Making a difference in medication by advancing the hospital pharmacy profession

Hospital pharmacists are the key stakeholders responsible for medication management and safety in the hospital environment, covering both inpatient and outpatient 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 multidisciplinary healthcare teams. The undergraduate education, that every pharmacist has to undergo, provides an excellent background for further specialisation to work in one of the many possible roles within the profession. Specialisation is required to be up-to-date on specific treatment regimens. In the case of hospital pharmacists, this means being trained to work with patients in situations that are subject to complex medication regimens.

To prepare the hospital pharmacy profession for the future, the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists (EAHP) adopted the European Statements of Hospital Pharmacy1 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 …