Table A1.
Scores (%) for the 68 competences for pharmacy practice as ranked by community and hospital pharmacists.
| Cluster | Seq. | Competence | Hospital Pharmacists | Community Pharmacists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cluster 7. Personal competences: learning and knowledge. | 1 | Ability to identify learning needs and to learn independently (including continuous professional development (CPD)). | 91.4 | 89.8 |
| 2 | Analysis: ability to apply logic to problem solving, evaluating pros and cons and following up on the solution found. | 96.7 | 91.1 | |
| 3 | Synthesis: capacity to gather and critically appraise relevant knowledge and to summarise the key points. | 94.0 | 87.9 | |
| 4 | Capacity to evaluate scientific data in line with current scientific and technological knowledge. | 88.0 | 75.8 | |
| 5 | Ability to interpret preclinical and clinical evidence-based medical science and apply the knowledge to pharmaceutical practice. | 89.3 | 75.9 | |
| 6 | Ability to design and conduct research using appropriate methodology. | 50.3 | 40.2 | |
| 7 | Ability to maintain current knowledge of relevant legislation and codes of pharmacy practice. | 84.0 | 91.7 | |
| Cluster 8. Personal competences: values. | 8 | Demonstrate a professional approach to tasks and human relations. | 90.1 | 94.5 |
| 9 | Demonstrate the ability to maintain confidentiality. | 92.1 | 95.3 | |
| 10 | Take full personal responsibility for patient care and other aspects of one’s practice. | 90.1 | 94.8 | |
| 11 | Inspire confidence in others through actions and advice. | 78.1 | 88.8 | |
| 12 | Demonstrate high ethical standards. | 92.1 | 95.2 | |
| Cluster 9. Personal competences: communication and organisational skills. | 13 | Effective communication skills (both orally and written). | 91.3 | 94.8 |
| 14 | Effective use of information technology. | 88.7 | 86.1 | |
| 15 | Ability to work effectively as part of a team. | 92.7 | 89.2 | |
| 16 | Ability to identify and implement legal and professional requirements relating to employment (e.g., for pharmacy technicians) and to safety in the workplace. | 77.2 | 81.0 | |
| 17 | Ability to contribute to the learning and training of staff. | 76.4 | 82.5 | |
| 18 | Ability to design and manage the development processes in the production of medicines. | 50.7 | 43.2 | |
| 19 | Ability to identify and manage risk and quality of service issues. | 78.5 | 79.2 | |
| 20 | Ability to identify the need for new services. | 63.5 | 64.5 | |
| 21 | Ability to communicate in English and/or locally relevant languages. | 78.9 | 74.1 | |
| 22 | Ability to evaluate issues related to quality of service. | 74.3 | 77.9 | |
| 23 | Ability to negotiate, understand a business environment and develop entrepreneurship. | 47.6 | 64.1 | |
| Cluster 10. Personal competences: knowledge of different areas of the science of medicines. | 24 | Plant and animal biology. | 16.8 | 39.3 |
| 25 | Physics. | 16.8 | 21.7 | |
| 26 | General and inorganic chemistry. | 33.8 | 43.9 | |
| 27 | Organic and medicinal/pharmaceutical chemistry. | 61.6 | 66.0 | |
| 28 | Analytical chemistry. | 45.2 | 41.9 | |
| 29 | General and applied biochemistry (medicinal and clinical). | 72.8 | 68.8 | |
| 30 | Anatomy and physiology; medical terminology. | 87.8 | 88.7 | |
| 31 | Microbiology. | 86.4 | 72.2 | |
| 32 | Pharmacology including pharmacokinetics. | 98.0 | 94.7 | |
| 33 | Pharmacotherapy and pharmaco-epidemiology. | 95.9 | 94.3 | |
| 34 | Pharmaceutical technology including analyses of medicinal products. | 70.1 | 62.0 | |
| 35 | Toxicology. | 77.4 | 74.0 | |
| 36 | Pharmacognosy. | 45.5 | 66.5 | |
| 37 | Legislation and professional ethics. | 81.6 | 89.5 | |
| Cluster 11. Personal competences: understanding of industrial pharmacy. | 38 | Current knowledge of design, synthesis, isolation, characterisation and biological evaluation of active substances. | 40.7 | 41.7 |
| 39 | Current knowledge of good manufacturing practice (GMP) and of good laboratory practice (GLP). | 71.9 | 59.4 | |
| 40 | Current knowledge of European directives on qualified persons (QPs). | 52.2 | 43.7 | |
| 41 | Current knowledge of drug registration, licensing and marketing. | 64.0 | 55.7 | |
| 42 | Current knowledge of good clinical practice (GCP). | 86.4 | 64.5 | |
