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PSS signs second MOU with Agency for Integrated Care for the Pharmaceutical Care Programme

PSS signs the second memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) for the continuation of the Pharmaceutical Care Programme (PCP) on 18 June 2014. Representatives from PSS included Ms Miko Thum, Ms Mariam Alkhatib, Ms Tan Swee Chin and Mr Wong Chee Fah.

The session started with Ms Yong Pei Chean, Senior Manager, Community Care Development Division, AIC updating the group on the status of PCP, followed by the signing of the MOU.

Ms Yong Pei Chean, Senior Manager, Community Care Development Division, AIC, giving an update on the PCP

Dr Jason Cheah thanked PSS for its efforts in this project and hoped for a successful and sustained collaboration. 

Dr Jason Cheah, Chief Executive Officer of AIC with Ms Miko Thum, President of PSS

Group photo following the signing of MOU. From left (back row) Ms Tan Swee Chin (PSS Council Member & Pharmacy Practice Manager of Unity Healthcare), Ms Mariam Alkhatib (Senior Pharmacy Practice Manager, Watson's Personal Care Store Pte Ltd), Ms Leong Chin Jeong (Assistant Director, Quality Management, Community Care Development Division, AIC), Mr Wong Chee Fah (PSS Council Member & Director of Pharmacy Practice and Business Development, Guardian Health & Beauty), Dr Seow Yong Tong (Deputy Director, Community Care Development Division, AIC). From left (front row), Ms Miko Thum (PSS President), Dr Jason Cheah (Chief Executive Officer, AIC)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More about PCP

AIC is the agency set up to promote and enhance the integration of Intermediate and Long-Term Care sector, to realize the vision of a more integrated healthcare system in Singapore.

AIC and PSS collaborated and implemented the PCP, which aimed to enhance the capability of nursing homes in managing their residents’ medication more effectively. The idea for the collaboration was mooted in September 2010 by by Ms MK Fatimah. The idea went through a few rounds of discussion before culminating to the signing of the first MOU on 16 July 2011 by the then PSS President Ms Christine Teng and Dr Jason Cheah for a pilot programme. As of end December 2012, 6 nursing homes and 2 hospices participated in the programme. Community Pharmacists from Guardian Health and Beauty, National Healthcare Group Polyclinic Pharmacy, Unity Healthcare and Watson's Personal Care Stores were involved in providing the services to these nursing homes and hospices. The results of the pilot and PSS recommendations were presented to AIC management, followed by joint presentation with AIC to MOH senior management in 2013. 

Concurrently, Ms Christine Teng represented PSS in the development of Enhanced Nursing Home Standards 2014, which was launched in January 2014. These standards would become effective in 2015, giving the nursing homes time to adapt to the new requirement. The signing of the second MOU will see more nursing homes benefiting from the PCP.

The scope of the PCP include:

a) Medication review and reconciliation for residents in the nursing home;

b) Improve medication use and safety, minimising any potential errors or near-miss in the nursing homes, through implementation of policies and procedures within the nursing homes;

c) Training and support of nursing care staff, to ensure that the staff has a better understanding of the medications being served to residents and safe medication practices in the nursing homes

 

Ex-officio: Ms MK Fatimah

Members in the PSS PCP workgroup: Ms Reshma Lhode, Ms Wendy Ang, Ms Yong Pei Chean, Ms Chung Wing Lam, Ms Tan Swee Chin, Mr Chong Jiun Yih, Ms Lim Zhi Ying, Ms Jennifer Apuan, Ms Chu Cheuw Mei, Ms Ong Yean Xin, Ms Yip Su Ting, Mr Hon Jan Yee, Ms Quek Chung Ling

 


PSS-TOPRA-University of Hertfordshire Regulatory Affairs Master Class

An Overview of European Regulatory Affairs; Understanding the Issues for Effective Global Development

For the FIRST time outside Europe, The Organisation for Professionals in Regulatory Affairs (TOPRA) conducted the Regulatory Affairs Master Class, in conjunction with the University of Hertfordshire (UK) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore (PSS) Industry Chapter. The event was held at the Oasia Hotel on 19 & 20 May 2014. 

