The aim of the Aspects of Compounding Summit is to train participants in the realisation of a state of the art facility for a compounding process in a European hospital pharmacy.

In all cases the pharmacist takes responsibility for; the pharmaceutical aspect such as raw materials and excipients, the product and how is it presented to the patient, and for the audit trail and dispensing. However, hospital pharmacy varies across the EU.

Hospital pharmacy may be only able to respond to a prescription without questioning its instruction. Alternatively it may be in a position to exercise a responsibility to ask for the rationale underpinning compounding. Generally, however, if a known commercial product is available, even if it is more expensive, then small-scale compounding is generally restricted. Compounding has evolved to a continuum of practice across the EU, from a focus on name-patient-basis dedicated reconstitution to ‘industrial’ scale commercial compounding. This continuum has been described using a series of topics.

To gauge the background and needs of participants and to ensure that participants are trained to disseminate the learning at the right level for practice, each will be sent a questionnaire. The response will be used to inform faculty as to the depth of instruction and facilitation, and to assign individuals as follows.

Participants will be assigned to engage with one of three case studies during the Summit. Since there will be approximately 56 participants (from 31 countries), 8 groups of 7 participants will be formed.

During the course subjects necessary to design, commission and run a compounding facility will be presented in plenary sessions by experts. Presenters will be asked to structure their presentation around the eight topics.

After each plenary groups will have the opportunity to take selected aspects and work on their individual topic. Facilitators will help in this process (1 facilitator per 2 groups).

The groups will work on their assigned case over the two days of instruction and facilitation. Each group will appoint a secretary and a president. Pairs of groups will then present their response on the Sunday morning in a competitive environment..

The final results and all necessesary/relevant literature will be available on de EAHP website. Participants will take home all results and present them in their own country. The website of the EAHP will be open for a compounding forum on which participants can report their progress and exchange ideas.