A key area within which pharmacists and pharmacy at large can have a real positive impact is that of substance misuse, with this taking the form of more straightforward activities such as the provision of advice and support, through to more complex initiatives which centre on the provision of substitute substances, needle exchange, and more.

In this episode of PharmaCast, Dr Dan Corbett from the School of Pharmacy at Queen's University Belfast is joined by Johanne Barry (also from the School of Pharmacy), and Dr Denis O'Driscoll, Superintendent Pharmacist at LloydsPharmacy Ireland, to explore the topic of substance misuse, and the role which pharmacy can play in helping those affected by this issue.

If you'd like to find out more about this topic, or access the resources referred to during this episode, check out the following links:

• Drugs.ie
• NHS Drug Addiction Information
• HSE Addiction Services
• EMCDDA
• NICE guidance on drug misuse
• Choice and Medication
• South London and Maudsley substance misuse service
• Drugs and Alcohol NI

In the second of this two-part special centred on experiential learning (EL) placements within our MPharm programme here at the School of Pharmacy at Queen's, Dr Dan Corbett (Senior Lecturer (Digital Education) is joined by Fiona Hughes (Senior Lecturer (Education)), Prof. Sharon Haughey (Professor (Education), and Prof. Roisin O'Hare (Clinical Education Pharmacist Lead for Northern Ireland), who discuss EL from the practice supervisors viewpoint, including what they can take from these placements, what they can expect from the programme, how placements will work practically, and how they can prepare to welcome and work with placement students within their area of practice.

A key element of the MPharm programme here at Queen's are our experiential learning (EL) placements which students will undertake within both primary and secondary care pharmacy. We've recently significantly increased the time which our students will spend on placement during their degree, allowing them to put their learning into practice, and gain useful insights about professional practice in these sectors whilst learning from highly-trained professional pharmacists to an even greater extent, offering a range of benefits.

In this edition of the podcast, Fiona Hughes (Senior Lecturer (Education), Patricia Holden (Senior Lecturer (Education), and Prof. Roisin O'Hare (Clinical Education Pharmacist Lead for Northern Ireland) will help you to find out more about why EL placements are so important, and if you're a student, let you know what you can expect your placments to be like, as well as how you can prepare fully to make the most out of them!