SCOTTISH HOSPITAL PHARMACY

SUMMER VACATIONAL SCHEME

2017

Information for applicants

 Contents
Why apply for a hospital placement?
Where can I do a placement?
Overview of placements available
How do I apply?
Application checklist
HR clearance for placements
Person specification
Comments from previous students
NHS Ayrshire and Arran
NHS Borders
NHS Dumfries and Galloway
NHS Fife
NHS Forth Valley
NHS Grampian
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
NHS Highland
NHS Lanarkshire
NHS Lothian
NHS Tayside
 Why apply for a hospital placement?

You will gain real experience of the varied role of the hospital
pharmacist within a multidisciplinary team environment

You will undergo a flexible training programme featuring structured

training within key areas of hospital pharmacy

You will learn from a number of clinical pharmacists working at the

forefront of person centred pharmaceutical care

You will have the opportunity to work in a friendly team environment

You may be involved in a small audit project

You will be able to compare career options in order to make decisions

about where you want to do your pre-registration training
 Where can I do a placement?

• NHS Ayrshire and Arran

• NHS Borders
• NHS Dumfries and
Galloway
• NHS Fife
• NHS Forth Valley
• NHS Grampian
• NHS Greater Glasgow and
Clyde
• NHS Highland
• NHS Lanarkshire
• NHS Lothian
• NHS Tayside
 Overview of placements available
NHS Board Number of Duration Paid or
placements voluntary
Ayrshire & Arran 10 2 weeks Voluntary
Borders 4 2 weeks Paid
Dumfries & 4 2 weeks Paid
Galloway
Fife 2 4 weeks Paid
Forth Valley 2 2 weeks Voluntary
Grampian 10 1 or 2 weeks Voluntary
Greater Glasgow 20 2 weeks Paid
& Clyde
Highland 3 2 weeks Paid
Lanarkshire 6 3 weeks Paid
Lothian 10 1 or 2 weeks Voluntary
Tayside 8 2 weeks Voluntary
 How do I apply?
A single application form for the scheme needs to be completed along with
a preference form. Copies of the forms are available via the Scottish
Schools of Pharmacy and appropriate communication will be sent to
3rd year / Year 4 students

If you are questioning whether it is worth applying - as a general guide, the scheme
receives approximately 200 applications for around 80 places

To apply, please complete both the application form and preference form
and return to
Lorraine Lindsay (lorraine.lindsay2@ggc.scot.nhs.uk)

For informal discussions please contact:

Lesley Dunbar 0141 232 1782 lesley.dunbar@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Caroline Souter 0131 537 2550 carolinesouter@nhs.net
Jenny Macdonald 0141 232 1780 jenny.macdonald@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

***Closing date: Thursday 5th January 2017 at 5pm***

 Application checklist
There are two forms to be completed and submitted – the main application form and another
listing your preferred locations. Please ensure both are saved with your name in the title,
completed fully and submitted together

Look at the websites for your preferred NHS Boards to find out what geographical areas are
covered by each one. If you need further information, use the contacts listed in this document

When listing preferred locations, if you are too specific then you are limiting your options

List NHS Boards rather than individual hospitals, and be flexible – consider whether you can
stay with friends or family in other areas to open up different opportunities

Job reference or candidate ID number do not require to be completed. Location is not required to
be completed on the main application form as this will be included on the preference form.

Make sure you include the expected date of completing your MPharm

When completing the ‘Statement in support of application’ refer to the person specification and
include reasons why you want the placement

Don’t rush your application form. There are no extra marks for being the first person to submit;
all applications received by the closing date and time are considered equally. Take your time, do
your research and make the most of the careers fairs and hospital talks before completing your
application
 HR Clearance for Placements

Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme

Some NHS Boards will require you to have PVG membership.

