Great North Pharmacy Research Collaborative Conference 2024

The programme can be viewed here

We are delighted to announce our conference Chairs for 2024:

• Julia Blagburn, Consultant Pharmacist for Integration, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Anne Black, Regional QA Specialist Pharmacist – NENC, Pharmacy Specialist Pharmacy Service

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Julia Blagburn

Julia Blagburn
Consultant Pharmacist for Integration
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
@NewcastleHosps
@juliablagburn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-blagburn-9738255b/

Julia has been a clinical pharmacist for longer than she would care to admit; she has worked for several Shelford group hospitals and holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree for her research into evidence-based clinical pharmacy for older people in UK hospitals. Julia has authored publications and CPPE learning programmes on reflective practice, older people, polypharmacy and medication review, clinical audit, preventing hospital admissions caused by medicines and sharing decisions with patients. In her current role, Julia leads a large team of pharmacy professionals working with primary health and social care, the voluntary sector and community networks to increase wellbeing, improve health outcomes and reduce health inequalities across Newcastle. Julia credentialed as a Consultant Pharmacist in 2023 and is a coach and mentor for others building their portfolios; she is mum to two rugby-mad children who are the light of her life.

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Anne Black

Anne Black
Regional QA Specialist Pharmacist – NENC
Specialist Pharmacy Service
@NewcastleHosps
@AnneBlackPharm
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-black-032288108/

Anne Black works for the NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service. Her role is Regional Quality Assurance Specialist Pharmacist for North East and Yorkshire and she is based in the NENC. She developed an interest and expertise in clinical trials and advanced therapy medicinal products as a Qualified Person for investigational medicinal products. She has since used this expertise to emphasise the important role of Pharmacy to optimise patient safety in the delivery of these medicines. Anne is Chair of the NHS Pan UK Pharmacy Working Group for ATMPs, as well as sitting on NHS Pharmaceutical QA Committee, the Pharmaceutical Aseptics Services Group and the National Pharmacy Clinical Trials Advisory Group.

 

 

We will be joined by the following speakers

Stephanie Watson

Stephanie Watson
Clinical Pharmacy Technician
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

@NewcastleHosps   @theendofound
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-endometriosis-foundation/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-watson-3166917b/

Steph Watson is a Clinical Pharmacy Technician in Newcastle Hospital Trust, based in the Outer West Primary Care Network. She is an Ambassador for The Endometriosis Foundation championing women’s health and challenging inequalities.

 

Carla Cressy

Carla Cressy
CEO and Founder
The Endometriosis Foundation

@theendofound
https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-endometriosis-foundation/

Carla Cressy is the Founder and Chief Executive of The Endometriosis Foundation and Decision Aid member for The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence. Carla spends the majority of her time helping others gain access to care and support and providing insight into the development of national health guidelines.

 

Samantha Allen

Samantha Allen
Chief Executive
North East North Cumbria Integrated Care Board

@NENC_NHS   @samanthallen
https://www.linkedin.com/in/samallen1/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-east-and-north-cumbria-nhs/

Sam is an experienced NHS Chief Executive and joined the North East and North Cumbria to set up the ICB in January 2022.  Sam is also Chair of the NHS Maternity and Neonatal Board.  In addition to her NHS career, which spans nearly 30 years, Sam is also the Chair of the  Health and Care Women Leaders Network for the NHS Confederation, a member of The Kings Fund General Advisory Council, a Leadership Fellow at St. George’s House and a Trustee of the Chartered Management Institute.

 

Professor Adam Todd

Prof Adam Todd
Professor of Pharmaceutical
Public Health Newcastle University

@UniofNewcastle   @adamtodd138

https://www.linkedin.com/school/newcastle-university/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-todd-75011274/

Adam Todd is a qualified pharmacist and Professor of Pharmaceutical Public Health, at the School of Pharmacy, Newcastle University. His research is highly interdisciplinary, and uses methods from the social sciences, public health, clinical medicine, and epidemiology. He leads a programme of research that applies pharmaceutical knowledge to prevent disease, prolong life, promote health, and reduce health inequalities, across different populations. Adam currently chairs the Scientific Advisory Panel for Pharmacy Research UK, and also sits on the national NIHR HTA Prioritisation Committee for community health and social care. He has total career research funding of over £15 million, including funding from the NIHR, Macmillan Cancer Research, the Barbour Foundation, and the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. Adam has published extensively in the areas of medicine utilisation and healthcare inequalities, including over 100 peer-reviewed research articles, four books, as well as an international patent.

 

Tase Oputu

Tase Oputu
Associate Director of Medicines Optimisation, Medicines Value & Performance
NHS Kent & Medway
Chair, English Pharmacy Board, Royal Pharmaceutical Society

@rpharms  @tase3121
https://www.linkedin.com/company/royal-pharmaceutical-society/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tase-oputu-02bb0a50/

Drawing upon a rich tapestry of experiences spanning nearly three decades, Tase has dedicated her career to advancing pharmacy, diversity, and social justice.

