Evidence for a positive environment for hospital pharmacy in the European Union to design, advocate and implement local healthcare policy

Abstract

The first survey of its kind sought to determine if the environment of hospital pharmacy was conducive to the design, advocacy and implementation of healthcare policy to make healthcare and the use of medicines safer and more effective for patients. It was undertaken within EAHP member countries between November 2013 and February 2014. This was part of the preparatory work for the European Association of Hospital Pharmacists’ initiative to produce European Union Statements on Hospital Pharmacy in May 2014. The results were communicated at the event to provide contextualisation prior to discussion on Statements. The survey form asked questions based on meeting 10 published preconditions for successful implementation of policy. Proximity of hospital pharmacists to key decision makers, the capacity to communicate the intent of policy, being given the authority to control budgets and actions to implement the outcomes of policy were all surveyed. In addition, the impact of barriers and the nature of services that had been compromised were quantitatively and qualitatively described. From the responses, hospital pharmacy appears in a very strong position to devise and implement new policies for the benefit of patients; however, there is ever present tension between service and resource, which has constrained development and that will need to be overcome if improvements are to be made. Ensuring that healthcare policies concerning medicines and associated services are politically, ideologically, ethically, financially and socially acceptable while being capable of local implementation is seen as critical to success. Pharmacy appears well placed to undertake this challenge.