There is a £59 charge associated with joining this scheme which you
will be liable to pay if you are not already a member

Occupational Health

You may also need to undergo Occupational Health screening prior to

starting a placement. This usually involves completing a form and
depending on the information provided, you may asked to attend an
appointment
 Person specification
Criteria Essential Desirable

Personal Traits Enthusiastic

Motivated
Team player
Willingness to learn
Professional attitude
Commitment to CPD
Qualification and training Current 3rd Year / Year 4 MPharm student

Experience and knowledge Previous experience in community or

hospital through part time working or
placement
Skills / abilities Good ability to communicate (verbal, written
and formal presentations)
Forms and maintains good working
relationships with others
Numeracy
Organisation
Plan and prioritise own workload to meet
deadlines
Works well on own initiative
Specific job requirements Demonstrates interest in hospital pharmacy
Provides explanation why interested in
hospital pharmacy
 Comments from previous students

“Everyone at (hospital) could not do enough to help me and

make me feel welcome; everyone made an effort to explain
everything so that I got the most out of the experience”

“Being allowed on to ward rounds was really stimulating

and I learned so much from just a few. No two days were
the same and I learned lots”

“Overall a valuable experience that I am very grateful for”

Information from NHS Boards
 NHS Ayrshire and Arran
Organisation A full hospital pharmacy service is provided from our hospital pharmacies including dispensing and
& distribution, clinical pharmacy, aseptic dispensing and medicines information. There are specialist teams in
background oncology and mental health and specialist pharmacists in a number of areas including rheumatology,
medicine, surgery, paediatrics, renal, care of the elderly, antimicrobial pharmacotherapy and unscheduled
care.
The hospital pharmacy service provides pharmaceutical services to all hospital beds including those related
to Primary Care specialties such as Mental Health.
Both acute hospital pharmacy sites have robotics in operation to help deliver a more efficient pharmacy
service.
The department is leading on the development of hospital electronic prescribing and administration in
Hospitals which is available in all of our acute hospital sites.
Vacational We have 10 places, each of two weeks, to offer- five at each of the following acute hospital sites. Placements
placements will run from June until July 2017 in two week blocks.
proposed
University Hospital Ayr, Pharmacy Department, Dalmellington Road, Ayr, South Ayrshire KA6 6DX
University Hospital Crosshouse, Pharmacy Department, Kilmarnock Road, Crosshouse, East Ayrshire,
KA2 0BE

The placements involve

· Two weeks experience covering all aspects of hospital pharmacy
· An insight into the varied role of a hospital pharmacist including shadowing clinical pharmacists
· The opportunity to work with our friendly pharmacy teams
These placements are for students interested in undertaking a pre-registration pharmacist placement in one of
our hospitals commencing August of the following year and are offered on a voluntary basis.
 NHS Ayrshire and Arran
Further No further placements, work experience or site visits will be offered. Students can only be considered for
opportunities inclusion on the PRPS preference list if they have undertaken a summer placement with us.
Will not respond to emails received after closing date of national summer vacational scheme.
Contact Education contact
information Jacqueline Seenan, Principal Pharmacist, Prescribing Development & Education, NHS Ayrshire & Arran
Base: University Ayr Hospital
Email: jacqueline.seenan@aapct.scot.nhs.uk
Tel: 01292 614706
Website
NHS Ayrshire and Arran public website
http://www.nhsaaa.net/
 NHS Borders
Organisation The NHS Borders Pharmacy Service is managed as a single system within which primary and secondary care
& services are integrated and aspire to meet patients’ pharmaceutical needs as they move across care settings.
background Our primary and secondary care Pharmacy teams have a central base at Borders General Hospital (BGH) in
Melrose, so facilitating close working relationships and enhanced patient care.

NHS Borders is the NHS service provider for the Scottish Borders, employs approximately 3,200 staff and
serves a population of about 120,000. We provide acute and primary care services from the Borders General
Hospital, 4 community hospitals and a network of mental health and learning disability inpatient, community
and day facilities. The 320-bed Borders General Hospital provides a full range of services across the
specialties, including oncology, renal, care of elderly, palliative care, inpatient and day case surgery,
orthopaedic surgery, outpatient services, Accident & Emergency, maternity and paediatrics. The Community
Hospitals provide inpatient GP beds, outpatient and rehabilitation and therapy clinics. Primary health care
services are provided by 23 GP practices, 27 community pharmacies and a network of dentists and ophthalmic
opticians across the region.
No hospital accommodation is available for summer placements.

To view the delights of the Scottish Borders region see: www.ourscottishborders.com

For further information on NHS Borders visit NHS Borders website: www.nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk
Vacational The Borders General Hospital is the training base for any pre-registration pharmacist allocated a hospital place
placements in NHS Borders through NES. This is the sole hospital with a Pharmacy Department. Other hospitals within
proposed NHS Borders are community hospitals and are served through BGH Pharmacy.

