A team consisting of a clinical pharmacist and a technician devote the majority of their working day to coordinating all aspects of the pharmacy service for their wards. This includes:

• taking accurate drug histories
• rationalising patients medications
• optimising the use of patient's own drugs
• supplying medication to wards
• providing prescribing advice and improving compliance with prescribing policies
• making clinical interventions if necessary
• educating nursing and medical staff
• giving advice on medicines that may require blood levels and dosage adjustments e.g. Digoxin, Theophylline and Gentamicin
• getting involved in discharge planning
• providing patient counselling both for in-patients and patients going home

This allows the nursing staff on the ward to work much more closely with the pharmacy team to enhance patient care. In addition, the medical teams regularly consult the pharmacist for advice on prescribing, and the pharmacists play an important part in the education of junior doctors.