SILCC Host Profile: Linden Ashfield

Date: 

Tuesday, May 14, 2019 - 10:15

How was your experience as a SILCC Host? Would you host again a SILCC Fellow?

Our experience in Antrim was a very positive one. Väinö was very enthusiastic and had a very clear vision of what he wished to achieve from the visit. It was a rewarding experience for myself as co-ordinator. We would be happy to host a fellow again.

Do you think that the visit of Väinö was also beneficial for your hospital?

With a lot of our visitors we do not necessarily achieve ‘benefits’ straight away however we feel a programme such as SILCC is also about building up a network of hospital pharmacy colleagues with whom we can collaborate with in future years. We have recently co-hosted a conference in Poland with a pharmacist who visited three years ago and continue to collaborate with previous visitors from Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Spain. Also we were able to introduce Väinö to colleagues in Norway and Sweden who had developed clinical pharmacy services following a visit to Antrim previously. 

It also helps our workforce to appreciate the high standard of clinical pharmacy practice they have achieved both individually and as a team. It also raises the profile of pharmacy within the wider healthcare team when they realise that visitors come from across Europe to observe our practice.

I think the quote by Francis Ford Cappola below highlights what we are trying to achieve.

‘’We want you to take from us. We want you, at first, to steal from us, because you can’t steal. You will take what we give you and put it in your own v

oice and that’s how you will find your voice. And that’s how you begin. And then one day someone will steal from you.’’         

Do you have any recommendations for hospitals considering to become SILCC Host?

The application form completed by the SILCC host is extremely important as it should guide the key components of any visit. When deciding upon a programme for the visit use the application form completed by the fellow to guide this but allow some flexibility.    Allow time for reflection and discussion during the visit.

 

Linden Ashfield

Lead for Hosting and Knowledge Transfer

Medicines Optimisation Innovation Centre

Antrim