During the COVID pandemic a number of field hospitals were opened across Wales. In Hywel Dda University Health Board a field hospital called Ysbyty Enfys Caerfyrddin was opened and the primary care medicines optimisation pharmacy team were deployed to assist in the medicines management of this site.
To assist the nursing staff and improve patient safety pharmacy technicians were trained to administer medication to patients. This was the first time this had been done in Hywel Dda and the first time in Wales it had been done in a field hospital. Staff gained experience and completed training to deem them competent in this task.
It ultimately saved nursing time allowing them to spend the extra time with patients and improved patient safety as medication was given promptly with all appropriate checks being completed. Patients were able to discuss medication queries with the most suitable person at time of administration, no doses were omitted during the time of the pharmacy technicians administering medication. If there was a problem with taking medication they could intervene by discussing with the prescriber and rectifying the problem promptly.