From her early days with Voluntary Services Overseas in Tanzania to her impactful roles in public health strategy and senior hospital pharmacy management across the NHS in London and the South East, she has consistently pursued excellence. Currently serving as the Associate Director for Medicines Value and Performance at NHS Kent & Medway Integrated Care Board, Tase aims to decrease health inequalities and improve health outcomes through the cost-effective use of medicines.

Additionally, she serves as the Chair of the English Pharmacy Board of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, tirelessly advocating for the advancement of pharmacy practice and the empowerment of pharmacists nationwide.

Tase’s passion for equality, diversity, and inclusion is palpable, evidenced by her graduation from the Ready Now NHS Leadership Academy programme and her leadership in chairing BME staff networks at Newham Hospital and Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust. Beyond her professional endeavours, Tase generously dedicates her time and expertise as a Trustee of Pharmacy Research UK and a volunteer for the Migration Museum. Deeply dedicated to uplifting others, she serves as a mentor, guiding countless individuals towards realising their full potential.

Her commitment to quality improvement is evident in her role as a trained Institute of Healthcare Improvement QI coach, where she leverages her expertise to drive transformative change. Moreover, Tase is a fierce advocate for planetary health and climate justice, recognising the interconnectedness between environmental sustainability and human health and well-being.

With a steadfast dedication to improving healthcare outcomes, fostering inclusive environments, and advocating for social change, Tase continues to inspire and empower those around her.

 

Alice Wiseman

Alice Wiseman
Director of Public Health
Gateshead Council

@gateshead  @AliceWiseman11
https://www.linkedin.com/company/gateshead-council/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-wiseman-4954082b8/

Alice Wiseman has been Director of Public Health in Gateshead and Newcastle since April 2024. Prior to this she was the DPH in Gateshead and has been registered with the UK Public Health Register since December 2009. Before becoming a DPH Alice worked in a broad range of senior public health roles across Tyne and Wear.

Alice’s first degree was in Social Policy at Newcastle University, followed by a P.G.C.E, before training in public health.

Alice is passionate about improving health and well-being with a particular focus on tackling the unfair inequalities faced by some communities. Alice believes that effective action to address these inequalities requires dedicated effort across the determinants of health, as set out in the first Marmot Review ‘Fair Society, Healthy Lives’ (2010).

Alice is driven by the injustice that two babies, born on the same day and the same hospital, can experience such different life chances, due entirely to the circumstances into which they are born.

Alice’s approach is firmly rooted in the belief that people, in their own communities, must be central to solving the issues of inequality; firstly, through sharing lived experience and secondly, through identifying innovative and creative ways to improve outcomes for their community.

Alice is also involved in the production of research evidence and in 2022 Alice led a collaboration between Gateshead Council and Newcastle University which secured a five-year NIHR contract with the Health Determinants Research Collaborative. Research priorities have focussed on opportunities to gain a better understanding of the lived experience, and impact of, Government policy on people in some of the most disadvantaged communities. Using research to give a voice to people who are least likely to be heard, and often easiest to ignore, is central to her work in tackling inequalities at a local level.

Alice is a Vice President for ADPH and the policy lead for addictions. In this role Alice, works closely with national colleagues and has given evidence to several All-Party Parliamentary Groups and a Parliamentary Committee.

 

Ivan Hollingsworth

Ivan Hollingsworth
Director
Centric Consultants Limited

@Seb4chuf
https://www.linkedin.com/company/centric-consultants-limited/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ivan-hollingsworth-a7271944/

Culture champion. Award-winning fundraiser. Former elite-athlete. Meet Ivan Hollingsworth. A former pharmaceutical executive, Ivan has raised over £500,000 for charity and now works with individuals and teams to banish culture-washing from the UK workplaces and empower individuals to achieve their full potential. Ivan talks candidly about what his experience of being a dad to Seb, his now 14-year old who underwent open-heart surgery as a baby, has taught him about resilience in practice. He also shares the strategy and tools to allow you adopt a growth mindset and how a single tweet captured the attention of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars. An inspirational individual with a truly unique perspective on how to thrive personally and professionally, Ivan combines relatable experiences with actionable strategies to leave the audience feeling empowered to change their mindset, and with the understanding of how to build trust, positively influence those around them and lead happy, healthy lives.

 

Chi Onwurah MP

Chi Onwurah
MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central

Chi Onwurah is a Member of Parliament representing Newcastle upon Tyne Central and she is the Shadow Minister for Science, Research & Innovation.

Born in Wallsend, Chi attended Kenton Comprehensive School in Newcastle, where she was elected to be the school’s ‘MP’ in mock elections aged 17.

