Nineteen oral presentations, demonstrating pharmacy research undertaken throughout Ireland, were given at the North South Pharmacy Healthcare Conference. These presentations were made at four parallel sessions, covering specific areas of pharmacy practice.

Session 1: Developments in Primary Care
Chaired by Sheila Ryder, School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin
• The establishment and facilitation of a community pharmacy led weight management clinic presented by Elaine Frawley, Boots the Chemist, Liffey Valley, Dublin 22.
• Pharmaceutical palliative care services - a regional perspective presented by Marbeth Ferguson, Palliative Care Pharmacist NHSSB & Kathy Stephenson, Palliative Care Pharmacist SHSSB.
• Relations, records and role: community pharmacists and general practitioners presented by Colm de Brún, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Trinity College Dublin.
• Building the Community-Pharmacy Partnership Programme in Northern Ireland presented by Anne-Marie McGrath, Community Pharmacist, Larne & Kathy Martin, Community Development and Health Network, Newry.
• Caring in later life - Community Pharmacy Support Project presented by Nuala Campbell, Belfast Carers Centre & Michael Ogilby, Dundee Pharmacy, Skegoneill.

Session 2: Developments in Secondary Care
Chaired by Elaine Conyard, Chief Pharmacist, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda

• The Northern Ireland Cancer Network presented by Maire McGrady
• The introduction of once-daily Tobramycin dosing in the National Referral Centre for Adult Cystic Fibrosis at St. Vincent's University Hospital presented by Ciarán Muldowney, Pharmacy Department, St. Vincent's Hospital, Dublin.
• Secure wireless access to a hospital patient administration system (PAS) and real-time intervention recording using handheld computers (PDAs) presented by Peter Beagon, Antrim Area Hospital.
• Recombinant human activated protein C [drotrecogin alfa (activated)]: an audit of use in St. Vincent's University Hospital presented by Laura McCabe, Pharmacy Department, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin.
• Adverse drug events in Northern Ireland emergency department attendees - a prospective audit presented by Noel Dunn, Royal Group of Hospitals, Belfast.
• The impact of patient medication bedside lockers on nursing medicine administration rounds presented by Anita Hogg, Antrim Area Hospital Academic Practice Unit.

Session 3: Quality in Healthcare and Training
Chaired by Carmel Hughes, Queen's University Belfast
• Medicines for children - a national learning strategy and follow-up of impact on community pharmacy practice presented by Orla Sheehan, former Director, Irish Centre for Continuing Pharmaceutical Education.
• View of undergraduate pharmacy students and pre-registration pharmacy graduates on continuing professional development (CPD) presented by Sharon Haughey, Clinical and Practice Research Group, School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast.
• Customising a national medicines information management system - an investigation presented by Lisa O'Brien, final year pharmacy student, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
• Linking the KSF with CPD: the London experience presented by Laura O'Loan, formerly of London Pharmacy Education & Training.

Session 4: Risk Management

Chaired by James McElnay, Queen's University, Belfast
• Surveillance for influenza: a role for community pharmacies during a pandemic? presented by Michelle McCorry, Principal Pharmaceutical Officer, DHSSPS.
• Medication incident reporting at St. Vincent's University Hospital: the Medication Incident Report Database presented by Niamh O'Hanlon, Pharmacy Department, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin.
• Raising patient awareness of the safe disposal of needles, lancets and syringes in the community presented by Hazel Boyde, Northern Health & Social Services Board Prescribing Support Team.
• Disposal of unused medicines in the HSE Mid-Western Region, October 2004 presented by Stephen Byrne, Lecturer in Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University College Cork.