Are pharmacists sufficiently trained?

Riverwalk

By coy I meant why the reluctance to say what you mean? You mentioned NF, the OP asked what that was, you replied that you'd rather not describe it. She didn't ask you to describe it, just what it was.

so now you know.

Haha you ll be fine Wwm
Keep an eye on it if it gets any reddening or lines from it then get your anti biotics asap

has the redness got bigger, OP ?
initially you said it was clearing up, then said it was worse ?
perhaps i've misunderstood.
tell me to myob.
all the best.

By coy I meant why the reluctance to say what you mean? You mentioned NF, the OP asked what that was, you replied that you'd rather not describe it. She didn't ask you to describe it, just what it was.

Oh blimey.

This is the first and last time I’m mentioning anything medical on GN.

I have been googling since this thread and am now in a mild state of panic!

I’m not good with anything medical and should just have shut up I think

not being coy. strange word.
the whole thing is still trauma laden.
guess that makes me a snowflake. so be it.
don't want to see, know of, anyone going through anything like that if it can be avoided.
which it often can, if dealt with in a timely manner.

Don't be be coy welbeck - you mentioned NF, presumably you mean necrotising fasciitis.

It's not simply a case of people being right or wrong about infection - without tests to verify. Although overprescribing of antibiotics is a general problem, the elderly shouldn't have to take any chances or just wait and see.

let's hope you never see NF in real life.
i'd rather not describe it if you don't mind.
but i'd much rather anyone took anbx than risk it or sepsis.
soft tissue infections can gallop away, and some people underestimate the damage they can do.
like with bites, human or animal, if they break the skin, go to hosp/ urgent care. urgently.

Saying what I was trying to say that is.

Riverwalk

Pharmacists are sufficiently trained for their current role and would be capable of correctly prescribing ABX for say chest infections or UTIs - but most high street pharmacists would not have seen many infected foot blisters, whereas a nurse in Minor Injuries would.

I assume in their forthcoming role they won't be expected to prescribe for all illnesses, that's what we have doctors for.

And you

Callistemon21

Calipso

Whitewavemark2

I give up.

None of you have got the point. If she now had the ability to prescribe and give me an oral antibiotic she would have done so. But it would have been the wrong diagnosis. And she would have given a patient antibiotics that were unnecessary.

In fairness to the pharmacist, infection cannot be definitively proven or excluded without a swab being taken. There may be strong indicators for infection such as green pus or offensive smell but in the absence of such factors, the clinician has to go on basis of probability. How often will a GP prescribe antibiotics for a suspected urinary infection without waiting for culture results from a urine sample?

Over-prescribing of antibiotics is a potential hazard.

However, with a UTI, speed of treatment is often essential as it could turn to sepsis.
A soft tissue infection be cellulitis which needs prompt treatment.

I hope it gets better soon without the need for antibiotics, Whitewave and you can enjoy your holiday.

You have said exactly what I was trying to say.

could be

Calipso

Whitewavemark2

I give up.

None of you have got the point. If she now had the ability to prescribe and give me an oral antibiotic she would have done so. But it would have been the wrong diagnosis. And she would have given a patient antibiotics that were unnecessary.

In fairness to the pharmacist, infection cannot be definitively proven or excluded without a swab being taken. There may be strong indicators for infection such as green pus or offensive smell but in the absence of such factors, the clinician has to go on basis of probability. How often will a GP prescribe antibiotics for a suspected urinary infection without waiting for culture results from a urine sample?

Over-prescribing of antibiotics is a potential hazard.

However, with a UTI, speed of treatment is often essential as it could turn to sepsis.
A soft tissue infection be cellulitis which needs prompt treatment.

I hope it gets better soon without the need for antibiotics, Whitewave and you can enjoy your holiday.

Pharmacists are sufficiently trained for their current role and would be capable of correctly prescribing ABX for say chest infections or UTIs - but most high street pharmacists would not have seen many infected foot blisters, whereas a nurse in Minor Injuries would.

I assume in their forthcoming role they won't be expected to prescribe for all illnesses, that's what we have doctors for.

Totally agree Calypso I have happily sort advice from a pharmacist and only yesterday advised a friend who had a nasty wound from an over exuberant new puppy to do so
The pharmacist advised Aand E and my friend was a bit miffed as she thought it would all heal itself however she went and ended up having a tetanus jab and antibiotics

welbeck

please keep a close eye on that toe, OP.
and don't delay to seek antbx if there is any spread.

What is NF? Or is it better I didn’t know😧😧😮😮

please keep a close eye on that toe, OP.
and don't delay to seek antbx if there is any spread.

Wish I hadn’t started the thread now. 😄

Whitewavemark2

I give up.

None of you have got the point. If she now had the ability to prescribe and give me an oral antibiotic she would have done so. But it would have been the wrong diagnosis. And she would have given a patient antibiotics that were unnecessary.

In fairness to the pharmacist, infection cannot be definitively proven or excluded without a swab being taken. There may be strong indicators for infection such as green pus or offensive smell but in the absence of such factors, the clinician has to go on basis of probability. How often will a GP prescribe antibiotics for a suspected urinary infection without waiting for culture results from a urine sample?

Well, I am an ordinary woman off the street. Clueless about anything medical and followed government guidelines by initially consulting a pharmacist. All I can say is that she seemed confident that she will eventually prescribe antibiotics. I found the consultant pharmacy by looking at the NHS site.

I suppose it is possible that she was right and the clinicians wrong. Time will tell I suppose when my toe drops off - it is still red, swollen and sore.

Not sure what else I could have done.

Whitewavemark2

I give up.

None of you have got the point. If she now had the ability to prescribe and give me an oral antibiotic she would have done so. But it would have been the wrong diagnosis. And she would have given a patient antibiotics that were unnecessary.

I think I have got the point! I wrote that I think that when pharmacists can prescribe antibiotics, there's a danger they will be over-prescribed. I don't think that's to do with lack of training. Your foot might have been infected for all I know, so it might have been the correct diagnosis, but the human body is very good at fighting minor infections and antibiotics aren't always necessary. Unless the doctors did a swab and waited for the results they didn't know either. That doesn't mean that they wouldn't have killed the infection more quickly.

Whitewavemark2

I give up.

None of you have got the point. If she now had the ability to prescribe and give me an oral antibiotic she would have done so. But it would have been the wrong diagnosis. And she would have given a patient antibiotics that were unnecessary.

I did get the point Whitewavemerk, I can’t have explained what I meant clearly enough, sorry. If the pharmacist was an independent prescriber, which we don’t know, she would be working within a patient group directive, which has very tight criteria around when to prescribe antibiotics. She was flying a kite by telling you she would prescribe antibiotics, because there isn’t yet a patient group directive in England for her to follow.

Whitewavemark2

It isn’t a question of not trusting the pharmacist - you are reading something that is not there.

It is a question of whether the pharmacist has had sufficient training. I would say no by my experience. And no one should prescribe antibiotics to cover themselves! That is plain ridiculous.

We don't know if you saw a fully trained pharmacist who would be as well if not better trained than a nurse but areas of expertise and specialism are different.

Our local hospital consultants consider pharmacists sufficiently knowledgeable to be able deal with patients for routine appointments as part of their teams.

I give up.

None of you have got the point. If she now had the ability to prescribe and give me an oral antibiotic she would have done so. But it would have been the wrong diagnosis. And she would have given a patient antibiotics that were unnecessary.