2010 press releases
Posted 27 March 2010
Ireland’s First Pharmacy Technician Conference Held at AIT
The first pharmacy technician conference to be held in Ireland took place in Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) today Saturday, 27 March.
Some 165 delegates attended the one-day event, including students currently undertaking pharmacy technician programmes, graduates of these courses, as well as those working as pharmacy technicians in Ireland. Mary O’Rourke TD officially opened the conference.
A new National Association of Community Pharmacy Technicians was formed at the conference that will, for the first time, provide a forum to represent technicians working in the community pharmacy sector. The NACPT will aim to enhance members’ professionalism through continuing professional development and to increase understanding of the work performed by pharmacy technicians.
Conference organiser and lecturer, Diane Patterson MPSI, said that: “As the pharmacy sector in Ireland seeks to adapt to the rollercoaster of change, pharmacy technicians also need to ensure that their knowledge and skills are up to date. This conference was an important first step in ensuring the ongoing professional development of technicians, as well as creating a forum for the sharing of experiences across the sector. It also creates a vibrant network for this growing community of knowledge workers.”
Dr Don Faller, Head of Department of Life and Physical Science, noted that: “In the five years since the higher certificate course for pharmacy technicians was introduced at AIT, more than 100 graduates have qualified from the programme. Some gained employment immediately as pharmacy technicians, while others have pursued further science qualifications or undertaken pharmacy degrees in the UK. Organising and hosting this conference was a further innovation by the institute in enhancing the careers of our science graduates,” he said.
Speakers at the conference included Dr Denis O’Driscoll, Chief Pharmacist in Addiction Services at the HSE (SWA) and coordinator of the Dispose of Unused Medicine Properly (DUMP) campaign; community pharmacist Noel Stenson; representatives of healthcare companies Nutricia – Bríd Downey – and Fleming Medical – Sheila Francis; as well as pharmacy technicians at Tallaght hospital, Sharon Curran Rae, Jennifer O’Meara, Caroline Monaghan and Yvonne Sheehan.
The Higher Certificate in Science (Pharmacy Technician) is a two-year programme offered by AIT. Demand for the course has risen steadily in recent years with some 30 students registered annually. Students undertake ten weeks practice placement in each year of the course. Application to the full-time offering is through the CAO (code AL041), while candidates interested in studying the course on a part-time basis should contact AIT’s Admissions Office.