Four paid summer placements (of 2 weeks each) are available at Borders General Hospital.
Further No further placements, work experience or site visits will be offered.
opportunities Will not respond to emails received after closing date of national summer vacational scheme.

Contact Allison Carruthers, BGH Clinical Pharmacist, Allison.carruthers@borders.scot.nhs.uk

information Pharmacy Department, Borders General Hospital, Melrose TD6 9BS
 NHS Dumfries and Galloway
Organisation Dumfries and Galloway is a large rural health board in beautiful south west Scotland. There is one 350 bed
& district general hospital in Dumfries covering the majority of specialties which also supports the cottage
background hospitals throughout the health board region. A new hospital is currently being planned.

We are a dynamic and forward thinking pharmacy team, winning the hospital pharmacy team of the year in
2013. Our experienced staff supports dispensing / distribution, aseptic, medicines information and clinical
services. Clinical specialties covered include medicine, surgery, care of the elderly, critical care, orthopaedics
and cancer services. We have an excellent track record as a training provider and are a very supportive team.

It may be possible to stay in hospital residences, otherwise the department can provide advice on local
accommodation options such as B+Bs.
Vacational Four paid summer placements (of 2 weeks each) are available at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.
placements
proposed
Further Contact directly if interested in visiting Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary once national scheme
opportunities recruitment concluded. Voluntary placements/ work experience will not be available.
Will not respond to emails received for the first time after June 2017.
Contact Mrs Alison Bell
information Preregistration Pharmacist Tutor,
Pharmacy Department,
Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary,
Bankend Road,
Dumfries. DG1 4AP
E mail alisonbell@nhs.net
Tel. 01387 246246 ext 32039
 NHS Fife
Organisation Fife has a population of circa 368 000 with the acute hospital services provided through two main acute
& hospital sites. The Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy provides a broad range of services across numerous
background specialties including, cardiology, respiratory medicine, gastroenterology, endocrinology, dermatology, renal
medicine, acute stroke, medicine of the elderly, palliative care, inpatient and outpatient haematology /
oncology, general surgery, orthopaedics, vascular surgery, maternity, neonatal, paediatrics and critical care.

The Queen Margaret Hospital is located in Dunfermline. The hospital provides a wide range of services from
outpatient and diagnostic clinics, mental health services and Minor Injuries; to children’s services, ante-natal
and post-natal care, sexual health and rehabilitation services.

The NHS Fife Acute Pharmacy service is focussed upon delivering the highest standards of safe, effective,
patient centred pharmaceutical care. The Acute Division Pharmacy service has a workforce of 35 pharmacists
and 63 pharmacy technician, pharmacy assistant and administrative staff across the 2 hospital sites. The
service is undergoing an exciting and innovative programme of redesign across technical and clinical services.
A new team based clinical pharmacy model has been created comprising of pharmacists, pharmacy
technicians and pharmacy assistants, integrated as part of multi-disciplinary ward teams across the three
directorates.

We have a proven track record as a learning environment with a number of experienced pharmacists,
pharmacy technicians and other staff supporting trainees at all levels. We have a number of staff undertaking a
range of studies through various universities and colleges including Pharmacist Independent Prescriber
Courses and MSc postgraduate degrees in Clinical Pharmacy. We also support the NES Foundation (VT2)
Training Scheme for pharmacists. As well as staff with significant practice experience, the departments have a
range of young and enthusiastic staff which results in a friendly, energetic work environment that supports
innovation and development.​
 NHS Fife

