We are celebrating some firsts in relation to our credentialing process: the first Pharmacy Technician to credential with the College, and the first person to be awarded the CMHP Foundation Certificate.
First Pharmacy Technician to credential with the College
Katherine Watkinson is a pharmacy technician and Head of Medicines Optimisation and Pharmacy Services at Turning Point. Turning Point is a social enterprise, providing health and social care services which support people with their substance use, mental health and learning disabilities across England. During the credentialling process Katherine was recognised for her consistent person-centred approach.
Katherine says she is delighted to be the first pharmacy technician to credential with CMHP and hopes to share her experience to encourage and support other pharmacy technicians on their credentialling journey.
First Foundation Certificate Awarded
Jarvin Tan is a pharmacist based in the Philippines. His current roles focus on two key areas: (1) lobbying for progressive mental health policy starting with the passage of the Philippine Mental Health Act back in 2018 up to the more recent assistance with the Pharmacotherapeutic Guidelines for the Medicine Access Program for Mental Health for Primary and Secondary Care Facilities, and (2) advocating for the local pharmacy profession's involvement in mental healthcare and advocacy starting with integration of mental health into all levels of the national pharmacy curriculum of the Philippines.
He says: “Our Department of Health released the National Strategic Plan for Mental Health 2019-2023 as part of the implementation of our Mental Health Act, and one key strategy to achieve the outcome "Improved Access to Mental Health Services in All Levels of Care" involves the development of course materials on mental health for health professions curricula. The implementing Rules and Regulations of the Mental Health Act states this is to be done together with mental health professionals, defined in the Act as "appropriately-trained and qualified" in providing mental health services. This is what motivated me to work on the qualifications aspect by applying for the Foundation Certificate with the College of Mental Health Pharmacy.”
With an increasing number of courses being offered online, Jarvin was able to attend our Psych 2 course and one of the British Association of Pyschopharmacology clinical certificate modules before becoming eligible to apply for the Foundation Certificate. Despite the differences in the practice landscapes of the UK and the Philippines, the viva allowed him to demonstrate the competencies in the Foundation Certificate.
Successes in the Autumn viva
Alongside Katherine and Jarvin we have two more newly credentialed members to announce: Kate Southern and Meryem Zhang.
Kate Southern is a Specialist Mental Health Pharmacist and Non-medical prescriber at Hafan Y Coed, University Hospital Llandough. She has worked as a Specialist Mental Health Pharmacist in South Wales for several years, in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
She said: “I am really pleased to be credentialled and to back the CMHP with the work that they do. The process was supported, and having senior peers assess your practice was very useful and a huge confidence boost.”
Meryem Zhang is a Pharmacist at Sheffield Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. She is currently on maternity leave, having just managed to attend her viva shortly before her leave. We wish her well during the coming months.
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