Survey of clinical pharmacy services in United Kingdom National Health Service hospitals

Abstract

The extent to which clinical pharmacy services are provided in National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in the United Kingdom was studied by means of a questionnaire. Questionnaires inquiring whether and to what extent certain clinical pharmacy services were provided were mailed to all NHS hospital pharmacies in 1992. The questionnaires also requested information about the hospital and the number and qualifications of pharmacists employed. The results were compared with those of a survey of pharmaceutical services in the United States. Of 508 questionnaires mailed, 416 usable responses were returned. Services commonly provided were inpatient drug therapy monitoring (96%), clinical trials support (92%), formulary management (89%), participation in drug and therapeutic committees (97%), and an on-site drug information center (60%). Services infrequently provided were therapeutic drug monitoring (21%), medication history-taking (16%), and a 24-hour on-site pharmacist (10%). Several services were associated with pharmacies that employed many pharmacists, pharmacists with advanced education, or specialist clinical pharmacists and pharmacies located in medical school teaching hospitals. U.K. hospital pharmacies provided fewer patient-oriented services and more drug information, therapy monitoring, and pharmacist education services than U.S. hospital pharmacies. Provision of clinical pharmacy services in the United Kingdom was associated with employment of many pharmacists, pharmacy clinical specialists, and pharmacists with advanced education.