| Cluster 12. Patient care competences: patient consultation and assessment. | 43 | Ability to perform and interpret medical laboratory tests. | 81.4 | 65.5 |
| 44 | Ability to perform appropriate diagnostic or physiological tests to inform clinical decision making e.g., measurement of blood pressure. | 60.8 | 73.6 | |
| 45 | Ability to recognise when referral to another member of the healthcare team is needed because a potential clinical problem is identified (pharmaceutical, medical, psychological or social). | 91.8 | 91.7 | |
| Cluster 13. Patient care competences: need for drug treatment. | 46 | Retrieval and interpretation of relevant information on the patient’s clinical background. | 92.3 | 84.0 |
| 47 | Retrieval and interpretation of an accurate and comprehensive drug history if and when required. | 95.8 | 91.5 | |
| 48 | Identification of non-adherence and implementation of appropriate patient intervention. | 92.2 | 86.8 | |
| 49 | Ability to advise to physicians and—in some cases—prescribe medication. | 93.6 | 87.6 | |
| Cluster 14. Patient care competences: drug interactions. | 50 | Identification, understanding and prioritisation of drug-drug interactions at a molecular level (e.g., use of codeine with paracetamol). | 94.5 | 91.6 |
| 51 | Identification, understanding, and prioritisation of drug-patient interactions, including those that preclude or require the use of a specific drug (e.g., trastuzumab for treatment of breast cancer in women with HER2 overexpression). | 93.1 | 89.7 | |
| 52 | Identification, understanding, and prioritisation of drug-disease interactions (e.g., NSAIDs in heart failure). | 97.9 | 96.6 | |
| Cluster 15. Patient care competences: provision of drug product. | 53 | Familiarity with the bio-pharmaceutical, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic activity of a substance in the body. | 88.8 | 81.2 |
| 54 | Supply of appropriate medicines taking into account dose, correct formulation, concentration, administration route and timing. | 96.5 | 94.9 | |
| 55 | Critical evaluation of the prescription to ensure that it is clinically appropriate and legal. | 95.8 | 94.0 | |
| 56 | Familiarity with the supply chain of medicines and the ability to ensure timely flow of drug products to the patient. | 87.4 | 84.6 | |
| 57 | Ability to manufacture medicinal products that are not commercially available. | 67.6 | 60.5 | |
| Cluster 16. Patient care competences: patient education. | 58 | Promotion of public health in collaboration with other actors in the healthcare system. | 72.2 | 82.6 |
| 59 | Provision of appropriate lifestyle advice on smoking, obesity, etc. | 68.8 | 80.9 | |
| 60 | Provision of appropriate advice on resistance to antibiotics and similar public health issues. | 88.9 | 93.1 | |
| Cluster 17. Patient care competences: provision of information and service. | 61 | Ability to use effective consultations to identify the patient’s need for information. | 88.7 | 90.9 |
| 62 | Provision of accurate and appropriate information on prescription medicines. | 96.5 | 94.4 | |
| 63 | Provision of informed support for patients in selection and use of non-prescription medicines for minor ailments (e.g., cough remedies ...). | 78.9 | 94.0 | |
| Cluster 18. Patient care competences: monitoring of drug therapy. | 64 | Identification and prioritisation of problems in the management of medicines in a timely manner and with sufficient efficacy to ensure patient safety. | 93.0 | 93.0 |
| 65 | Ability to monitor and report to all concerned in a timely manner, and in accordance with current regulatory guidelines on Good Pharmacovigilance Practices (GVPs), Adverse Drug Events and Reactions (ADEs and ADRs). | 85.9 | 83.4 | |
| 66 | Undertaking of a critical evaluation of prescribed medicines to confirm that current clinical guidelines are appropriately applied. | 86.3 | 80.6 | |
| Cluster 19. Patient care competences: evaluation of outcomes. | 67 | Assessment of outcomes on the monitoring of patient care and follow-up interventions. | 80.3 | 79.0 |
| 68 | Evaluation of cost effectiveness of treatment. | 76.6 | 61.2 |
The use of bold text designates competences where ranking frequencies showed a statistically significant difference using the chi-squared test (p > 0.05).