To provide a snapshot of current staff utilisation, a questionnaire was sent to 248 Australian hospitals with an identified hospital pharmacy service. The data returned from 101 hospital pharmacy services provided a snapshot of where hospital pharmacists are currently working, what they spend their time doing, and the role of pre‐registration pharmacists and pharmacy support staff in providing hospital pharmacy services. Key findings of the responses from these 101 hospital pharmacy services showed that in 2000‐2001: 1. 129.16 of the 929.46 pharmacists establishment full‐time equivalent positions (14%) were vacant; 2. one in three hospital pharmacists worked part time; 3. one in three hospital pharmacists had a postgraduate qualification; and 4. on average 41 % of pharmacists' time was devoted to clinical services, 39% to distribution services and 16% to management activities. The full report is available at: http://www.shpa.org.au/documents/snapshotworkforce.pdf

Aim: To assess an automated drug distribution system implemented on four wards of a large teaching hospital. Method: Pyxis Medstation System 2000 Rx was configured and installed in four inpatient care areas at Royal Adelaide Hospital. These consisted of a medical ward, a surgical ward and two intensive care areas. The system was assessed over the seven weeks immediately following implementation and was compared to the previous systems of individual patient dispensing and imprest drug supplies. The process was assessed in terms of drug inventory, drug distribution, pharmacy staff requirements, missed doses, clinical interventions and nurse satisfaction. Results: The number of pharmaceutical line items available in patient care areas was increased by 324% using the controlled storage and delivery of the automated system. Over 95% of required items were available at ward level during the trial. Pharmacists' time was reduced by 46% and technicians' time was increased by 36%. The overall staff costs increased by 2.5%. Missed doses declined from 29% to 24%. The prescription turnaround time for items in Medstations was decreased by 88% compared to pharmacy-based dispensing. Dispensing interventions by pharmacists increased by 16%. Most nurses (91 % ) in the wards preferred the automated system and 54% of nurses in the intensive care areas thought the system should be adopted. Conclusion: Automated drug distribution was successfully implemented and demonstrated increased efficiency of drug supply and improved accountability. If implemented more widely, the system could allow pharmacists to focus on improving pharmaceutical care through increased clinical activities.

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