The pathway happens to be a programme that is designed to develop the knowledge of pharmacists with regards to the mental health of patients.
Because of its successful initiation, the University of Bradford’s mental health program, created specifically for experienced pharmacists, and Health Education England has been awarded a two-year extension.
Notably, the pathway pertaining to the specialist mental health pharmacist training was created in 2021, which was in response to the NHS People Plan as well as the NHS Long Term Plan. The idea of the plan was to develop the experience as well as skills of the pharmacists who are working in new roles and that too within services offered by community mental health.
These positions happen to be of significant relevance to the multidisciplinary team within the new models of integrated primary as well as community mental healthcare for adults who have severe mental health issues. It is well to be noted that the initial cohort of 50 pharmacists is supposed to finish their training by March this year.
The pathway happens to be specific to a 12-month program, which is especially designed to elevate the knowledge of the pharmacists, particularly related to medicine initiation, optimization, and personalization within the mental health gamut.
Moreover, the HEE has now decided to fund this important process for another 2 years, thereby going ahead by imparting training to another 70 pharmacists per year. When it comes to experienced pharmacists, the University of Bradford will function alongside the NHS Foundation Trust’s Bradford District Care.
Dr. Gemma Quinn, the University of Bradford’s director of studies and postgraduate lead, is in no doubt about the significance of this course. She says that they are pleased to be able to continue with this service programme for specialist pharmacists who are working in innovative roles. Their online national programme has been created to aid the pharmacists to connect with one another so as to learn and elaborate long-lasting networks.
The pathway of all possibilities is going to enable them to provide seamless care for complex patients and also allow them to take the lead in innovation as well as service improvement within the NHS.
This extended training offer that is going to provide ongoing support to the specialist mental health pharmacist taking up new roles is a positive and a welcome move as per National Specialty Adviser-mental health pharmacy, NHS England. Matthew Elswood. According to him, they have evaluated and enhanced the training part to make sure that their workforce has the best support that is available in order to meet the issues when it comes to optimising the medicinal use for people who have had severe and long mental illnesses.
Diane Webb, who is an associate professor from the University of Bradford and also heads this project, says that it is indeed with a sense of accomplishment that they are continuing to play their part in developing pharmacist leaders in new roles throughout England in both primary and community mental health teams. This continuous adaptation as well as evaluation of the pathway is without a shred of doubt what drives partnership, innovation, training, and communication by making use of distance learning as well as team-based learning modules.
