Pharmacy Department

The Pharmacy Department provides a range of pharmaceutical services to patients and staff in St. Michael’s Hospital. Our team consists of pharmacists and pharmaceutical technicians.

Services

• Clinical service
  • Our clinical pharmacists monitor and review inpatient prescriptions daily, check for appropriate choice of medication, correct dose and frequency, and for potential interactions. Non-stock drugs are supplied daily on an individual basis for patients.
• Antimicrobial stewardship
  • The antimicrobial stewardship team (clinical microbiologist and pharmacists) ensure appropriate prescribing of antimicrobials, to effectively treat infection and reduce antimicrobial resistance.
• Medication safety
  • Pharmacy staff, the quality and risk manager, Nurse Practice Development and all nursing and medical staff work as a team to progress medication safety issues.  There are ongoing medication safety initiatives in the hospital,  to ensure patients are treated appropriately and to minimise the risk of medication error.  A medication safety programme is produced annually, with defined QIPs.
• Education
  • Pharmacists deliver lectures to healthcare professionals on medication-related topics.  Pharmacists are members of a number of multi-disciplinary hospital committees.
• Patient counselling
  • Pharmacists provide verbal and/or written medication counselling to patients on request.
• Drug information service
  • Medication-related queries from healthcare professionals are welcomed. Contact the ward pharmacist, or the Pharmacy Department.
• Dispensary
  • Pharmacy staff are responsible for procurement, storage and supply of medications, IV fluids, dressings and feeds in the hospital.Extemporaneous compounding (manufacture) of medications is undertaken as required, when appropriate. A staff prescription service is also provided.
• Ward distribution
  • A ‘top-up’ service is provided by pharmacy technicians. A stock list of medicines is devised for each clinical area and the technicians visit the wards regularly to top-up ward stock levels to the required quantities. This saves nursing time on ordering and ensures that frequently used items are readily available.

Head of Department

Máire Murray