Community pharmacies increasingly offer a range of veterinary medicines (particularly parasiticides) alongside their products for humans. It goes without saying that pharmacy staff need to be as competent in advising pet owners about these medicines as they are in advising human customers. But until now, there has only been a limited range of learning options to develop their knowledge of veterinary medicine.
Pharmacists can study for formal veterinary pharmacy qualifications, but many will not want, or need, to go this far; and although some training is offered by veterinary pharmaceutical companies, in the main these courses will be aimed at increasing sales of specific products, rather than providing impartial, evidence-based education.
Veterinary Medicines CPD is a new, independent learning resource that is specifically designed for pharmacy staff and other professionals involved in the supply of veterinary treatments. A subscription, which costs £7.50 per month, gives access to a library of succinct and easy to follow e-modules that cover a wide range of topics on the use of veterinary medicines.
The modules on companion animal parasiticides not only include up-to-date advice on parasite control, they really help with understanding the wide product range and explain the differences between prescription and non-prescription products. The modules will enable pharmacy staff to give accurate, up-to-date and impartial advice on parasite control that will support sales and increase the likelihood of the safe and successful use of the treatments.
To find out more, to browse the modules and to subscribe, visit our website: https//cpd.veterinaryprescriber.org
Veterinary Medicines CPD was started by Andrea Tarr, a pharmacist with a long career in producing independent information on human medicines (through Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin) and the founder and director of Veterinary Prescriber, an independent reference and learning resource on veterinary medicines for veterinary surgeons.