Chi is a Chartered Electrical Engineer and before entering Parliament spent over twenty years working on engineering projects around the world. She has previously served as Head of Technology at Ofcom

Foundation Pharmacist Presentation: An Audit to Assess Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Risk Assessment in Patients Aged 16-17 Years Old

Rachel Fixter
Foundation Pharmacist
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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Foundation Pharmacist Presentation: Audit of documentation and duration of extended post-operative thromboprophylaxis within General Surgery

Kimberly Mupfukudzwa
Foundation Pharmacist
Sunderland Royal Hospital

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Foundation Pharmacist Presentation: Optimizing pharmaceutical usage in patient-controlled analgesia: A sustainable approach towards reducing waste and costs

Hooria Adnan
Foundation Pharmacist
North Cumbria Integrated Care

 

Clinical Breakout Sessions

Drugs in Pregnancy

Paula Russell, Principal Pharmacist, Regional Drug and Therapeutics Centre
Dr Luke Richardson, Principal Medical Information Scientist and Data Manager, UKTIS

An interactive session on the topic of prescribing in pregnancy addressing common questions about the safe use of medicines in pregnancy. We will also cover a case study and provide an overview of how to look at and interpret evidence and research data on medicines in pregnancy.

 

Is community pharmacy clinical? Busting the myth

Kim Whitehouse, Chair, Community Pharmacy North East North

How Pharmacy First has been implemented and the focus on women’s health, e.g. UTI, Contraceptive Services, Blood pressure monitoring.

 

The clinical breakout sessions will be chaired by Helen O’Neil, Senior Medicines Optimisation Pharmacist – Tees Valley, NECS

 

 

Leadership Breakout Sessions

How to think strategically

Julie Swaddle, Chief Pharmacist, South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Strategic thinking is the process of creating plans, objectives and actions that will result in long-term results.

It is a key skill that leaders need to have in order to succeed in the ever-changing landscape of the NHS, but it is often an area that is not prioritised. In this session, we will discuss how to enhance your strategic thinking skills by questioning the status quo, challenging your own and other ideas, and encouraging different perspectives to enhance your success and efficiency in the workplace as a leader.

 

The evolving role of pharmacy technicians – research leadership

Helen Dunn, Lead Pharmacy Technician (Clinical Trials) and Honorary Pharmacy Lead, South Tees Hospitals NHS FT/NIHR CRN

The session will cover:

• The role of pharmacy technicians in clinical trials and research and how this role has evolved
• Overview of my leadership journey and challenges faced
• Current landscape for pharmacy leadership in clinical trials and research for the North-East and North Cumbria region (NENC)
• How pharmacy technician leadership enables an effective clinical trials and research service
• Getting involved in research

 

The leadership breakout sessions will be chaired by Janet Green, CNTW, former secondment lead tech in NHS England

 

Research Breakout Sessions

 

Advancing your career through research

Sinéad Greener, Joint Workforce Development Lead and Paediatric Pharmacist, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS FT and Rachel Berry, Advanced Medicines, Optimisation Pharmacist, NENC ICB

In this session we will be discussing how research, as one of the four pillars of practice, is essential in our career development. We want to think about work we currently do with audits and quality improvement projects – are we maximising output for patient benefit, or could we expand how we do it?  Research can open up opportunities in our careers and enhance job satisfaction as well as improve patient care; We will highlight opportunities for research within pharmacy, and discuss how these can be accessed.  Group discussion on the barriers and enablers to research will be facilitated and will help shape future regional plans in this area.  Attendees will be encouraged to consider their research journey and their possible next steps.

 

Pharmacy professionals in research – it could be you!

Laura Stavert, Advanced Pharmacist Practitioner, Northumberland Older Adult Community Treatment Teams, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Despite the potential for contributing to clinical research only a minority of the pharmacy workforce are currently research active. Pharmacy is an underrepresented discipline with research funders when compared with other healthcare professions such as medicine and nursing. A recent report commissioned by the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England and Wales established from pharmacy professionals that a lack of support is a prominent barrier to both involvement in research and the pursuit of clinical academic pharmacy careers.

 

So how can we buck this trend to encourage and support more pharmacy professionals to become more research active? This session will explore the opportunities available to support pharmacy professionals to get into research through the experience of a pharmacist who has recently completed an NIHR pre-doctoral clinical academic fellowship. Learn about the opportunities available to you to turn your bright ideas into tangible research proposals and unlock your potential in research!

 

 

The research breakout sessions will be chaired by Dr Anna Robinson-Barella, Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacy and Health Inequalities, Newcastle University

 

Education Breakout Sessions

 

Your profession needs you! what’s stopping you becoming a DPP?

