Ward pharmacists provide a clinical pharmacy service to inpatients at the WHCG. They visit patients and provide medication chart reviews through medication reconcilliation, monitor the patients progress and provide patient medication counselling/education, medication profiles and consumer medicines information (CMI) pamphlets. Pharmacists educate patients, ensuring they know what medications they are on, why they are on them, how to take them correctly and their side effects.

Pharmacists provide medication information and in-service education to nurses, doctors, patients and the general public.  They may advise the health care staff on the dosages, administration, potential interactions, monitoring requirements, adverse effects, availability and cost of medicines.  They may participate in hospital quality assurance projects that aim to minimise medication errors.

Pharmacists participate on many important committees in the hospital ensuring the promotion of appropriate, effective and safe medication use for patients at the Wimmera Health Care Group.

Pharmacists may also provide community education lectures through the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program, Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program, Diabetes Program and the Falls Prevention and Balance Program. 

Areas of special interest:

• Clinical pharmacy:  working on the wards alongside other health care professionals to aid patient care
• Drug information pharmacy: provide answers to queries based on evidenced based literature searches and evaluation of published literature
• Drug Use Evaluation: ongoing monitoring of prescribing patterns and development of guidelines to improve quality use of medicines
• Outpatient/dispensary pharmacy:  supply of appropriate medication in a safe and timely manner

Additional Information
8.30am - 5.00pm, Mon - Fri
Closed on public holidays

Fees
Fees apply

Area Serviced
Wimmera region

Eligibility
Prescription must be written by a Doctor at the Hospital.

Initial Contact
Pharmacist

Updated:  February 2009