Pharmacy

The Dispensary dispenses oral medicine prescriptions, oral chemotherapy to patients and intravenous chemotherapy to clinical areas within the cancer centre and other day case areas across GGC. The staff also coordinate the Medication Home Delivery service which covers patients from all 4 Health Boards within the West of Scotland for patients who are assessed by telephone and not attending the Centre.

The dispensary offers advice to patients regarding their medication, including advice on how to take and store medicines and common side effects to look out for.

The unit prepares intravenous chemotherapy for day case and in patients within the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre and for patients attending Inverclyde Royal Hospital and Vale of Leven Hospital Chemotherapy Day Units.  Treatments are prepared and transported twice daily to the remote hospital sites.

A clinical trial is a research study designed to answer specific questions about new therapies or new ways of using known treatments.

Pharmacy is involved in clinical trials by managing the documentation and the drugs involved with each trial.

Clinical Cancer Care Pharmacists are based in pharmacy workstations in the clinical areas. Services include:

• Taking patient medication histories and performing medicines reconciliation for our in patients
• Reviewing patients for disease symptom control, side-effects of chemotherapy and verifying all treatment and discharge prescriptions
• General medication advice to patients, medical and nursing staff and ensuring that all medication is used effectively.

A number of the Clinical Pharmacists are qualified non medical prescribers and have their own clinic lists. They work alongside medical prescribers assessing patients and prescribing their cancer treatments.