Welcome to your July issue, where we hope you with some insights into the current state of the profession, with commentary from experienced colleagues.
The days of the pharmacist simply being a medicines dispenser are long gone, and
will never return. Pharmacists are ever more influential in healthcare, including in research. To reflect this, our content is tailored to not only reflect the current industry, but also broader areas of healthcare, such as breakthrough research and population health.
In this issue, we also continue our Irish Hospital Pharmacist section to focus on colleagues in the acute hospital setting. Here, we feature an interview with Fergus Nugent, Chief Pharmacist at the Mater Private Hospital Cork, who speaks on a number of topics. These include workforce planning and medicine shortages. Clearly, hospital and community pharmacists have plenty of common issues.
Also in this issue, the IPU elaborates on some of the plans contained in its White Paper, and how these can be achieved.
Positioning pharmacies as “dynamic healthcare hubs” is a tantalising prospect, despite the many details that will need to be ironed-out. Dr Des Corrigan applies his customary judicial eye to the evidence for the benefits of capsaicin in pain relief. Chilli pepper masochists eventually become desensitised to the painful, burning sensation. This is a result of deactivation of pain receptors, and opens the door to research on how capsaicin may have value as an analgesic.
Terry Maguire also raises important questions about ‘skinny pens’ becoming perceived as the solution to the obesity epidemic.
We also hope you will take a few clinical nuggets of information away with you with our clinical content written by pharmacists, for pharmacists.
Eamonn Brady and Damien O’Brien sharpen their quills to bring you perspectives on Dental Health, Cholesterol, and the complex and often misunderstood topic of Fatigue.
Enjoy the issue, and feel free to get in touch with whatever is on your mind.
