An Australian perspective

Abstract

Discussing the future of UK clinical pharmacology, eight Australasian clinical pharmacologists emphasized the need to make the discipline 'indispensable' in key areas. The visibility of clinical pharmacology in Australasia has been improved by working with the Consumers' Health Forum in Australia in the construction of the national Policy on Quality Use of Medicines and, later, of the formal National Medicines Policy. Our expertise in clinical pharmacology, combined with the Health Forum's political skills, proved a potent force for launching these policies. A second example was the construction of the national prescribing curriculum in partnership with the National Prescribing Service. This is being used in all medical schools with senior students. At a local level we found that taking over clinical toxicology services (that other clinicians wanted to jettison) provided a stimulus to clinical research and later the formation of a productive subgroup to study the special problems of envenomation. Fourthly, we note that no clinical pharmacology unit in UK is designated as a WHO collaborating centre. Considerable difference can be made to national problems with medicines by clinical pharmacologists willing to work for periods within developing countries. This has given a greater profile to several groups in Australia. The principle of stepping out of conventional settings and actively seeking collaboration with other groups beyond our discipline has enhanced the profile of the discipline in Australasia and could do the same in the UK.

Factors influencing the development and implementation of advanced radiographer practice in Australia – a qualitative study using an interpretative phenomenological approach

“…While there was divergence of views on this matter, the case for change must be made clear, and some participants view that this had been most strongly pushed by researchers over the past decade . The participants agreed that education initiatives must be changed dramatically and a Masters degree would be a standard requirement.

For an advanced practitioner we really need to be looking at Master's level, combined between what they might do in‐house on the job .

…”

“…The change to practitioner status in some other allied health disciplines (e.g. nurse practitioner, sonographers) has already occurred in Australia …”

“…nurse practitioner, sonographers) has already occurred in Australia. 10 In April 2012, the Australian Institute of Radiography (AIR) convened a workshop (Inter Profession Advisory Taskforce -IPAT) meeting with representatives from the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR), amongst others, to progress an advanced clinical role for registered radiographers with a summary of thirteen recommendations. 11 The UK and the USA have introduced the Radiographer Advanced Practice Model into their jurisdictions and all share the same healthcare challenges of ageing populations, increasing healthcare delivery and service requirements and decreasing ratios of radiologists to support the increased demands.…”