Alison Sampson, Head of Foundation School, School of Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation-North East and Yorkshire

Currently Designated Prescribing Practitioners (DPPs) from a number of professional backgrounds are required to support prescribing training for those undertaking post-graduate prescribing qualifications. In 2021 the General Pharmaceutical Council issued new standards for the initial education and training of pharmacists which require Foundation Trainee Pharmacists to be annotated as independent prescribers at the point of registration. Prescribing represents a significant change in the expectations of Foundation training which requires identification, supervision, and assessment by a suitable DPPs from 2025/26. This has increased DPP requirements to support training of prescribers.

This session will support attendees consider the role of pharmacists as Designated Prescribing Practitioners and provide some context from a wider multiprofessional workforce perspective to their current thinking.

 

Rapid teaching tools for workplace teaching

Dr David Thewlis, Module Leader, Newcastle University

This session will examine the common pressures associated with teaching in clinical environments and approaches which delegates can take to make their teaching more impactful for the learner and less intimidating to the educator. A world café approach will be used to identify and address the common barriers which colleagues encounter, and some simple tools will be shared which can be taken into everyday practice.

 

 

The education sessions will be chaired by Martina Khundakar, Lead Pharmacist, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust and Dr Kalliopi Dodou, Head of Pharmaceutics / Associate Professor, School of Health & Life Sciences, Teesside University

Foundation Trainee Pharmacist Breakout Session

Laura Tweddle

Laura is Senior Clinical Pharmacy Manager & Workforce Development Lead at South Tees Hospitals and has worked for the Trust since 2015 in an array of roles all involving Education & Training. Laura recognised her passion for education and staff development and gained a certificate in medical education from Newcastle University in 2016. Laura is the Educational Programme Director for the Trainee Pharmacist Programme and has extensive involvement with Trainee Pharmacist training and development both within her organisation, and across the region. Laura also has an interest in undergraduate pharmacy placements in the hospital sector and is working on a research proposal in this field. Laura has been an active part of the Great North Pharmacy Research Collaborative Conference Committee for the past five years and is passionate to support early careers pharmacists and pharmacy technicians with training and development to enhance the pharmacy workforce across the region. Laura has a clinical background in paediatrics in which she undertook her independent prescribing qualification in 2015.

Clinical Breakout Sessions

 

Helen O’Neil

Chair: Helen O’Neil
Senior Medicines Optimisation Pharmacist – Tees Valley NECS

Helen is a Senior Medicines Optimisation Pharmacist in Tees Valley and strategically leads on diabetes for the North East and North Cumbria (NENC). Helen is Co-Chair of the UK Clinical Pharmacy Association Diabetes and Endocrinology Committee. Recently, Helen has moved from working in secondary care into primary care, and is keen to promote integrated care.

Helen has a passion for working with older people, and her previous research and publications have involved patients living with both diabetes and frailty. She recently completed a clinical research fellowship with the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration NENC, focusing on diabetes and frailty, and she remains an Associate Researcher at Newcastle University.

@NHSnecs     @HelenOneil80
https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-of-england-care-system-support/?originalSubdomain=uk

 

Paula Russell

Paula Russell
Principal Pharmacist
Regional Drug and Therapeutics Centre

Paula has worked at the Regional Drug and Therapeutics Centre (RDTC) since February 2003. She has supported and led the RDTC MI service and also supported the National Poisons Information Service (NPIS) and UK Teratology Information Service (UKTIS), where she developed a specialist interest in the use of drugs in pregnancy.  She has held several pharmacy leadership positions involving secondments to NHS England and Service Level Agreements from her substantive role as Principal Pharmacist at the RDTC. These include being Pharmacist Lead for the Integrating Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation into the North Cumbria and North East ICS Pilot, National NHS 111 Pharmacy Lead, Pharmacy Advisor to North East Ambulance Service for 8 years and North East lead pharmacist for NHS Direct for 11 years.  She continues to use her experience in pre-hospital care as National Pharmaceutical Advisor to the British Red Cross as a volunteer. She worked in community pharmacy before moving to hospital pharmacy both here and in Ireland.

@RDTC_Rx    @PaulaPharm
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-russell-423028150/

Dr Luke Richardson

Dr Jonathan Luke Richardson
Principal Medical Information Scientist and Data Manager
UKTIS

Luke has worked at the Regional Drug and Therapeutics Centre (RDTC) since 2009, completing a PhD with the UK Teratology Information Service (UKTIS) where he investigated novel methods of teratogen surveillance. Prior to joining the RDTC, he completed his undergraduate degree in Pharmacology at the University of Liverpool in 2008. Working at UKTIS, Luke’s main research interests include improving UKTIS data collection techniques, international collaborative approaches for pregnancy drug safety studies through the use of common data models, and developing academic standards in data collection, data synthesis and risk communication for pregnancy drug safety. Luke is currently working on an international project (IMI ConcePTION) aiming to improve medication in pregnancy data quality, and access to this data for patients and healthcare providers.