Vacational NHS Fife participates in the Scottish hospitals pharmacy student vacational scheme offering two paid four-
placements week summer placements to students.
proposed
Further No further placements, work experience or site visits will be offered.
opportunities Will not respond to emails received after closing date of national summer vacational scheme
Contact Euan Reid
information euan.reid@nhs.net
Pharmacy Department
Victoria Hospital
Hayfield Road
Kirkcaldy
Fife KY2 5AH
Tel: 01592 648037
 NHS Forth Valley
Organisation The Pharmacy Department in Forth Valley Royal Hospital in Larbert is a state of the art purpose built facility.
& The department and hospital is progressive, embracing electronic and robotic solutions and strives to deliver
background high quality pharmacy services. In 2016 we implemented a Hospital electronic prescribing and administration
(HePMA) system across the acute hospital site and plans in 2017 for implementation in our community hospital
sites.
The pharmacy services at FVRH include in-patient and out-patient dispensing, distribution and aseptic
dispensing including chemotherapy, adult parenteral nutrition, paediatric and neonatal intravenous additives
and neonatal parenteral nutrition. We provide a clinical service to all in patient areas and specialist out-patient
areas including oncology, renal, diabetes and mental health.
Over the last few years our pharmacists in hospital have worked closely with our community colleagues in
Forth Valley and have developed electronic solutions to share medicines related information with a patient’s
regular community pharmacy at discharge from hospital.
Vacational We have 2 placements of 2 weeks which will be based at Forth Valley Royal Hospital and will be undertaken
placements between June and August. The placements will cover all aspects of hospital pharmacy and there will be an
proposed opportunity to spend some time with the primary care pharmacy team.
Further Small group visits will be arranged. These will be advertised through the Universities and will be available on a
opportunities first come first served basis. Will be held June/July 2017.

Will not respond to emails received for the first time after June 2017.
Contact Vicky Hough Vicky.hough@nhs.net
information Senior Pharmacist
Pharmacy Department
Forth Valley Royal Hospital
Larbert
FK5 4WR
Telephone: 01324 566740
 NHS Grampian
Organisation The Department of Pharmacy at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary offers a wide range of services including :
&
background Technical Services
The function of this section is to provide specialist aseptic dispensing services on an individual patient basis.
Aseptic dispensing includes preparation of total parenteral nutrition fluids, radiopharmaceuticals and cytotoxic
injections in response to prescriptions from clinicians.
Quality Assurance service
The Quality Assurance team deals with process and operator validation, unlicensed medicine validation,
environmental monitoring, organisation of drug recalls, control of documentation, pharmaceutical audit and
medical gas testing and certification.
Clinical Trials Unit
The Clinical Trials unit carries out all the commercial and non-commercial trials (including sponsored trials by
NHS Grampian/ University of Aberdeen) in NHS Grampian. There are approximately 170 Clinical Trials running
which are coordinated from the design stage to completion and include protocol review, set-up, randomisation,
dispensing, accountability, documentation and closure procedures.
Clinical Pharmacy Services
The current team of approximately 30 clinical pharmacists aims to improve medicine use by working with
patients and the multidisciplinary ward team to provide advice and information promoting the safe, rational and
economic use of medicines. The important role played by pharmacists includes:
· Screening patients in order to identify pharmaceutical care issues
· Working closely with doctors and other healthcare professionals to resolve these issues
· Writing in-patient drug charts to ensure clear and unambiguous prescriptions to minimize drug prescribing
and administration errors
· Writing discharge prescriptions
· Checking patients’ own medicines on admission to ensure they are safe to use in hospital and that the drug
regimen from home is continued on admission
· Attending surgical pre-admission clinics to take drug histories and give advice on medicine use
· Preparing treatment protocols and guidelines
· Drug error reporting and Risk Management
 NHS Grampian
Organisation Medicines Information Service
& The Medicines Information Centre based at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary is a regional specialist centre, which
background provides a service to both hospital and community medical, nursing, pharmacy and other healthcare staff
throughout Grampian, Orkney and Shetland. It is a clinically orientated service providing a focus for the
accumulation, organisation, evaluation and dissemination of information pertaining to all aspects of medicine
use. It has at its disposal a range of information sources including textbooks, medical and
pharmaceutical journals, computerised databases and online searching facilities.
Support Services
Our dispensaries are responsible for the provision of our one-stop medicines management system where
individually dispensed medicines are supplied for inpatient use and for discharge. They also provide drugs for
patients attending specialist out-patient clinics.
Drug procurement and Supply
Services are based within Aberdeen Royal Infirmary supplying medicines to wards, clinics and departments
within Grampian, Orkney and Shetland Health Boards as well as a comprehensive vaccines service to the
childhood immunisation programme and school health service.
The Department of Pharmacy has strong links with RGU through lectures given by teacher practitioners, and
student visits to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
Vacational 10 placements of 2 weeks each
placements Placements are offered on a voluntary basis
proposed
Further No placements/ experience can be offered at any other time. Students can only be considered for inclusion on
opportunities the PRPS preference list if they have undertaken a summer placement with us.

