Transition to adult services: the current and potential role of the UK hospital pharmacist

• Published in: European journal of hospital pharmacy. Science and practice 2023-03, Vol.30 (e1), p.e70-e75
• Main Authors: Trivedi, Ashifa, Mohamad, Sarah, Sharma, Sadhna, Ganapathi, Jaikumar, Adodra, Annika, Goddings, Anne-Lise
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Child; Data analysis; Data collection; Drug stores; Female; health care economics and organizations; Hospitals; Humans; Male; Multidisciplinary teams; Original Research; Pediatrics; Pharmacists; pharmacy service, hospital; quality assurance, health care; Questionnaires; R&D; Research & development; research design; Software; Surveys and Questionnaires; Teaching hospitals; Transition to Adult Care; United Kingdom
• ISSN: 2047-9956; 2047-9964
• DOI: 10.1136/ejhpharm-2022-003254

PurposeTo explore the current and potential role for UK pharmacists in the transition to adult services for young people with chronic health problems.MethodsUK hospital pharmacists were surveyed using an online questionnaire with closed and open questions covering their involvement in a transition programme, demography and scope of work, experiences of transition, and the barriers encountered in providing an effective transition service.ResultsOverall, 74 pharmacists completed the questionnaire. Most were female (70% (52/74)), had ≥6 years of experience (62% (46/74)), were paediatric pharmacists (74% (55/74)), and were based in a teaching hospital practice setting (70% (52/74)). Many participants (57% (42/74)) had a transition programme in place in their hospital; of these, 55% (23/42) were not a part of the service. Respondents identified unique skills that pharmacists could contribute to the transition service, including knowledge of medications (including formulations and unlicensed medications), awareness of medication services beyond paediatrics, commissioning of medications, and familiarity with adult services. Most commonly identified barriers to transition included ‘time constraints’, ‘pharmacists not involved as part of the wider multidisciplinary team’, and ‘lack of engagement between different services’. Pharmacists noted that their ideal transition service would include specific medication-related transition, for example, adherence, counselling, and supply of medications.ConclusionsThese findings support the role of hospital pharmacists as crucial members of the multidisciplinary team required for transition. The skills and knowledge of the hospital pharmacist is under-utilised within the transition service, yet pharmacists are motivated and uniquely skilled healthcare professionals who have the potential to improve medicines transition.