@medsinpregnancy   @JLRMedsInPreg

 

Kim Whitehouse

Kim Whitehouse
Chair
Community Pharmacy North East North

 

Leadership Breakout Sessions

 

Janet Green

Chair: Janet Green
Chief Pharmacy Technician
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust

I currently hold the position of Chief Pharmacy Technician in Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS FT and have been employed in varied positions which have enhanced my career and developed my personal skills.

In secondary care I have been involved in a number of workstreams including operational and clinical services, aseptic services, non sterile manufacturing, workforce development and education and training. I have significant experience in leadership and change management, stakeholder management and leading teams.

In May 2023 I was offered a secondment from NHS England to the position of Lead for Pharmacy Technician training in North East and Yorkshire. Throughout the year I was integral in the development of the national Pharmacy Technician Strategy (launched in May 2024) and supporting the growth of the Pharmacy Technician workforce in all sectors of Pharmacy.

@CNTWNHS
https://www.linkedin.com/company/cntw/       
linkedin.com/in/janet-green-aa805a4b

 

Julie Swaddle

Julie Swaddle
Chief Pharmacist
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Julie is the Chief Pharmacist at South Tees NHS Foundation Trust where she has been in post since 2016. At the organisation she also is the Collaborative Chair for Clinical Support Services including the Pathology, Radiology and Medical Physics departments.

Julie is from the North East where she started her career as a rotational pharmacist before moving to her first leadership role within the private hospital sector. Here she worked developing strategy both locally and nationally for the company whilst also practicing as an independent prescriber in Oncology and Pain Management specialities. Within her career she has also undertaken many roles within the NHS including Medication Safety Officer, Clinical Pharmacy Manager and Deputy Chief Pharmacist before becoming Chief.  Julie also sits as a member of the Acute Providers Pharmacy Advisory Group (APPAG) representing the North East on a national level.

 

Helen Dunn

Helen Dunn
Lead Pharmacy Technician (Clinical Trials) and Honorary Pharmacy Lead
South Tees Hospitals NHS FT/NIHR CRN

Helen qualified as a pharmacy technician in 2003 and has worked in various dispensary, clinical, aseptics, and system management pharmacy roles, before specialising as lead technician for clinical trials in 2009. Helen is a trained GCP facilitator and delivers research training across her organisation and NENC region. Helen is also an Honorary Pharmacy Lead for the NIHR regional clinical trials network. This role provides leadership for championing research, supporting pharmacy colleagues across the region and imparts the research network with professional advice. Helen has recently been appointed as Chair for the national NIHR Pharmacy Working Group. The group brings together collective expertise of UK pharmacy clinical trials staff and key subject matter experts to ensure efficient set-up and delivery of research studies. Helen is passionate about improving patient outcomes and progressing pharmacy input into clinical research.

@SouthTees   @NIHRCRN_NENCumb
https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-dunn-89306a184/?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app

 

Research Breakout Sessions

 

Dr Anna Robinson-Barella

Chair:Dr Anna Robinson-Barella
Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacy and Health Inequalities
Newcastle University

Anna is a Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacy and Health- and Medicines- Inequality at Newcastle School of Pharmacy. She is also a Specialist Clinical Pharmacist, with a wealth of experience working in Primary and Secondary care settings across the North-East of England. Anna’s research interests lie in working with minoritised and vulnerable communities. In particular, Anna’s research seeks to target medicines- and health- inequalities. Alongside her role in pharmacy research, Anna leads the second year of the MPharm programme at Newcastle School of Pharmacy.

@UniofNewcastle       @AnnaRobPharm
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-robinson-pharmacist/

 

Sinéad Greener

Sinéad Greener
Joint Workforce Development Lead and Paediatric Pharmacist
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS FT

Sinéad is a Workforce Development Lead and Paediatric Pharmacist at The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, where she has worked as a clinical pharmacist for over 14 years. Sinéad studied at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen before undertaking her Pre-registration training in St Marys Hospital in London.

While at Newcastle, Sinéad developed a specialist interest in Paediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation which has fuelled Sinéad’s interest in research. Sinéad has been actively involved in obtaining funding for pharmacy staff to undertake formal research training. She is a member of many research groups including the Great North Pharmacy Research Collaborative Group, Newcastle Health Innovations Partnership Academy Pillars Group, Northeast North Cumbria Pharmacy Strategic Leaders Working Group and Northeast North Cumbria Community of Practice. Sinéad has completed a NIHR Internship and published her experience of the difficulty of navigating the field of research as a clinical pharmacist.

