Following the successful experience of co-supervising a joint PhD studentship to improve medicines information at discharge, the pharmacy department at Colchester Hospitals University Foundation Trust and School of Pharmacy at the University of East Anglia are setting up a similar venture to identify and evaluate approaches to reducing medicines related hospital readmissions.

The PhD student will initially work with colleagues from across the multidisciplinary team within Colchester University Foundation Trust hospital to improve the detection and recording of adverse drug events which are related to unplanned hospital admissions.  Data obtained from a detailed literature review and observations of local practice should lead to the design of joint initiatives with colleagues in primary care to reduce the number of hospital admissions.  If deemed appropriate the PhD project will finish with a small feasibility study to test out any such an initiative.  The data from this would be used to inform the design of a larger future trial.  In undertaking this PhD, the student will develop both quantitative and qualitative research skills.

The PhD student will require a detailed knowledge of medicines and their management within both primary and secondary care and therefore we are seeking a UK registered pharmacist, preferably with hospital pharmacy experience, to undertake the PhD which will start September 2013.