Welcome from the Chair of the Scientific Committee and the Workshop President

Dear colleagues,

We are proud to invite you to join the Spring Workshop of the European Society of Clinical Pharmacy in Egmond aan Zee, The Netherlands, from 7-8 April 2025.

This spring workshop will focus on the highly important and evolving role of the prescribing pharmacist. As healthcare systems face mounting pressures with increasing demands from aging populations, rising comorbidities and resource limitations, innovative solutions are essential. Expanding pharmacists’ roles to include prescribing is emerging as a promising way to maintain accessible, high-quality care.

In some countries, pharmacists now hold independent or dependent prescribing authority, allowing them to assess, make clinical decisions, and prescribe medications. Independent prescribing, as in the UK, enables pharmacists to prescribe autonomously without physician oversight, while dependent prescribing, as seen in New Zealand, involves a collaborative approach. Both models have been proven safe and effective, but their successful implementation depends on addressing key considerations, from ensuring appropriate competencies to navigating regulatory frameworks.

The prescribing pharmacist model presents unique challenges and opportunities. How can pharmacist prescribing best be integrated across diverse healthcare settings? What skills, knowledge, and support do pharmacists need to excel in this role? What impact does pharmacist prescribing have on team collaboration, patient outcomes, and the professional identity of pharmacists? These are essential questions that clinical pharmacists must address as they embrace new responsibilities in patient care.

At the ESCP Spring Workshop in Egmond aan Zee, participants will explore real-world applications of prescribing practices, hear from experienced prescribing pharmacists, and discuss the practicalities of expanding this role. Through a blend of keynote presentations, interactive sessions, and networking, attendees will gain insights and tools to drive the prescribing pharmacist model forward, improving patient access to timely and appropriate medication care.

The ESCP Workshop in Egmond aan Zee is an excellent opportunity to enjoy discussions with specialists and share experience with others from all around Europe, in the city by the North Sea.

Looking forward to meeting you in Egmond aan Zee, The Netherlands in April 2025,

                                                         

Dr. Monika Lutters, Switzerland                                              Dr. Ankie Hazen

ESCP President and Chair Scientific Committee               Chair of the Organizing and Scientific Committee of the ESCP Spring Workshop