UHDB pharmacist Louise named a 'Woman to Watch' by The Pharmaceutical Journal
A UHDB pharmacist has been named one of The Pharmaceutical Journal's ‘Women to Watch 2024’ for her commitment to transforming the care of older patients, and her leadership in pioneering new ways of working that alleviate pressure on the wider NHS.
Louise Organista, an Advanced Clinical Pharmacist within our Frail Elderly Assessment Team (FEAT), was one of just 11 women from across the UK to receive the prestigious accolade by the Journal, published by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, as part of their annual celebration of "brilliant women in pharmacy deserving of greater recognition" as we head into a new year.
This accolade recognises the outstanding role that Louise has played at UHDB, both independently and as a leading colleague within FEAT, focusing on those who are frail and elderly across the Trust through a range of projects that aim to deliver better care for this group of patients and reduce unnecessary inpatient stays - transforming and improving health outcomes and experiences for our patients.
FEAT , a specialised team who support frail and elderly adult patients, work across the Emergency Department (ED) and Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) at UHDB to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions by offering tailored support that considers every aspect of their patients' life and health, including but not limited to prescribed medications and ongoing treatment. Louise joined FEAT in 2021, and has been instrumental in helping the team deliver personalised, holistic care to some of UHDB’s older and most vulnerable patients.
Demonstrating her passion to continuously improve herself and our organisation, Louise has developed a key role in researching the impact of overprescribing medicines as well as the importance of sleep in elderly patients - showcasing her invaluable expertise as a pharmacist working in medicine to improve the future of healthcare. You can view The Pharmaceutical Journal's full Women to Watch 2024 list, including Louise's entry, on their website >
Louise's recognition follows recent accolades for the team, such as in September 2024, when they were shortlisted for the Urgent and Emergency Care Safety Initiative of the Year Award at the HSJ Patient Safety Awards, and you can read more about this on our website >
Explaining her role in the FEAT team in more detail, Louise said that the work involves taking a 'step back to look at the bigger picture around the patient', not just managing their immediate medical needs. She said: "Whether that 'big picture' is their medications, their mobility, or their social circumstances, this approach allows us to provide the right support at the right time and helps keep patients out of hospital wherever possible."
Embedding pharmacists like Louise into “front door” teams in the Emergency Department has led to FEAT becoming a vital part of UHDB’s strategy to manage demand and support patients in the most appropriate settings - as early in the treatment journey as possible. Louise continued:
"The team is multidisciplinary, including nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy roles - so while, in my role, I have a focus on medication, we all play a part in examining every aspect of a patient's life and care - whether that's their mental health, medical history, lifestyle, or broader physical needs. By taking this approach, we can provide that extra layer of care and help ease the pressure on the wider system.
“Our focus is on reducing unnecessary admissions to hospital or emergency departments. For many of the frail elderly patients I see, understanding their home environment, mobility, risks of isolation, and support networks in place is crucial to this - and often, staying at home with the right support is far better for their overall health and wellbeing. We play a big role in making sure we can do that safely."
The work of FEAT, in combination with new initiatives such as our development of Virtual Wards - where patients can receive hospital-level care at home - show how UHDB, and the wider NHS, are finding innovative ways to support people in their communities. Both the FEAT team and our Virtual Ward initiative are just two examples of our delivery of high-quality care to older patients, in a way that reduces the strain on hospitals while ensuring they feel safe and supported at home, as we work alongside our primary care and community partners.
Louise’s work goes far beyond UHDB. Over the past year, she has co-chaired the British Geriatrics Society’s Pharmacists Professionals Group, representing pharmacists specialising in frailty at a national level.
She was also the Project Manager of the CHARMER study during its implementation phase - a project aimed at safely reducing the use of inappropriate medications in older adults, which Louise says is the kind of innovation that is "vital" to the continuing improvement of care for older patients - strengthening how pharmacists and geriatricians work together, creating more structured and approaches for medication reviews.
In addition to her clinical work, Louise has also recently secured funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to explore better ways of managing sleep in older patients - which Louise says is a "key but sometimes overlooked" aspect of healthcare.
Continuing, she said: “Sleep is so fundamental to physical and mental wellbeing, but it’s something we don’t assess routinely. For older patients, poor sleep can worsen conditions like depression and dementia, but there are often simple, non-medical interventions that can make a big difference.
"I’m passionate about raising awareness of the importance of sleep and helping patients access the right support, so I'm delighted to be so supported by the trust in doing so. I know that research is such an important part of the Trust's short and long term vision - and I've been so lucky to be surrounded by so many supportive colleagues across the organisation."
As we enter 2025, Louise’s recognition as a ‘Woman to Watch’ reflects the extraordinary difference she and the FEAT team are making at UHDB.
At a time when the NHS is under unprecedented pressure, the team's innovative, patient-centred approach is helping to ensure that the very best care is delivered to those who need it most - and exemplifies our organisational commitment to innovation in both managing the evolving care needs of our communities, as well as reducing pressure on our regional and wider NHS services. We look forward to seeing what 2025 brings for both Louise, and the ground-breaking work of the FEAT team.
You can also read more about our Virtual Ward service on our website >