Clinical pharmacists promote appropriate, effective and safe medication use for patients within the hospital. By working as part of a health care team, we are able to closely monitor patient drug therapy and make recommendations on the selection of the best medication for a patient's condition, the correct dose and duration of therapy. We can specifically tailor the medication choice or dose-form to be most appropriate for your patient.

We are available to advise doctors, nurses and other hospital staff on any medication issues. We provide advice on the effects, administration, availability, cost and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) status of drugs. Valuable information resources are available in the department and may be accessed by all hospital staff.

We provide medication counselling for patients and their parents and communicate information through educational strategies including the use of consumer medicines information (CMI) leaflets.

By working closely with nursing staff, we can make it easier for patients to take medicine or make complicated administration regimens less complex. We regularly present education sessions to nursing staff on a wide range of topics.

Specific drug levels in the blood require monitoring, and with our knowledge of the issues involved we can help to prevent potentially life-threatening adverse effects and drug interactions, as well as advising on changes in dosing and frequency. At other times, we may advise on deleting tests for drug levels that would otherwise prove unnecessary or unhelpful.

Through coordination of the  Adverse Drug Reaction program, we aim to detect untoward interactions and side effects, document and treat them and where possible, prevent them. This service ensures professional reporting and follow-up of adverse effects.

Many of our pharmacists undertake extra education and training and have further qualifications to assist in providing high quality services. Some of our pharmacists have postgraduate diplomas or fellowships. In addition to a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree, clinical pharmacists at this hospital develop specific skills in paediatric pharmacy and may further specialise their knowledge in a given area.

The traditional supply role of the pharmacy remains an important one, and the hospital pharmacists in conjunction with pharmacy technicians ensure that all medications are available when and where they are needed.