@NuTHPharm   @NewcastleHosps
https://www.linkedin.com/company/newcastlehosps/

 

Rachel Berry

Rachel Berry
Advanced Medicines Optimisation Pharmacist
NENC ICB

Rachel is an Advanced Medicines Optimisation Pharmacist working in the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB).  She has a lead role in the strategic management of antimicrobial use and the management of chronic pain across the region and has published papers and articles in both these fields.  She has a keen interest in research and quality improvement and has undertaken an NIHR research internship to expand these skills.  By applying these she has enabled her team to be recognised nationally for quality improvement work, including being short-listed for a national Health Services Journal Award in 2018, being awarded a national PrescQIPP award in 2019, and being short-listed for the National Antibiotic Guardian Award in 2023.  Rachel has recently been offered a place on the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer’s Clinical Fellowship Scheme for 2024-25, and she is passionate about expanding similar opportunities for pharmacy professionals across all sectors.

 

Laura Stavert

Laura Stavert
Advanced Pharmacist Practitioner
Northumberland Older Adult Community Treatment Teams
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Laura is an Advanced Pharmacist Practitioner with Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust. She completed her undergraduate degree in 2009 at The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen and thereafter pre-registration training at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

Laura has worked in various mental health pharmacy roles since joining CNTW in 2012. Specialising in old age psychiatry since 2016, she has held her current advanced pharmacist practitioner post in old age community mental health services since 2018.

Laura has a special interest in practice research and in 2023 completed her master’s in clinical research (University of Manchester) after being awarded an NIHR pre-doctoral clinical academic fellowship. Her research interests include deprescribing and medicines optimisation in people with dementia, carer involvement, shared decision-making, and pharmacy workforce wellbeing. Laura is currently writing a doctoral research proposal and plans to apply for doctoral fellowship funding to pursue her PhD research at Newcastle University.

 

Education Breakout Sessions

 

Martina Khundakar

Chair: Martina Khundakar
Lead Pharmacist
Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust

Martina is Lead Pharmacist for Research and Workforce Development in Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust with 20 years of NHS experience in mental health. She is a passionate advocate for the education of pharmacy professionals and currently oversees the coordination and delivery of educational programs for university placements, trainee pharmacists and rotational placements in mental health with acute trusts across the North-East and North Cumbria.

Martina plays a central role in promoting staff development pathways and innovative roles within her department. She has led various workforce initiatives, steering pharmacy workforce development and education to foster collaboration of staff to work more closely together across the system for the benefit of those with a serious mental illness (SMI). This systemwide approach aims to reduce parity of esteem, promoting safer care and improved medicines optimisation for people with SMI.

Martina is an independent prescriber and actively engaged in clinical practice and supports the trust’s medical education team with responsibility for integrating pharmacists into this team. In 2015, she completed a Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Education and currently serves as an associate lecturer at Newcastle University.

@martmixx   @CNTWNHS
https://www.linkedin.com/company/cntw/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/martina-khundakar-740916260/

 

Dr Kalliopi Dodou

Chair: Dr Kalliopi Dodou
Head of Pharmaceutics / Associate Professor
School of Health & Life Sciences
Teesside University

Kalli has a First-Class Honours BSc in Pharmacy (1999), a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry (2004) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (2008). I am a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, registered with the GPhC, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC). I am currently Head of Pharmaceutics at Teesside University (since January 2024) where alongside the Director of Pharmacy I play a significant role in the development and establishment of the School of Pharmacy via the development of innovative curricula for the MPharm (Pharmacy@TU) programme, in line with the new Standards of Education as set by the General Pharmaceutical Council. I am also contributing to the assembly of a team of expert, research-led educators, focused on delivering skilled, resilient graduates, ready to deliver impact across the Tees Valley and beyond. Before my current role, I was at the University of Sunderland for 20 years (2004-2024) where based on market/industrial demand I designed and established two new innovative, industry-driven, and hugely profitable courses; the BSc Cosmetic Science (2016) and the MSc Cosmetic Science (2020) from validation, curriculum design, to programme leadership, marketing, and admissions.

@TeessideUni    @KalliDodouPhD
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dr-kalli-dodou-33858512       
https://www.linkedin.com/school/teesside-university/

 

Alison Sampson

Alison Sampson
Head of Foundation School
School of Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation-North East and Yorkshire

After graduating in Liverpool and qualifying as a pharmacist in Leeds, Alison undertook a variety of generalist and specialist hospital roles in Derbyshire and Yorkshire followed by Clinical Pharmacy Services management roles in the North-East.

Alison advocated the wider use of the pharmacy workforce in service delivery, publishing, and winning awards for practice research.

Opportunity to further extend patient care through prescribing, Alison led the Department of Health regional strategic implementation and development of prescribing across all professions. After leading Modernising Scientific Careers for Yorkshire and the Humber, Alison supported regional pharmacy education commissioning and workforce development. Following a CPPE Education Supervisor role, Alison has returned to NHS England to lead Foundation Trainee Pharmacist education and training reform in the North East and Yorkshire region as Head of Foundation School.