Will not respond to emails received after closing date of national summer vacational scheme.
Contact Kim Cruttenden
information Principal Pharmacist, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Nhsg.pharmacyari@nhs.net
 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Organisation NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde (NHSGGC) has the biggest hospital pharmacy team in Scotland .The hospital
& pharmacy service in NHSGGC provides a comprehensive range of services and the main focus is the delivery
background of high quality pharmaceutical care to patients across all hospitals and clinical specialties. The geographical
size of the Health Board is relatively small for the size of its population (almost ¼ of the population of
Scotland).
Redesign of services has produced a centralised robotic procurement and distribution service and this enables
the hospital teams to further develop existing ward based services. Most patients will have their medicines in
the bedside locker and the pharmacy team will be on hand to take drug histories, provide clinical advice,
prescribe medicines and educate patients and staff. The pharmacy service has also consolidated its
information and governance arrangements and created appropriate specialist teams to provide expert advice
across the single system service to ensure consistency of approach. Medicines Information and Aseptic
services are provided from central bases and specialist teams work across sites in specialties such as Quality
Assurance, Clinical Trials and Education and Training.
NHSGGC provides the full range of clinical specialties including cardiology, respiratory, gastroenterology,
neurology, nephrology, urology, vascular surgery, plastic surgery, dermatology, intensive care medicine,
paediatrics, neonatology, fetal medicine, psychiatry and care of the elderly amongst others. The West of
Scotland Cancer Centre is based at the Beatson Oncology Centre in Glasgow and also has a well developed
pharmacy service.
Vacational The following sites may be involved in hosting vacational placements. Those in bold are also likely to be our
placements pre-registration training sites for 2017. Please note it will not affect consideration for pre-registration training if
proposed the site at which you undertake a summer placement is not a pre-registration training site.
Glasgow Royal Infirmary
Inverclyde Royal Hospital, Greenock
Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley
Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and Royal Hospital for Children
Vale of Leven Hospital, Alexandria
Leverndale Hospital (Mental Health site)
Gartnavel Royal Hospital (Mental Health site)
Stobhill Hospital (Mental Health Areas only)
 NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
Further Small group site visits will be arranged. These will be advertised through RGU and UOS university intranets.
opportunities Likely to be held end May/ June 2017. Voluntary placements/ work experience will not be available.

Will not respond to emails received for the first time after June 2017.
Contact Jenny Macdonald, Lead Pharmacist
information Pharmacy Education & Training, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
jenny.macdonald@ggc.scot.nhs.uk

Lesley Dunbar, Senior Pharmacist

Pharmacy Education and Training, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
lesley.dunbar@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
 NHS Highland
Organisation NHS Highland has been involved in supporting students and pre-registration pharmacists for many years and
& boasts an enviable reputation for the quality of the services provided and for the friendliness of its staff.
background Students can be assured of a warm welcome. Raigmore is the main hospital for the Highlands serving a
population of just over 200,000 over a large geographical area. Like the city in which it is based, the pharmacy
service is constantly developing. There are about 90 pharmacy staff at the main site, Raigmore Hospital in
Inverness, and about 100 within the overall Pharmacy Services Unit which also includes some primary care
pharmacists and support staff. Some of the Department’s clinical trials activity is housed within a new Clinical
Research Facility. Redesign of medicines usage supporting implementation of national strategy is designed to
deliver improved evidence based services to the public and patients, using the skills of the pharmaceutical
profession to deliver effective care. In conjunction with other initiatives, including skill mix review, this will also
address quality standards and targets for medicines management. These are designed to ensure that
medicines policies throughout Highland are consistent with best practice.

On a wider level, Raigmore acts as the base for a Research Institute, has academic links with schools of
pharmacy and participates in the training both of medical and nursing students. There is a Centre for Health
Science on site, which includes an excellent Health Services Library and clinical skills centre. There is local
support for research and development through the Research & Development Office. The Research &
Development Manager and staff organise training courses and provide some funding and general support for
researchers.

