EU Monitor - 9 November 2021 - New commented version of the European Statements
The EAHP EU Monitor is a regular round up of news relevant to hospital pharmacy in Europe.
EAHP releases a new commented version of the European Statements
At the beginning of November, the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) published the commented version of its European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy. Although the review showed that the European Statements - that were adopted in 2014 - are still topical, EAHP’s memberships agreed that some of them could benefit from the addition of comments to further clarify their meaning.
The European Statements were created seven years ago following a Delphi process involving more than 100 stakeholders. The primary purpose of the European Statements is to provide safer and more effective care where medicines and devices are used in European hospitals. They represent the future of hospital pharmacy and set the vision for what should be expected of the profession across Europe to ensure that hospital pharmacists are prepared to deliver the best possible care to all patients and citizens.
In 2019 a review was conducted to assess the continued relevance of the European Statements and that they effectively covered emerging issues. It was found that the document has remained remarkably resilient and a decision was made that the wording of the European Statements would not be changed, thereby staying true to the scientific principles used to develop and finalise them. What was agreed though, is that a small number of European Statements would benefit from the addition of comments to further clarify their meaning.
Read the commented version of the European Statements HERE
Learn more about the European Statements HERE
EAHP2022 – Early bird registration closes before the 1st of December
Between the 23rd and the 25th of March 2022, EAHP will be holding its annual congress for the hospital pharmacy profession. Early bird registration, at a discounted fee, is still possible until the end of November. Join EAHP’s 26th Congress and celebrate the Associations 50th anniversary with us.
The event will bring together hospital pharmacists and other professionals in Vienna, Austria. While these unprecedented times have turned our world upside down, the profession has prevailed and hospital pharmacists have never ceased to proactively adapt to a changing world in order to continuously serve our patients’ best interests. Consequently, EAHP’s 26th Congress will be focusing on “Hospital pharmacists – changing roles in a changing world”. EAHP’s Scientific Committee has put together a diverse programme. The keynotes will provide participants with insights on the latest developments linked to value-based healthcare, shared decision making as well as cell and gene therapies in oncology. Different seminars and workshops will be focusing, among other things, on pandemic preparedness and disaster management, prescribing, personalised medicine, patient-centred care and medication safety.
To benefit from the early bird registration rate make sure to register before 1st December 2021.
- Learn more about the programme of EAHP’s 26th Congress HERE
- Click HERE to access the 2nd Announcement with detailed information on the keynotes and sections
- Register for EAHP’s 26th Congress HERE
Show how you keep antibiotics working during this year’s EAAD
Next week healthcare professionals and others around Europe will be raising awareness about the prudent use of antibiotics during the European Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD). Join EAHP and others by showing how you keep antibiotics working in times of COVID-19.
EAAD is a European health initiative coordinated by European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC). It provides a platform and support for national campaigns on the prudent use of antibiotics in the EU/EEA and takes place each year across Europe on the 18th of November. EAAD coincides also with the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) that is organised this year between the 18th and the 24th of November.
This year’s EAAD will focus on the theme: “In times of COVID-19, don’t forget about antimicrobial resistance. Stay united to preserve antimicrobials.”. Healthcare professionals around Europe are encouraged to produce social media content around prudent use of antibiotics that include the following hashtags: #EAAD, #AntibioticResistance, #Antibiotics & #KeepAntibioticsWorking. A global Twitter storm is scheduled for the 18th of November at 17.00 CET. At that time organisations from around the globe will tweet about #AntibioticResistance and #WAAW to raise awareness of the issue. If you wish to participate, make sure to post this through your Twitter account at that time or during the day, together with hashtags that are relevant for you.
EMA public stakeholder meeting on COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics
On the 25th of November from 13.00 to 15.15 CET, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will be organising its fourth public meeting on COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics in the EU. The event will provide citizens with an update on the approval and safety monitoring of both COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics. It will also address misinformation and highlight the current vaccination coverage in the EU.
The event can be watched online and questions or comments can be shared during the meeting via Slido using #EMAPublicMeeting4. The following will be covered during the meeting:
• COVID-19 therapeutics and vaccines in the EU, including vaccine effectiveness, and the use of booster and third doses in national vaccination campaigns;
• Update on vaccine safety information;
• COVID-19 epidemiological situation and vaccination coverage in the EU;
• misinformation on COVID-19 vaccines.