 

Dr David Thewlis

Dr David Thewlis
Module Leader
Newcastle University

David Thewlis is a lecturer in Medical Education at Newcastle University. He qualified in medicine from Newcastle, and worked for several years in clinical practice focusing on geriatrics and then general practice. He stepped into education full time in 2017 at the University of Birmingham MBChB during which time he lead on healthcare ethics, assessments and anything else thrown at him. He moved to Newcastle University to teach on the Masters of Medical Education in 2022 and leads on the “Teaching and Learning in the Workplace” and “Assessments in Medical Education” modules. His particular academic interests are around radical engaged pedagogies and the understanding of self-determination when applied to the development of healthcare professionals. In his spare time he can be found on the Judo mat.

@UniofNewcastle
https://www.linkedin.com/school/newcastle-university/

 

View Foundation Pharmacist Posters submitted for 2024 here

View the open call posteres submitted for 2024 here

The organisations below are exhibiting at the 2024 conference.

Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE)

CPPE is a provider of educational solutions for the NHS pharmacy workforce across England to maximise its contribution to improving patient care.

Clinical Digital Resource Collaborative (CDRC)

The Clinical Digital Resource Collaborative (CDRC), founded in 2018, is a collaboration between the HI NENC, NECS, CBC Health and Cumbria PRIMIS Informatics, with key strategic relationships with GP Federations and ICBs.

CDRC support primary and secondary care through the provision of free to use clinical resources in EMIS and SystmOne.

Clinical Entrepreneur Programme

The Clinical Entrepreneur Programme (CEP) is a workforce development programme for clinical and non-clinical NHS staff, run by NHS England’s Innovation, Research, Life Sciences and Strategy group and delivered jointly with Anglia Ruskin University.

Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust

The CNTW Pharmacy Department provides patient centred dispensing, medicines information and clinical services to members of the public and clinical staff across the whole of the Northeast and North Cumbria.

The main aim of the pharmacy departments at CNTW is to provide patients with medicines that are safe, appropriate, evidence-based and cost-effective.

Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust

The pharmacy department at Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust is a strong cohesive team of individuals with a positive people-focused culture who pride themselves on delivering high quality medicines optimisation services to the patients of Gateshead.

Over recent years the department has built a reputation for advanced clinical services through a commitment to staff development, education and training, lean methodology and investment in digital support. The trust is supported by a range of innovative digital medicines systems including the Wellsky Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (EPMA) system and Omnicell automated drug cabinets.

Health Innovation NENC (HI NENC)

Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria supports the health and care system to accelerate innovation which improves people’s health and the regional economy.

We work closely with the NENC ICS and our Member Organisations, including the NHS Trusts and Universities, across the NENC to help them identify, evaluate, adopt and disseminate transformative innovation. We work a lot with industry too, as a source of innovation and also to help industry access the expertise within the NHS that is so crucial to the development, testing and deployment of products and services that are the basis of the UK’s Life Sciences sector.

Healthwatch Newcastle

Healthwatch Newcastle is here to get your views on health and social care. When we know what matters to you, we can improve health and social care services, together. We’re here to show that when people share their experiences, they can make change happen. We also offer practical services, support, and advice to improve services.

Healthworks

Healthworks is an award-winning charity based in Newcastle working with local communities across the North East to improve their health, wellbeing and life outcomes.

Know Your Floors

Know Your Floors CIC is a non-profit organisation with a passion for all things pelvic health.

NHS North East and Yorkshire Genomic Medicine Service Alliance

The North East and Yorkshire NHS Genomic Medicine Service Alliance (NEY GMSA) is one in a network of seven regional alliances launched in England in January 2021 by the NHS Genomic Medicine Service (GMS) to oversee and co-ordinate the embedding of genomics into routine healthcare across England.

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Whether it’s helping to take a medicines history at pre-admission or admission, checking your own medicines are suitable for use, prescribing your treatment, supplying or dispensing your medicines, pharmacy staff work alongside doctors and nurses to ensure that you receive the medicines you require when you are in hospital and, where necessary, can get information and support you need when you go home.

Regional Drug and Therapeutics Centre (RDTC)

A commissioned service that provides strategic prescribing support services to the NHS, including expert evidence evaluation and prescribing analysis.

With over 25 years of experience in providing proactive support to NHS healthcare organisations we have developed a reputation as an authoritative independent source of high quality information and advice essential to commissioning and delivery of safe, clinical, excellence and cost effective healthcare.

Regional Local Pharmacy Committee

The local organisation for community pharmacy is the Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC). The LPC is the focus for all community pharmacists and community pharmacy owners and is an independent and representative group. The LPC works locally with NHS England Area Teams, CCGs, Local Authorities and other healthcare professionals to help plan healthcare services.