Hospital accommodation is likely to be available for summer placements; a charge will be associated with this.

Vacational Raigmore Hospital

placements Old Perth Road,
proposed Inverness IV2 3UJ
We will offer three placements of 2 weeks. All placements will take place in the period from late May until the
end of June so please bear this in mind when considering your preferences.
 NHS Highland
Further Group site visits will be arranged to allow students to find out more about the pharmacy service and be
opportunities considered for the PRPS preference list. These will be advertised in late April through RGU and UOS and will
be held end May 2017. Voluntary placements/ work experience will not be available. Contact out with the
planned visits should be avoided.
Contact Jim Bannerman,
information Principal Pharmacist
Pharmacy Department,
Raigmore Hospital,
Perth Road,
Inverness IV2 3UJ
jim.bannerman@nhs.net
www.nhshighland.scot.nhs.uk
 NHS Lanarkshire
Organisation NHS Lanarkshire is the third largest Health Board in Scotland serving a population of over 650,000 people and
& is conveniently located within commuting distance of Glasgow, Edinburgh and most of the central belt.
background
Acute services are provided on three large District General Hospitals, each of which delivers core inpatient
clinical specialties such as A&E, medicine (cardio, GI, resp, endocrine), general and vascular surgery,
oncology, critical care, orthopaedics, coronary care and care of the elderly. Regional services as described
below:
Hairmyres Hospital, East Kilbride (492 beds)
The site hosts one of only two Cardiac Catheterisation Centres in the West of Scotland: state of the art
catheterisation laboratories for diagnosis and treatment of blood vessel blockages around the heart. A regional
Medicines Information unit is based in the pharmacy, serving both NHSL and NHS Forth Valley.
Monklands Hospital, Airdrie (535 beds)
Centralised services for renal patients, inpatient ENT, dermatology, haematology, infectious diseases including
HIV and hepatitis. Monklands Hospital is currently involved in a pilot of electronic prescribing (HEPMA). The
regional Cancer Care team won the Pharmacy Team of The Year award in 2013.
Wishaw General Hospital, Wishaw (626 beds)
Wishaw General Hospital includes the third largest maternity unit in Scotland, a paediatric and neonatal unit.
The pharmacy Women and Children Team won the Team of the Year award in 2011.

Hairmyres and Monklands hospitals each have a central pharmacy department that accommodates the
dispensary, aseptic unit, procurement and clinical offices. The pharmacy service within Wishaw General is
provided from a network of nine pharmacy workstations and two aseptic areas located over the three floors of
the hospital. All sites use the patients’ own drugs (POD) scheme which effectively reduces waste and
facilitates timely supply of discharge medicines.

Pharmacy staff participate in collaborative regional and national working with a number of senior pharmacists
undertaking area-wide responsibilities. Each pharmacy department boasts a diverse range of clinical expertise
and both youth and experience with many pharmacists practising as Pharmacist Independent Prescribers or
actively working towards this. The pharmacy team has also won awards through the United Kingdom Clinical
Pharmacy Association in Education and Training, Pain and Leadership. The organisation is committed to
maintaining excellent standards in the education and training of pharmacists at all levels.
 NHS Lanarkshire
Vacational Hairmyres, Wishaw General and Monklands Hospitals will all offer 2 three-week placements.
placements
proposed Placements provide a variety of training in the dispensary, distribution, medicines information, aseptic unit and
broad exposure to clinical pharmacy.
Further Small group visits will be arranged. These will be advertised through the Universities and students will be
opportunities asked to write a short statement which may be used for short listing. These visits will be held June/July 2017.

