Clinical Pharmacy Team
Helping you get the most from your medicines
Our Clinical Pharmacy Team includes Clinical Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians who work alongside our GP practices to help patients use their medicines safely and effectively.
The team can provide advice about medicines, support medication reviews and help manage more complex medication needs. They also work closely with GP practices, hospitals, community pharmacies and care homes to support safe and effective use of medicines.
How can the Pharmacy Team help?
The team can support patients with a range of medication-related needs, including:
- Medication reviews – checking that your medicines are still appropriate, effective and safe
- Multiple medicines – helping people who take several medicines manage them safely
- Long-term conditions – supporting medication treatment for conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and asthma
- Side effects and medicine questions – providing advice about how medicines work and possible side effects
- Using medicines correctly – including practical advice about taking medicines and inhaler technique
- Medicine monitoring – checking that required blood tests and other monitoring are up to date
- Hospital discharge – reviewing medicines after a hospital stay and checking that your GP records reflect any changes
- Medicine safety – responding to safety alerts, recalls and other medication-related issues
Medication reviews
If you take several medicines or have a long-term health condition, you may be offered a medication review.
A medication review is an opportunity to look at all your medicines together and make sure they are still right for you.
It can help identify:
- Medicines that may no longer be needed
- Side effects or problems with your treatment
- Interactions between medicines
- Problems with taking medicines regularly
- Monitoring or blood tests that may be due
- Changes that could improve how well your treatment is working
What happens during a medication review?
Your review may involve both a Pharmacy Technician and a Clinical Pharmacist.
First, you may speak with a Pharmacy Technician, who will ask about your medicines, how you take them and any difficulties or concerns you have.
They can also discuss practical ways to help you manage your medicines.
You may then have a clinical review with a Pharmacist, who will look at whether your medicines are appropriate, effective and safe.
They may discuss:
- How well your treatment is working
- Any side effects
- Interactions between medicines, food or alcohol
- Whether your medicines are still needed
- Whether any changes could improve your treatment
- Whether blood tests or other monitoring are required
After a hospital stay
Changes to medicines are often made when someone is admitted to or discharged from hospital.
Our Pharmacy Team works with local hospital services, including Arrowe Park Hospital and Clatterbridge Hospital, to help make sure information about your medicines is transferred safely between hospital and primary care.
Following a hospital admission, the team may:
- Review changes made to your medicines
- Check that your GP medication record is accurate and up to date
- Arrange any required monitoring
- Liaise with your community pharmacy where appropriate
- Discuss any concerns about your medicines with you
This helps reduce the risk of medication errors when your care moves between different healthcare settings.
Working with your wider healthcare team
The Clinical Pharmacy Team works closely with other healthcare professionals to provide joined-up support.
Depending on your needs, this may include working with:
- GPs
- Practice nurses
- Community pharmacists
- Hospital teams
- Care homes
- Social Prescribers
- Care Coordinators
- Health and Wellbeing Coaches
Where additional support is needed, you may be referred to another member of the healthcare team with your agreement.
How do I access the Pharmacy Team?
Patients cannot usually book directly with the Clinical Pharmacy Team.
If you have a question or concern about your medicines, please contact your GP practice.
Your practice can advise you about the most appropriate support and arrange an appointment with the Clinical Pharmacy Team where appropriate.
