By Laura Wilson, RPS Director for Scotland
I was proud to represent RPS at the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) World Congress in Cape Town, South Africa. It was a huge event with over 3,300 people from 97 countries.
RPS is a recognised name
One thing that really stood out to me was how many people there knew about the RPS and our work. It was clear that our reach goes far, and we are seen as leaders in pharmacy, alongside countries like Canada and Australia.
We had three posters and two oral presentations at the event, which gave us plenty of opportunity to show the world what pharmacy in Great Britain is doing. It was exciting to see how much other countries want to learn from what we’re doing across the three countries and to be able to share our learnings.
Independent prescribing and education
In particular, there was a lot of interest in independent prescribing and how we have worked with and been supported by other healthcare professionals to achieve the level of practice we have today. People were also curious about how pharmacists have become embedded within the multidisciplinary team, how our expertise in medicines is used in different areas of care and how we work in different sectors.
Credentialing, particularly at advanced and consultant levels, was another area that sparked questions and scrutiny. The level of practice we have achieved, as well as the assurance of competence, is admired and sought after by other countries who are keen to show the advanced levels their pharmacists are also working at.
Our advocacy work
We made a real impression when describing how we, as an organisation, are involved in making recommendations to the government, and how these are put into practice – particularly following our presentation on our work within hospital settings in Wales. Delegates were keen to hear more about how we work with, and influence, governments across the three countries to make sure the important role of pharmacists in healthcare is recognised.
Learning from other countries
While we were proud to share what we’ve been doing, there is also a lot to learn from other countries. Some of the innovations around AI and pharmacogenomics are really exciting and being at the Congress will help us think more about our progress in these areas in Great Britain.
Building global connections
Networking with colleagues from all around the world was a great chance to strengthen our connections and create new partnerships. I spoke with colleagues from many countries including Australia, Argentina, Japan, Spain, USA, Canada and Ghana, among many others. It’s through these relationships and connections that we open up more opportunities to share more of the fantastic work being done through meetings, attendance at other international conferences and events and sharing of information.
Ending on a high
As the conference drew to a close, I was very honoured to receive the award for Best Oral Presentation, Independent Review of Clinical Pharmacy Services in Hospitals in Wales. I spoke about the RPS-led review which was commissioned by the Welsh Government and published in September 2023, during which I was able to highlight our role in maintaining standards of pharmacy practice and ensuring roles at advanced levels.
Looking to the future
Our mission at RPS is to make sure pharmacy is at the forefront of healthcare, and attending events like FIP helps us towards that goal. We also want to be seen as global leaders in the safe and effective use of medicines. But to stay there, we need to keep showcasing the great work being done in Great Britain, while learning from the rest of the world.
RPS presentations and posters at the Congress included:
Read more RPS blogs.