Dear Colleagues

GHP/UKCPA 8^th Joint National Conference, 18 – 20 May 2012, Europa Hotel, Belfast

This event is the pre-eminent annual conference for pharmacists in the NHS led and organised by two pharmacy organisations GHP/UKCPA working in partnership to enhance the learning and development of their members from pre-qualification, post registration and specialisation and for some beyond into post practice or retirement.

We have developed this pre-eminence through a focus on a full and diverse programme both educationally and socially with ample opportunities to network with peers and colleagues in part through the plenaries on a range of national issues that will improve knowledge, interactive workshops that should improve practice and social events that allow more informal interaction and learning.  We are grateful for the support of industry sponsors that allow us to increase your network opportunities, provide greater exposure to changes in healthcare and delivery and ensure we can deliver the conference at an economic price, but I am sure they will accept that their involvement although welcome and vital should not be the core function of a conference. The key feature of this conference is that the presenters are leading practitioners in their field, and thus provide the opportunity to help you to improve and develop your own staff and services.

We anticipate a high turnout for the work sessions due to the excellent quality of presenters, and there are a wide range of topics to suit all, irrespective of interest and experience.  Some sessions will be more popular than others and allocation is on a first come first served basis. But stretch yourself and avoid the crowds – evidence suggests that when faced with continuing education opportunities we tend to choose those we already know something about, whereas we actually learn more from those where initial knowledge is minimal.

ADDITION TO THE PROGRAMME: SANOFI WILL BE RUNNING A SATELLITE MEETING ENTITLED “EU COUNCIL DIRECTIVE 2010/32/EU – THE PREVENTION OF SHARPS INJURIES IN THE HOSPITAL AND HEALTHCARE SECTOR – WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU AND YOUR PHARMACY TEAM?” ON FRIDAY EVENING, 18TH MAY.

The social programme will be no less challenging. The Friday evening soiree will be in-house again this year, so we hope that you will take this opportunity to network socially with your colleagues.

We are particularly fortunate that this year the conference dinner on Saturday night will in recognition of the 100^th anniversary of the Titanic be held in the Titanic Exhibition Centre.

The 2012 conference promises to be another excellent event and we hope you are able to join us.

To download a copy of the programme, please click here: 8th Joint Conference Programme Overview v10
To download a copy of the registration form, please click here: Registration Form GHP UKCPA 2012 FINAL
You can return this form by fax, post or by completing, scanning and emailing back to the UKCPA office.  Don’t forget to choose your work sessions and fringe meeting options!

The above documents, more information and any updates about the conference can be found here: http://www.ukcpa.net/events/conferences/ukcpaghp-8th-national-joint-conference-belfast-may-2012

Industry partners and companies interested in exhibiting or sponsoring this conference should contact Marie Matthews, UKCPA General Manager, email: mmatthews@ukcpa.com for more information on the opportunities available.

Best wishes
David Miller, President, GHP
Chris Green, Chair, UKCPA

Grab a cup of tea and read about how Aamer Safdar is enjoying his Clinical Leadership Fellowship programme, how new General Committee member Frances Akinwunmi got to where she is today, how to save money with UKCPA, and more…

The document is held within the ‘Member Resources’ Group (Document store): just click on Join Group to access.

http://www.ukcpa.net/groups/member-resources/

The UKCPA invites submissions of abstracts on topics relating to clinical pharmacy practice for presentation, as either a poster or oral communication, at the symposium. Submissions will be considered under three categories:
*research
*audit; and
*quality improvement.

Did you know that your submission will be considered for hameln General Level funding if the lead author conducted the work while practicing at General Level (for example, as a band 6 hospital pharmacist, and/or in their first three years post-registration, and/or while doing a postgraduate diploma)?

hameln pharmaceuticals has very kindly sponsored a maximum of 10 fully funded symposium places! Simply tick the relevant box on the submission form when sending to the UKCPA office.

An abstract submission form, call for abstracts and Guidance for Abstracts, along with example abstracts and the adjudication sheets that will be used to mark submissions are available here: http://www.ukcpa.net/resource-centre/abstract-submission-resources

Please carefully read through the criteria on the website and ensure that your abstract meets ALL the submission criteria, as failure to do so may result in disqualification.

Does your abstract meet the criteria for any of our awards currently being offered? Yes? – Great! Submission is easy – just tick the relevant award box under section 4 of the abstract submission form.

