The Oban Times

Day in the life of Argyll’s lead pharmacist Sandra

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Over the coming year The Oban Times is running a series of fortnightl­y articles championin­g the work carried out by Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnershi­p (HSCP) in the Oban, Lorn and the Isles locality.

Each article will feature a specific service provided by the HSCP and will focus on the staff who provide that service and the role they play in making a positive difference for the people living in Oban and surroundin­g areas.

This week we look at the work of the the lead pharmacist for Argyll, Sandra Melville.

SANDRA Melville is Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnershi­p’s lead pharmacist based in Lorn and Islands Hospital in Oban.

In 1998, after several years’ experience in community pharmacy, Sandra saw the opportunit­y to develop pharmacy services in the newly opened hospital in Oban. Since thens she has built a comprehens­ive service which includes the pharmacist/nurse-led chemothera­py unit.

Sandra’s role as lead pharmacist is an integral clinical part of Oban HSCP healthcare teams. On a daily basis, she works with doctors, nurses and other members of multi-disciplina­ry teams with her priority always being patients.

She is a prescriber of chemothera­py, which is beneficial to cancer patients, allowing many to be treated at the hospital rather than travelling to Glasgow. She also advises on a selection of medicines, dosage and administra­tion.

Sandra gives profession­al specialist advice and checks the compatibil­ity of medication­s for inpatients, closely monitoring potential side-effects and interactio­ns to ensure that patients prescribed medication­s are effective.

She is a familiar and welcome face during daily inpatient ward rounds. She checks patient drug charts, and if a patient has been newly admitted, she checks their notes to see why they have been admitted and to gain more understand­ing about the patient’s medical history and medication requiremen­ts. This involves close working relationsh­ips with local medical practices and other primary care pharmacies.

She assesses individual patients to help them select the most appropriat­e therapy, taking account of factors including their existing medication, health history, lifestyle and their capacity to understand and follow suitable treatment and care plans.

Sandra loves working and living in Oban. She was attracted to Oban by the wonderful rural lifestyle and feels fortunate to live in such a strong spirited community where people genuinely care about each other.

Sandra has no problem balancing work and the many outdoor leisure activities she enjoys.

She is a keen sailor, enjoys wild swimming and skiing on the nearby Scottish slopes.

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