This event was very well received, with 24 participants from the pharmaceutical industry. Our 4 highly qualified speakers included:

1.     Sue Harris, UK Expert for the Committee on Human Medicinal Products, UK Alternate Delegate to the Herbal Medicinal Products Committee, European Medicines Agency (EMA)

2.     Lynda J Wight, Executive Director of TOPRA, Fellow of Royal Society of Medicine

3.     Bob Clay, Regulatory Strategist, Highbury Regulatory, Chief Regulatory Officer, Kinapse

4.     Matthew Taylor, Dean of Pharmacology, University of Herfordshire, UK

Read more

Participants of the Master Class with the trainers


Inaugural PSS YPC-NUSPS Meeting for 2014

The Young Pharmacists Chapter (YPC) and members of the 53rd Executive Committee of the National University of Singapore Pharmaceutical Society (NUSPS) met officially for the first time on Friday, 4th April 2014. One of the objectives of the YPC is to foster stronger cooperative ties between the PSS and NUSPS, with the aim to engage pharmacy students in more PSS-organised events and vice versa, and the meeting was arranged by the YPC with this in mind.

During the meeting, various initiatives and upcoming plans for collaboration between NUSPS and PSS were discussed. NUSPS was first updated about upcoming PSS Events, such as the annual Singapore Pharmacy Week, which is slated to be held in October. NUSPS has always been a participating partner of Singapore Pharmacy Week. In 2013, they held a publicity campaign at the NUS Faculty of Science and at University Town. An instagram contest and mini quizzes were also organised as part of the campaign. NUSPS will be engaged to join the Pharmacy Week Committee 2014.

The YPC also proposed several initiatives, including short missionary trips to developing countries, where young pharmacists and students can work together to provide health education and medication review to the underprivileged in these countries. These trips, in contrast to the Youth Expedition Projects (YEPs) traditionally organised by NUS pharmacy students, would be shorter in duration compared to the weeks-long YEPs, thus providing an ideal opportunity for interested participants who are unable to commit to longer trips. Other proposed plans include short work attachments for students to various sectors of pharmacy practice in Singapore, which would allow them to gain additional experience of pharmacy practice in various sectors to complement their preceptorship experiences.

In turn, the NUSPS Exco shared with the YPC their plans for their term of office, and proposed many initiatives for collaboration. These ranged from traditional Brown Bagging activities, to patient counselling events, career sharing sessions, and even social and sporting events.

In all, the meeting served as a starting point for the YPC and NUSPS to foster closer relations and tap on each other's strengths. The YPC hopes to serve as a point of contact between PSS and its various chapters, thereby facilitating the conduct of various NUSPS activities where they require the help of pharmacists from the various practice settings. Tapping on the zest and drive of NUSPS and the students they represent would, in turn, further PSS's aim of raising the profile of the profession. In addition, it is hoped that greater interaction between practising pharmacists and the students would ease the students' future transition into the profession.

Stay tuned to find out more about our upcoming plans as the YPC continues to strengthen our ties with NUSPS!

Written by: Mr Ong Kheng Yong and Mr Anson Lim


PSS Pharmacotherapy Series 

The popular PSS Pharmacotherapy Series is back! From July to September 2014, you can expect a series of lectures by experts in these fields! 

31 July 2014 - Psychiatry 

August 2014 - Endocarditis

August 2014 - Intra-abdominal sepsis

August 2014 - Statistics (2 sessions)

September 2014 - Cardiology (2 sessions)

More details on the dates, venues and speakers for sessions in August and beyond will be announced soon! 


Early Bird Registration Ends 30 Jun 2014! 

Have you registered for this year's Singapore Pharmacy Congress? Register on or before 30 Jun 2014 to enjoy early bird rates! Don't miss the chance to learn from and interact with world renowed speakers in medication safety! A 3-track comprehensive programme and 9 pre-congress workshops await you! Register Now!


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