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“Objectives  Many health professionals lack the time and skills to search for and appraise information on medicines. A solution might be to use others skilled in evidence appraisal, who make recommendations or provide information tailored to patients’ needs. The objectives of this study were to assess how advice provided to health professionals by the northwest of England regional medicines

information centre is used, whether it is useful for patient care and to measure satisfaction with the service. Methods  A questionnaire was designed and sent to health professionals selleck inhibitor who contacted the centre between September 2008 and March 2009. Enquirers contacting the centre more than once were sent a questionnaire only in response to their first enquiry during the study period. Non-responders were sent a reminder. Key findings  Questionnaires were sent to 672 enquirers; 68% were returned. Nearly all respondents used the advice provided. Of the 430 respondents who provided data on how they used the information, 81% used it to manage a current patient and 29% to plan the care of future patients; nearly all considered it useful. ZD1839 in vitro Where data were given (n = 366), half used it to check if current

or proposed management was appropriate, 45% to make changes to therapy and 35% to advise another health professional. In addition to patient care, one-quarter (n = 105/430) of respondents used the information for continuing professional development and 16% (n = 69/430) for training or teaching. Conclusions  Health professionals value the enquiry-answering service and use the advice provided for patient care, continuing professional development and educating

patients and other health professionals. The service is responsive, supporting the care of patients needing immediate and future filipin management. “
“It is with great pleasure that I introduce this supplemental issue of the International Journal of Pharmacy Practice. In this supplement you will find abstracts of the pharmacy practice research papers and posters presented at the 2013 Royal Pharmaceutical Society Conference, held at the International Convention Centre, Birmingham. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Building the future of the profession. In common with previous years, this supplement has been prepared in advance of the conference, to allow participants in the practice research sessions to read the abstracts prior to the sessions. 192 abstracts were submitted for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society Conference 2013, and this year the Society’s Pharmacy Research Panel accepted 138 for poster or oral presentation at the Conference. Please note that although the abstracts have already been examined by the Panel, they have not passed through the peer review process applied by the IJPP to all other contributions.