Regional Yellow Card Centre

The Yellow Card Centre Northern and Yorkshire is one of five regional adverse reaction monitoring centres, acting on behalf of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)

Our main objective is to promote, support and stimulate local reporting of adverse drug reactions, through the Yellow Card Scheme. The scheme collects and monitors reports of suspected adverse reactions, and is run by the MHRA.

Royal Pharmaceutical Society

Since the Society was founded in 1841 we have championed the profession, and are internationally renowned as publishers of medicines information.  Our Royal Charter gives us a unique status in pharmacy.

We promote pharmacy in the media and government, lead the way in medicines information, and support pharmacists in their education and development.

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

The South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust pharmacy department serves a variety of wards and departments across the organisation with both medication supplies and clinical pharmacy services.

Work currently underway includes:

• Implementation of electronic Omnicell® medication cabinets to replace traditional medication cabinets across some of the wards and departments to improve medication safety and security, and enhance ordering and administration of medicines.
• Ongoing promotion of the ‘Green Bag’ scheme, encouraging patients to bring their medications into hospital to increase adherence to medication, improve patient safety and decrease medicines wastage.
• Developing roles for pharmacy staff including prescribing and transcribing, advanced clinical practitioners and pharmacist led clinics. New highly specialised roles including pain specialist pharmacist and integrated urgent care pharmacist.
• New roles for pharmacy staff to be involved in education and training for doctors and nurses, to further improve medicines optimisation across the organisation.
• The trust is currently scoping an electronic patient record system which will include e-prescribing.

Sunderland University

Pharmacy at the University of Sunderland continues to be at the heart of our growing health sciences and wellbeing provision, which now includes – among other subjects – nursing, paramedic science and medicine.

The Endometriosis Foundation

The Endometriosis Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness, providing trusted and transparent information, education, and support. With our board made up of esteemed professionals and individuals with a lived experience of Endometriosis, we are uniquely positioned to bring around meaningful change.

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

One of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the UK, providing healthcare to communities across the North East

UKTIS

UKTIS is the sole dedicated UK provider of evidence-based information on fetal risk following pharmacological and other potentially toxic pregnancy exposures. Established in London in 1983, and one of the founder members of the European Network of Teratology information Services (ENTIS), UKTIS became part of the Newcastle National Poisons Information Service in 1995.

Venue information

Venue: Hilton Hotel Newcastle Gateshead, Bottle Bank, Gateshead. NE8 2AR

Arriving at the venue

Please make your way to the Gateshead Suite on the ground floor.

Travelling to the venue

The hotel is located overlooking the Tyne Bridge and is less than a mile from Gateshead metro station and eight minutes from the A1 motorway. It is approximately a fifteen-minute walk from Newcastle Central Station.

Please note when planning travel for the day that there are significant road works at both the Tyne Bridge and Al (Washington Services/Angel) that may cause delays. Where possible please consider public transport.

Event parking

There is parking onsite.

Please visit the link below for all parking options

https://en.parkopedia.co.uk/parking/newcastle_upon_tyne/?arriving=202205141630&leaving=202205141830

Cycling

There isn’t a dedicated cycle rack at the venue. Bikes can be secured to the railings in the underground car park. This is at your own risk. Changing facilities are available at the venue, please go to reception on arrival.

Rail and Metro

The Hotel is less than a mile from Gateshead metro station and approximately a fifteen-minute walk from Newcastle Central Station

Accommodation

For hotel suggestions please visit: https://www.newcastlegateshead.com/accommodation

Downloadable resources

Checking Leaflets – CoppaFeel! Ovarian Cancer Charity | UK’s Support Charity for Ovarian Cancer | Ovacome

Spot cervical cancer early | Publications (cancerresearchuk.org)

• The conference will be paperless (as much as possible) without compromising elements of the event (ie poster display)
• Delegate badges have all been used previously and will be collected at the end of the conference. Inserts will be recycled
• We have requested that all posters be printed on uncoated/recycled paper. All posters left at the venue can then be recycled.
• No delegate packs will be available, all information is on the event resource page on our website
• The conference lunch will be meat free
• We have asked all exhibitors to be mindful when preparing materials for their stands
• Post-event the Hilton Hotel will pull together all our event info and work out the Carbon Footprint for the event and then offset that value by making a comparable donation to South Pole Project.
• We have requested mugs where possible for refreshments and any snacks be free of packaging.

Join the conversation

Please follow us on Twitter @GtNorthPharmRes #GNPRC2024 to join the conversation.

Please join the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/826673114844133

Please make a member of the event team aware if you do not wish to have your photograph taken during the course of this event or appear in film footage.

Photographs and film footage could appear on social media and websites

For further information about the conference or to discuss accessibility concerns please contact [email protected]