Position

Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Department of Practice and Policy

Areas of Expertise

Use of medicines in home settings; medicines management across the interface of formal and informal care; roles of (informal) carers in the use and management of medicines; pharmacy and related service developments in the UK and internationally.

Biography

Professor Felicity Smith is a registered pharmacist with experience of hospital and community pharmacy. After completing an MA in African Studies and her PhD, evaluating the contribution of community pharmacists to primary care in London, at St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College in London, she joined the academic staff at the School, and is currently Professor in Pharmacy Practice.

Felicity Smith has over 20 years experience in research into the use of medicines and pharmacy services in the UK and internationally.  In 1998 she was awarded the first British Pharmaceutical Conference Practice Research Award.  Publications include over 70 research papers in addition to various book chapters, articles and many communications at major conference forums.

She has authored two major texts on the application of health services research methods in studies into the use of medicines and pharmacy services.  A third co-authored text focusing on the conduct of international research in these areas is currently in press.

Professor Smith is active in the teaching and supervision of pharmacy students at all stages of undergraduate and postgraduate study.  She is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Research Interests

•  the use of medicines by patients/consumers in the context of their daily lives, home and social settings,
• the use of existing therapies and newer technologies across the interfacr of hospital, primary care and in the home,
• partnerships between patients and (informal) carers, acknowledging the extent and complexity of medicines-related responsibilities assumed by carers and the varying patterns of partnership between carers and care-recipients that need to be taken into account when providing appropriate support.
• the place of pharmacists and potential role of pharmacy services in addressing important public health goals, in the context of health care needs and system factors,
• the development and evaluation of pharmacy services.  Professor Smith is part of a number of international collaborations focusing on research, education and service development in low and middle income countries.  She is strongly committed to supporting the development of pharmacy services internationally, believing in the potential for the profession to contribute more effectively to the achievement of public health objectives, especially in developing countries.

Selected Publications

Books

Smith FJ (2002) Pharmacy practice research methods.  London: Pharmaceutical Press.  (Translated in Spanish, 2004)

Smith FJ (2005) Conducting your pharmacy practice research project: a step-by-step guide.  London: Pharmaceutical Press

Papers

Smith FJ, Francis S-A, Gray NJ, Denham M, Graffy JP. (2003) A multi-centre survey among informal carers who manage medicines for older care-recipients: provlems experienced and the development of services.  Health and Social Care in the Community, 11(2): 138-145

Smith FJ (2004) Community pharmacy in Ghana: enhancing the contribution of primary health care.  Health Policy and Planning, 19(4), 234-241

Gordon K, Dhillon S, Smith FJ. (2005)  Thje development and validation of a screening tool for the identification of patients prescribed medication for cardiovascular disease and who are experiencing medication-related problems.  International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, 13: 187-193

Owusu-Daaku F, Buabeng KO, Panyin AB, Shah R, Smith FJ. (2007  Involvement of patients in pharmacy education in Ghana.  International Pharmacy Journal, 22: 35-36

Gordon K, Smith FJ, Dhillon S. (2007)  Effective chronic disease management: patients' perspectives of medication-related problems.  Patient Education and Counselling, 66: 361-367

Newbould J, Smith FJ, Francis S-A. (2007)  "I'm fine doing it on my own": partnerships between young people and their parients in the management of medication for asthma and diabetes.  Journal of Child Health Care (In press).