NPPG Affiliated and Regional Groups

The NPPG wishes to assist and support the set up and activities of Affiliated Groups (both National topic specific groups and Regional groups). The purpose of these groups is to help facilitate appropriate and efficient use of medicines and pharmaceutical care in the neonatal and paediatric population.

Affiliated Groups must have a nominated chair (and in the case of regional groups there must also be a link person from the NPPG committee), Terms of Reference (in line with the aims of the NPPG) should be maintained as should be a listed membership. There should also be a list of non-NPPG member who belong to affiliated groups, though any non-NPPG members should be encouraged to join NPPG..

Advice and endorsement may be requested from the NPPG committee to support affiliated groups for meetings, projects or study days (all referred to from this point on as “activities”).

• Affiliated Group Chairs must contact their NPPG Committee link early on in the planning phase of any activity with the title, learning objectives, venue, date, sponsors and delegate numbers.
• The Committee will ensure that the activity is in line with the NPPG objectives and that the content, sponsors, venue and date are in keeping with the ethos of the NPPG.
• A short activity report should be sent to the NPPG Committee within four weeks of the event. This will be shared with the full NPPG Committee and edited for inclusion in the NPPG newsletter

Chair: Claire O’Brien
Secretary: Peter Mulholland

Past chairs: Margaret Dolan (1994 – 1999); James Wallace (1999- 2011); Steve Bowhay (2011 – 2019)

The Scottish Neonatal And Paediatric Pharmacists group (SNAPP) was formed in February 1994 by the Chief Pharmacist for Scotland Bill Scott. Following a Scottish Office Home and Health Department letter on the Safe Use and Control of Medicines in Paediatrics he felt that this group would have a role to play in ensuring policies and procedures were in place in all hospitals to ensure the safe use of medicines in this particular patient group.

The aim of the group is  ‘ To improve the quality of Pharmaceutical care for neonatal and paediatric patients through communication, education, practice, research and audit’

The group has run a national pre-registration pharmacist study for paediatrics each year since 1999, recently in collaboration with NHS Education for Scotland. Working with NES they have also produced the distance learning pack below, which has been circulated worldwide.

The group has worked to standardise strengths of liquids used in paediatrics in Scotland and with the Scottish Patient Safety Programme to work towards reducing medication errors in children

In 2002 the group worked with National Procurement in Scotland to create a standard neonatal parenteral nutrition solution which was made available on a national purchasing contract. This bag has subsequently developed in line with emerging evidence on the subject.

Since 2008 the group has worked with the Scttish Medicines Consortium (SMC) to assess the suitability of new medicines for use in paediatrics in Scotland

The ongoing work of the group falls into three broad categories:

• Research and Development
• Education and Training
• Policy and Practice

The group meets four times a year and recently held its 105th meeting.

Terms of reference (June 2019)

Welcome to the Scandinavian Pediatric Pharmacist Group (SPPG). We are a non-profit organization for those who are interested in pediatric pharmacy (pharmaceutical knowledge on rational use of medicines in children), whether it is part of your job or you just think it’s an interesting area. SPPG was formed in spring 2001 with the aim to improve the pharmaceutical care of children, including by increasing awareness of pediatric pharmacy with pharmacists and other health professionals. In connection with the annual meeting is held every year a pediatric pharmacy conference. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in pediatric pharmacy and is active in the Nordic countries / Scandinavia. Members get access to our news and discussion forums. SPPG is an affiliated group of NPPG

Website

• 2017 Report
• 2016 Report
• 2015 Report

The NPPG wishes to support the set up and activities of Regional NPPG Groups on behalf of its members. The purpose of these groups is, through mutual education and support, to help facilitate appropriate and efficient use of medicines and pharmaceutical care in neonatal and paediatric patients within a given region of the UK.

In order to be recognised as a Regional Group they must have a nominated chair, Terms of Reference (in line with the aims of the NPPG) and a listed membership comprising a minimum of ten members who must all be members of NPPG itself.

Financial or secretarial support may be requested from the NPPG to support Regional Groups for meetings, projects or study days (all referred to from this point on as “activities”).

• The Committee should be informed in advance of any new Regional activities  to ensure that the activity is in line with the NPPG objectives and that the content, sponsors, venue, date are in keeping with the ethos of the NPPG.  In order to facilitate this, each regional group will have a nominated member of the Committee to act as a link.
• Events should be budgeted with a financial plan and aim to break even. The NPPG will underwrite the financial plans of study days run under their logo.
• A short yearly activity report should be sent to the NPPG Committee a minimum of 1 month before the annual conference for inclusion in the conference pack.
• The NPPG has access to administrative staff at Profile productions who will be able to support organisers with their events. Support can come in the form of advertising, contacting speakers, room and catering booking, organising feedback forms, photocopying handouts etc.

Current Regional Groups (August 2019):

• East Anglia
• London
• North-West England
• Northern Ireland
• South-West England
• Scotland – see SNAPP
• Wales