11th May 2024
A first of its kind event has given aspiring pharmacy staff an insight into working within a hospital pharmacy environment at Craigavon Area Hospital.
The Southern Health and Social Care Trust hosted an open day at its Pharmacy department on Saturday 11 May. Almost 100 people attended and were able to find out about how the hospital pharmacy operates, meeting staff in various pharmaceutical roles, and going on a behind-the-scenes tour, including seeing the pharmacy ‘robot’ and a demonstration of the Trust’s cutting-edge electronic prescribing services.
The Trust has around 200 pharmacy staff and provides services 24 hours a day across its five hospital sites and support to community services. Along with purchasing and supplying medicines and dressings, the team are responsible for an increasing number of specialist drugs.
Catherine Loughlin, Acting Patient Services Manager within the Pharmacy Department, said:
“There are many roles on offer within pharmacy and we hope that we have shown that we play an important role in providing a round-the-clock service for our patients, who are at the centre of everything we do.
“There is so much choice within hospital pharmacies, including pharmacy assistant roles, where candidates don’t need previous experience to apply – which is perfect for students fresh out of school or for anyone wishing for a career change. There are also roles for pharmacy technicians and clinical pharmacists who are looking for a new challenge.
“One of the best things about being part of our hospital pharmacy team is that you get to work with a vast cross-section of teams and disciplines from across the Trust. There are excellent career progression opportunities available, and a friendly and supportive work environment and we hope that we will see some of our attendees in the not-so-distant future as potential colleagues.”
