BPSA Eastern Area Autumn Conference 2014 - Haematology

Updates and pictures from the recent BPSA conference! In this post, we'll be adding in comments from our very own coursemates. Let's hear what they have to say about this event!

The event was a great success, with a turnout of more than 300 delegates. Kudos!

Michael Champion, the Eastern Area Coordinator who organized this event, kick starting the show!

The Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) group delivering the first talk on "Advances in anticoagulation".

"I thoroughly enjoyed the BPSA conference at the University of Hertfordshire. The sessions were very interesting, particularly the interactive session by CPPE looking at the advances in anticoagulation and looking at case studies. I now have a greater understanding of alternative anticoagulants such as: rivaroxaban and the limitations of warfarin. During the day I had the opportunity to talk to pharmacy students from different years which was useful. This was my first conference and I hope to attend future conferences. "

- Rachel Wild, 1st year student.

Honorary BPSA life-member, Vilius Savickas, giving out hot tips for pharmacy placements and the pre-reg year. 

"'I think I speak for most of us when I say, as a first years, attending a conference about a subject we have a limited knowledge about was a little bit daunting. However, I think the day gave us a good insight into things to come in our studies e.g. the International Normalised Ratio (INR) and its relevance, unfamiliar drug names (and their respective uses) and a brilliant presentation on an opportunity for summer placements in the Eastern Area. Many of the sessions were interactive (even humorous at times!) and the chance to win a shiny new textbook is always exciting. I, myself was very close, by having more bottle than most of the lecture hall, unfortunately a tricky pharmacology question about low-dose aspirin stood in the way of a new copy of 'FASTtrack Pharmacology' and I. All in all an exhausting yet enjoyable day, roll on the next one!’"

- Nicholas Kelly, 1st year student

A session by Ms. Narinder Kaur-Bring from the University of Hertfordshire, on the "History of blood".

"I had a great time at my first BPSA conference on Haematology. The case studies we took part in, held by the CPPE, really helped to consolidate my knowledge on haematology, and taught me some important new counselling points to tell patients about previous and new anticoagulants. It was fascinating to hear about the history of warfarin and to find out it was previously rat poison! The final session on shaping pharmacy for the future opened my eyes to some important issues surrounding pharmacy practice and the new steps that will be made to provide change for future pharmacists. Overall it was a very insightful day and gave me the chance to learn more about an area of pharmacy that I was interested in."

- Holly Meegan, 2nd year student.

David Branford from the RPS, discussing about the future of pharmacy and the "Five Year Forward View" paper by NHS England, which sets out how the health service needs to change in this new age of healthcare.

Nottingham, Hurrah!