Will not respond to emails received for the first time after June 2017.
Contact Peter Buckner
information Education and Training Pharmacist
Based at Wishaw Hospital
01698 366647
peter.buckner@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
Hairmyres Hospital Mrs Karen Patterson Head of Pharmacy 01355 584885
Monklands Hospital Mrs Alexa Wall Head of Pharmacy 01236 712560
Wishaw General Hospital Mrs Gail Richardson Head of Pharmacy 01698 366192
 NHS Lothian
Organisation The NHS Lothian Pharmacy Service is committed to providing outstanding patient-centred pharmaceutical
& care. It is managed as a single system within which primary and secondary care services are integrated and
background aspire to meet patients’ pharmaceutical needs as they move across care settings. The service serves a
population of approximately 800,000 people living in Edinburgh and the Lothian region. Users of the service
have influenced the Pharmacy Strategy which details a delivery plan for Pharmacy services over the next few
years under the following themes: patient experience, patient safety through quality, efficiency and productivity,
and pharmacy workforce. Many specialist clinical services are delivered from Lothian hospitals. For example,
the Western General Hospital hosts the Regional Cancer Centre, Infectious Diseases and Clinical
Neurosciences Units. The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh hosts the Scottish Liver Transplant Centre and other
specialist services such as maternity, accident & emergency, cardiac surgery, renal unit and orthopaedic
surgery. St John’s Hospital hosts the burns and plastic surgery unit and there is a separate Royal Hospital for
Sick Children (the new Royal Hospital for Sick Children will be situated beside the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
and is planned to open 2018). All acute sites provide general clinical services. The Regional Medicines
Information Centre hosts the Scottish yellow card centre for reporting adverse drug reactions and is located in
the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Hospitals within the primary care division include mental health, care of the
elderly and rehabilitation services.

The Pharmacy service is delivered by over 300 members of staff. There is a structured approach to personal
and workforce development to ensure Pharmacy services continue to meet developing patient needs. Formal
links with academic institutions and with NHS Education for Scotland facilitates a partnership approach to the
development and delivery of formal education and training for Pharmacists and Pharmacy support staff.
Vacational The following hospitals will each host two placements:
placements • The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, St John’s Hospital, Royal Edinburgh Hospital
proposed (all two week placements)
• Royal Hospital for Sick Children (one week placements)

Placements are offered on a voluntary basis.

 NHS Lothian
Further Small group visits will be arranged and students will be invited based on preferences listed in national summer
opportunities vacational scheme application form and scoring during the recruitment process. Further work experience/day
visits will not be available.
Will not respond to emails received for the first time after closing date of national summer vacational scheme.
Contact Caroline Souter
information Principal Pharmacist
NHS Lothian Pharmacy Education, Research & Development
Pharmacy Department
Western General Hospital
Edinburgh
EH4 2XU
e-mail carolinesouter@nhs.net
NHS Lothian website: http://www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
 NHS Tayside
Organisation The NHS Tayside Pharmacy Service provides primary and secondary care services across the three locality
& areas from Perth and Kinross, Dundee and Angus regions.
background
Acute services are provided at Ninewells and Perth Royal Infirmary teaching hospitals and Stracathro Hospital
in Brechin. Development of integrated team working has resulted in many pharmacists working across the
traditional sector interfaces and as a result of this the board has moved to offering hospital placements as part
of the NES modular programme for the 2017/18 programme. The Board is committed to providing
undergraduate students the rare opportunity to experience working within the hospital setting whilst also
providing an opportunity for successful summer students to visit the primary care setting.

Within the acute setting, pharmacists are integrated with the clinical teams and involved in the education and
training for medical students, junior medical staff and other health care professionals. Rotational junior
pharmacists undertake the NES Foundation Hospital training programme and support the work of the senior
pharmacists. Automation has allowed redesign of the Distribution and Dispensary services across the area.
This service is led by pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, supported by teams of rotational pharmacy
technicians, pharmacists and support staff. The Medicines Information Centre is integrated with, and provides
day-to-day support to the Clinical Pharmacy team. The service is widely used by doctors and pharmacists in
hospitals and primary care throughout Tayside.
Vacational NHS Tayside participates in the Scottish hospital vacational programme offering voluntary two-week summer
placements placements to students. Placements will involve both hospital and primary care experience.
proposed
Further Small group site visits will be arranged. These will be advertised through RGU and UOS university intranets.
opportunities Likely to be held end May/ June 2017. Voluntary placements/ work experience will not be available.
Will not respond to emails received for the first time after June 2017.
Contact Mrs Deborah Stafford
information Pre registration Manager & Principal Pharmacist Education, training and development
Pharmacy Department, Level 5, Ninewells Hospital, Ninewells Avenue, Dundee DD1 9SY
Email: deborah.stafford1@nhs.net
Telephone: 01382 740152