The three awards we are currently inviting submissions for are:

Napp Pain Award 2012: http://www.ukcpa.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Napp-Pain-Award-2012.pdf

Napp Asthma Award 2012: http://www.ukcpa.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Napp-Asthma-Award-2012.pdf

Novartis Antimicrobial Management Award 2012: http://www.ukcpa.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Novartis-Award-new-design-2012-v3.pdf

Submission guidelines for the above awards can be found here: http://www.ukcpa.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Award-Guidelines-revised-Jan2012.pdf

All submissions need to be received no later than 5pm, 15th June 2012.

All oral communication and poster presenters MUST be members of UKCPA.

Authors will be advised if their submissions have been accepted. If you are submitting multiple abstracts, authors may present a maximum of 2 posters. Presenters will need to register as delegates.

We look forward to receiving your submission and wish you the best of luck!

• Clinical Pharmacist Award (won last year by UKCPA members of the Critical Care H1N1 Clinical Guideline Development Group)
• Lifetime Achievement Award
• Leadership in Pharmacy Award
• Award for Excellence in Education (NEW)
• Local Practice Forum Award (NEW)

More details available here: http://rpharms.com/awards/rps-awards.asp?

The deadline for entries is 5pm, Friday 29 June 2012

The results of the election of your General Committee will be announced during the meeting.  The present committee whose term of office expires this year are: 

Duncan McRobbie, Ian Bates, Gillian Cavell, Mark Tomlin

Plus one vacancy

Raymond Guirguis, Frances Akinwunmi and Ryan Hamilton were co-opted to the General Committee until March 31^st 2012.

Members who have terms of office to serve from the 1^st April 2012 with:

1 remaining year are:  Chris Green, Aamer Safdar, Mohamed Rahman, Claire Ellwood

2 remaining years are:  Nuttan Tanna, Stephen Grogan, Sharron Millen

The General Committee is responsible for the management and direction of UKCPA including setting standards, policies and procedures and ensuring all agreed are implemented and maintained. It is held accountable for all that is done in the Association’s name. Its members must guard standards and be forward-looking and creative. 

This is your chance to be actively involved in shaping the future of the Association and indeed your profession, or supporting someone who you think would be suited to the role.

If you would like to know a little more about our General Committee please take a look at our website: http://www.ukcpa.net/about/general-committee.

A list of all current GC members, their day jobs, interests and why they enjoy being part of UKCPA can be found here: http://www.ukcpa.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/GC-members-Nov2011.pdf

We are always on the lookout for new interest in the membership of our General Committee. If you are interested in joining the Committee take a look at this document which tells you what’s in it for you: http://www.ukcpa.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Benefits-of-being-GC-member-NEW.pdf

If you would like to talk to a General Committee member, their  contact details can be found here:  http://www.ukcpa.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/GC-members-Nov2011.pdf

Please contact the office or a current committee member for further information on committee functions and responsibilities if you wish to be nominated.  We would welcome nominations from the membership for new committee members.

Each nominated candidate should produce a 200 word statement to support their nomination.  These nominations should be sent, on the official downloadable and electronic nomination form, (or, if this document is not compatible with your pc, please use the following PDF: GC nomination form 2012 which will need to be completed and faxed or scanned and emailed back to the UKCPA office) with the 200 word statement, to the office at the above address by 10^th March 2012.

We thank you for your support throughout the past year.

The UKCPA is delighted to release the proposed awards calendar for 2012.

Please see: Awards calendar brief FINAL

Further details for each award and an invitation to submit work will be announced on the Awards page of the website.

Should you have any queries regarding UKCPA awards, please do not hesitate to contact Marie Matthews (email: mmatthews@ukcpa.com) who’ll be happy to help.

[Pictured: Dr Gill Hawksworth MBE, winner of the UKCPA Lifetime Achievement Award 2011]

Please see: Diary of events 2012 NEW MLM v14

Further details for each masterclass will be announced on the Events -> Masterclass page of the website prior to each event. A downloadable registration form, which can be used for any UKCPA masterclass, is also available here.

Should you have any queries regarding UKCPA events, please do not hesitate to contact Sharon Cherry (email: admin@ukcpa.com) who’d be happy to help.

As a member of UKCPA you get access to specialists, professional development support and training, and the opportunities to share clinical expertise and knowledge with leading edge practitioners. The RPS is a new organisation with a new tone and new collaborative ways of working, through active partnerships and shared advocacy. As professionals we believe we need a credible and authoritative voice, and working together means the strengths and missions of both organisations are enhanced. We are clear about the benefits to our members of also being a member of the Society. We encourage all our members to renew in order to build a stronger profession.

To renew your RPS membership, please visit: www.rpharm.com/renew

The UKCPA is committed to supporting the RPS and encouraging members to renew their RPS membership. Please view the slideshow to read why we think you should renew your membership to the RPS and your specialist group.