As members of UKCPA, three talented pharmacists were awarded funding to attend the distinguished European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Amsterdam this year.
Showcasing UK practice
At Schiphol Airport huge welcome screens and orange footprints on the floor allowed delegates to easily find their way to the conference venue. As well as learning from others, Sile O’Connor and Richard Wilson also had the opportunity to present their own work.
Sile O’Connor presented her review of the impact of influenza PCR turn-around time on the management of patients with suspected influenza virus infection. The study was inspired by comments at a UKCPA Pharmacy Infection Network event when delegates were encouraged to submit abstracts. Sile identified an opportunity for a before-after study at her hospital and undertook to lead this research, largely to strengthen relations between members of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Team and the Infection Prevention & Control Team. Through funding by UKCPA, Sile was able to present the findings from the first phase of her research at the ECCMID conference.
The success of the project has encouraged everyone to participate in the second phase of the study, and with much of the data now collected, she hopes to submit again to ECCMID next year.
Through funding by UKCPA, Sile was able to present the findings from the first phase of her research at the ECCMID conference.
Richard Wilson also presented his work at the conference. His study on the prediction of beta-lactam pharmacodynamics using AUC:EC50 found that AUC:EC50 predicts CRP response at day 5 in patients treated with ceftriaxone but not flucloxacillin. He also presented findings on a pilot study which sought to understand antifungal usage as part of creating a wider fungal stewardship programme.
This work found that antifungals are initiated in line with guidance. However, he identified a need for improvement in routine use of diagnostic tests and TDM. In response, the team have established an antifungal MDT with representation from infection pharmacy, respiratory medicine, microbiology, haematology, and radiology to review complex cases of IFD. He was also part of a team which investigated real-time, minimally invasive penicillin monitoring.
“I want to express my sincere thanks to the UKCPA Pharmacy Infection Network for their part in supporting my attendance at this exceptional conference.” Sile O’Connor
“Attendance at ECCMID was made possible thanks to a travel grant from UKCPA, and I really enjoyed networking with other delegates” Richard Wilson
“Thank you to UKCPA for giving me the opportunity to attend the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID)this year in Amsterdam” Alice Liu