- Learn more about the event and follow the live broadcast HERE
EJHP: Implementation and effectiveness of pharmacist-led interviews at patient hospital admission in a rheumatology department
The online first edition of the European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy (EJHP) has shared the results of a study that described the feasibility and assessed the potential effectiveness of implementing pharmacist-led interviews at patient admission to a rheumatology department. The study found that pharmacist-led interviews at patient admission were effective in detecting medication errors. They could be an alternative to a full medication reconciliation process in targeted situations. When the patient interview does not provide sufficiently robust information, full medication reconciliation may be performed.
- Read the article HERE
[EAHP Statement Corner]
Have you met EAHP’s Statement Implementation Ambassadors?
To promote the implementation of the European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy at the national level EAHP has teamed up with motivated and enthusiastic hospital pharmacists willing to help their countries and others move towards Statement Implementation, the so call “Implementation Ambassadors”. It is their role to:
• Act as the primary link between EAHP, their national associations and the implementation activities done within their countries.
• Convey to EAHP the needs and priorities of their countries regarding Statement implementation.
• Build resources that will help hospital pharmacists, healthcare professionals and other relevant stakeholders to implement the Statements within their hospitals.
In case you are curious about the Implementation Ambassador working in your country you can find out more about him/her via the Statement website.
[COVID-19 Updates]
EAHP’s COVID-19 Resource Centre
To assist its member associations and individual hospital pharmacists in this critical time with the provision of the best possible care for patients, EAHP has decided to gather and make available information on COVID-19 relevant for the hospital pharmacy profession.
- Access the Resource Centre HERE
[Spotlight]
EAHP Position Paper on Hospital Pharmacy Specialisation
Hospital pharmacists are the key stakeholders responsible for medication management and safety in the hospital environment, covering both in- and out-patient services and supporting the seamless transition of care for patients moving within the healthcare system. To provide the best treatment for all patients, hospital pharmacists must be able to operate in a complex hospital setting and work collaboratively within multi-disciplinary healthcare teams.
To prepare the hospital pharmacy profession for the future, the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) adopted the European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy in 2014. They express commonly agreed objectives that every European health system should aim for in the delivery of hospital pharmacy services. To further enhance the quality, safety and equity of access to patient care in every European country, EAHP additionally created the Common Training Framework (CTF) project for hospital pharmacy education in Europe. This project not only fosters the further development of hospital pharmacy practice but also seeks to guarantee the access of European citizens to the highest available standard of care and the freedom of movement of the hospital pharmacy profession which is currently not accessible to all.
In June 2021, EAHP's General Assembly adopted a Position Paper on Hospital Pharmacy Specialisation. The position centres around advancing the profession by harmonising the recognition of hospital pharmacy education, enhancing the role of the hospital pharmacist and preparing the profession for future challenges.
To make a difference in medication by advancing the hospital pharmacy profession, EAHP
- calls on the European Commission and the Member States to assist the Association in setting up a CTF through the adoption of a delegated act;
- touches on the need for Member States to recognise the changing role of the hospital pharmacists and further foster their implementation; and,
- underlines the importance of further promoting the uptake of such cross-sector tools inter-sector communication, coordination and multi-disciplinary collaboration in all healthcare facilities should be strengthened.
To adequately address future challenges linked to the ageing society, changing healthcare needs and other unknown factors, like future pandemics, EAHP urges that Member States invest in better workforce planning for the hospital pharmacy profession, including the availability of hospital pharmacy services for all patients of each hospital.
- Read EAHP's Position Paper on Hospital Pharmacy Specialisation HERE
[Consultations]
European Commission – Public consultation on the revision of the general pharmaceutical legislation
This public consultation aims to collect views of stakeholders and the general public in order to support the evaluation of the existing general pharmaceutical legislation and the impact assessment of its revision. It builds further on the public consultation conducted for the preparation of the pharmaceutical strategy for Europe.
Deadline – 21st December 2021
- Access the consultation HERE
EDQM - Draft monograph on Oxygen (98 per cent) published for comment in Pharmeuropa
A new draft monograph, Oxygen (98 per cent) (3098), has been published for comment by the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & HealthCare (EDQM). This draft monograph is the outcome of a thorough examination of the substantial response to the request for feedback issued in April 2020 and which prompted lively and constructive discussions with regulatory experts in the field, as well as a series of dedicated European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) expert meetings.
Deadline – 31st December 2021
- Access the consultation HERE
