Sarah Pontefract

Sarah Pontefract, lecturer in clinical pharmacy and therapeutics, University of Birmingham

What do you do? and what is a typical week for you?

I am a pharmacist, Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, and a Doctoral research fellow. My typical week comprises teaching of both pharmacy and medical students. For pharmacy undergraduates, I largely teach within the ‘professional practice’ domain, and work to ensure clinical content is integrated across all core modules, such as chemistry and health, disease and therapeutics. For medical undergraduates, I work with a Clinical Pharmacologist to deliver 5th year therapeutics teaching for the management of the acutely ill patient, and prepare students for the national Prescribing Safety Assessment.

Throughout my working week, I conduct research relating to the use of Electronic Patient Records, medication errors and medicines optimisation. I co-lead a national working group to integrate EPRs into undergraduate education, so that students across all healthcare disciplines can acquire the clinical and non-technical skills to prescribe and manage medicines for patients in an electronic environment. Importantly, our working group aims to develop digital competency and resilience in the digital setting, rather than proficiency in the use of a specific system. I have an interest in communication in healthcare, and how new technologies can impact on this in practice.

Finally, I am the Editorial Lead for the SCRIPT eLearning programme. SCRIPT comprises numerous modules across a wide range of subjects relating to prescribing and therapeutics. The resource is available to all Foundation trainee doctors, Foundation dentists, and Specialist Paediatric trainees in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The overarching aim of the programme is to improve prescribing competency of healthcare professionals, to optimise treatments to benefit patient care.

What is your training background or career pathway to date?

I graduated from Aston University in 2003 and qualified as a pharmacist in 2004, working mainly in the hospital sector of care. During the early years of my career, I completed a postgraduate diploma in clinical pharmacy at Keele University. In 2010, I joined the University of Birmingham as the ‘Content and Editorial Manager’ for the SCRIPT eLearning programme. Here, I commenced a PhD to investigate the impact of electronic prescribing systems on pharmacist-physician communication in the hospital setting. In 2013, I was successfully awarded an NIHR Doctoral Research Fellowship to complete my research, and graduated as a Doctor of Philosophy in 2017.

How does your work link with Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics?

My teaching and research interest focus on safe therapeutics. I have a specialist interest in prescribing safety, which naturally aligns with the national Prescribing Safety Assessment. I author for the assessment and am also involved with the standard setting of questions. In my role as Editorial Lead for the SCRIPT elearning programme, I oversee the development of content relating to safe prescribing, and the dissemination of the resource nationally.

I work collaboratively with a clinical pharmacologist to deliver therapeutics teaching for medical students. Our approach is complementary, and reinforces to students the importance of interprofessional working.

I conduct research into the use of electronic patient records relating to the safe management of medicines—an area that clinical pharmacologists take a special interest in, particularly relating to safe prescribing and reducing adverse events.

How has working with a clinical pharmacologist been of benefit?

I am fortunate enough to work with three clinical pharmacologists at the University of Birmingham, all of which have different areas of interest relating to therapeutics. All are research active, which encouraged me to collaborate on projects, and commence a PhD. Their guidance has been invaluable in my development to become an independent researcher, not only in relation to research skills and governance, but also personal effectiveness, engagement, and impact.

Working with clinical pharmacologists has provided opportunities to be involved with undergraduate medical teaching, development of therapeutics assessments, and access to national and international networks for both research and education.



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