The role of a pharmacist

WRT the medical health team

Pharmacists are a special breed of healthcare professionals which belong locally to the Allied Health Division. Pharmacists stand in a position where there is a need to grasp what the Medical and Nursing divisions are doing to help the patient get the best out of their drug therapy and make sense of their medication. When in comes to medication, doctors usually have a rough gauge of what medication to use on patients. Nurses know how to administer the medication. Pharmacists have to know accurate dosing, manufacture, storage, stability, interactions and accurate dosing in certain age groups and co-morbidities in addition to the doctors' intentions in treatment as well as the methods of administration of the medication in order to safeguard the rational use of drugs as medical therapy and the patients' health.

We do not just give out medications on requests or just on doctor's orders - we have to ensure that anything given out is rational, safe and effective. We are not shopkeepers. We are drug therapists. We are all part of the healthcare team. We look forward to helping you get well soon and maintaining good health in you.