you to the Pharmacy Together conference?
With a background in psychology, I’m acutely aware that I’m not a pharmacist, so I like to keep informed of what’s going on in the profession as much as possible! I also like to look for opportunities in pharmacy research and practice that could be supported by knowledge and research conducted in psychology. For instance, how might health beliefs and attitudes towards medication influence patient health behaviour and subsequent adherence? How could medicines-related communication in consultations be improved and how might pharmacists be best supported in non-medical prescribing practice?
What were your first impressions of the Pharmacy Together conference?
Interesting, varied and well-pitched satellite sessions along with a number of poster presentations from around the UK demonstrating current pharmacy research. Overall a very well organised and enjoyable conference – well worth attending!
What were you expecting to gain from attending the conference?
The opportunity to learn more about the pharmacy profession, current issues in practice, opportunities for future research and development, and the chance to network with individuals, make connections with partners in industry and speak with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society direct.
Did you achieve this?
Yes, in abundance!
Were there any unexpected benefits?
Definitely…from speaking with the Medicines Optimisation Innovation Centre team at one of the UKCPA stands, we plan to take a trip over to Northern Ireland to understand how they set up an innovation centre, collaborate on projects and push medicines optimisation forwards. In addition, I have met with two industry partners to develop project ideas for MEGS and/ or Joint Working agreements and Professor Marjorie Weiss was put forwards as an external reviewer for a grant we submitted to the UKRI after I saw her presentation on ‘Person Centred Consultation Skilled’ and recognised we shared a common interest in how consultation styles affect patient satisfaction with treatment and adherence.
What have you taken away from the conference which has made an impact?
I have a more thorough understanding of what is happening within the pharmacy profession as a result of attending. It is sometimes difficult to empathise with the challenges faced by pharmacists when I do not work in the dispensary or go on ward rounds, but it is incredibly important for me to understand these challenges if I am to design workforce development programmes and consultation skills interventions with pharmacists, and their patients, needs in mind.
