Staff Profile

Dr Rathbone is a registered pharmacist and independent prescriber. He completed his clinical pharmacy foundation training at South Tess NHS Hospitals Foundation Trust and worked in various pharmacy settings across the North East, including community, general practice, hospital and academia. Dr Rathbone has also completed the postgraduate diploma in clinical pharmacy as an advanced generalist and now works clinically at the Great North Children's Hospital in Emergency and Acute Assessment. He has experience of delivering clinical pharmacy services and completed his PhD at Durham University, John Snow College. Dr Rathbone became a Lecturer in Clinical and Social Pharmacy in 2019.

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Dr Rathbone's work specialises in social and clinical pharmacy research, drawing on behavioural, cognitive and social science to examine relationships between people and pills. Dr. Rathbone's work integrates clinical pharmacy practice with qualitative research methodologies to address complex healthcare challenges

Research interests:

• Clinical Pharmacy practice: Focusing on the role of pharmacists in primary care settings, including interprofessional collaboration with general practitioners to support patient medication adherence. Also examining the evolving role of community pharmacists, including their involvement in immunisation programmes and the use of digital communication tools like WhatsApp to deliver out-of-hours services.
• Social and Behavioural science: included exploring theoretical approaches to Medication Adherence, investigating patients' experiences and factors influencing adherence to medication regimens, aiming to develop effective interventions to improve adherence.
• Pharmacy Education: Exploring innovative educational methods, such as student-led clinics and work-based learning placements, to enhance the training and professional development of pharmacy students.

Dr Rathbone currently holds the following research roles

• Associate Editor, Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy
• Peer-reviewer for a broad range of health and social science journals, including Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy, International Journal of Pharmacy Practice, International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy, European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy, BMJ Open, Health Services Research Journal, Qualitative Health Research, PlosOne etc
• International Federation of Pharmacy (FIP) Health and Medicines Information Section Abstract Reviewer

Dr Rathbone teaches across multiple aspects of social and clinical pharmacy; this includes physical examination skills (such as respiratory, cardiovascular and abdominal examinations) and procedural skills such as taking blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose measurements as as well as communication skills. Dr Rathbone also contributes to the work-based learning activities at the School and supervises placements. Dr Rathbone's expertise in education, learning and assessment is recognised as a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AdvanceHE).

Dr Rathbone is a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, supporting pharmacist training across all career stages, acting a mentor for foundation trainees and chairing Consultant and Advanced Pharmacist Credentialing Committees to assess postgradaute pharmacy practice.

• Articles

  • Offu OF, Okeowo D, Visram S, Rathbone AP, Lindsey L. How can community pharmacy teams prevent prescription and over-the-counter opioid misuse in North East England? A qualitative study using the Capability, Opportunity and Motivation Behaviour (COM-B) model. BMJ Open 2025, 15(5), e099801.
  • Pickles J, Griffiths L, McCloskey AP, Vasey N, Lim E, Rathbone AP. Developing a behaviour change intervention using information about greenhouse gas emissions to reduce liquid antibiotic prescribing. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy 2025, epub ahead of print.
  • Coukan F, Thamm W, Afolabi F, Murray K-K, Rathbone AP, Saunders J, Atchison C, Ward H. Co-designing interventions with multiple stakeholders to address barriers and promote equitable access to HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) in Black women in England. BMC Public Health 2025, 25(1), 1831.
  • Putri KG, Sampath S, Richardson CL, McCloskey A, Rathbone AP. A qualitative study exploring experiences of treatment in paediatric rheumatology - children's, young people's, parents' and carers' perspectives. Pediatric Rheumatology 2025, 23, 7.
  • Wang Y, Rathbone AP, Millard C. The use of traditional Chinese medicine among the Chinese immigrants in the United Kingdom: An intersectionality perspective. Social Sciences and Humanities Open 2024, 10, 101045.
  • Hussein T, Cartright N, Kirschner J, Nadarasa A, Rathbone AP, Lindsey L. Social prescribing in pharmacies: What is it, does it work and what does it mean for Canadian pharmacies?. Canadian Pharmacists Journal 2024, 157(1).
  • Cayci AB, Rathbone AP, Lindsey L, Richardson C. Pharmacy Students’ Lived Experiences With Atopic Dermatitis Inform Perceptions of Learning in the Curriculum. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 2024, 88(2), 100651.
  • Jarrar R, Lim R, Richardson CL, Naqvi AA, Rathbone AP, Lau WM. How cultural competence is conceptualised, developed and delivered in pharmacy education: a systematic review. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy 2024, 46, 40-55.
  • Offu OF, Visram S, Rathbone AP, Lindsey L. Factors influencing pharmacists’ roles in preventing prescription and over-the-counter opioid misuse: a systematic review and narrative synthesis. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2024, 32(2), 133-145.
  • Rathbone A, Cartwright N, Cummings L, Noble R, Budaiova K, Ashton M, Foster J, Payne B, Duncan S. Exploring young people's attitudes to HIV prevention medication (PrEP) in England: a qualitative study. BMJ Open 2024, 14(3), e077733.
  • Lindsey L, Barber M, Elawad A, Rathbone AP. Challenges of living with a mental health condition as a registered healthcare professional: exploring experiences of organisational support and stigma. Cogent Psychology 2024, 11(1), 2364947.
  • Ahmed A, Hagos M, Bhatti I, Cartwright N, Chukwu-Etu O, Burini A, Dabiri L, Tolley C, Richardson CL, Doll A, Miah T, Rathbone AP. A qualitative study exploring experiences of racial minority stress in pharmacy education and practice. Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy 2024, 15, 100461.
  • Davidson D, Vasey N, Mundell A, Richardson CL, Rathbone AP. A novel experiential work-based learning model in paediatric secondary care using entrustable professional activities to develop clinical knowledge and communication skills. Currents in Pharmacy Teaching and Learning 2024, 16(10), 102125.
  • Rathbone AP, Pearson H, Akinyemi O, Cartwright N, Tierney S, Rowlands G, Lindsey L. "You don't get side effects from social prescribing"—A qualitative study exploring community pharmacists' attitudes to social prescribing. PLoS ONE 2024, 19(5), e0301076.
  • Rathbone AP, Rumney R, Oxley K, Barnfather L, Fisher D, McFarlane G, Platton C, Smith K, Chandler S, Campbell D, Baqir W. Ward Medicines Assistants: a new role to support nurses with medication-related tasks. Journal of Hospital Management and Health Policy 2023, 7, 8.
  • Ashkanani FZ, Rathbone AP, Lindsey L. The role of pharmacists in deprescribing benzodiazepines: A scoping review. Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy 2023, 12, 100328.
  • Cayci AB, Rathbone AP, Lindsey L. Practices and Perceptions of Community Pharmacists in the Management of Atopic Dermatitis: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis. Healthcare 2023, 11(15), 2159.
  • McCloskey AP, Lunn A, Traynor MJ, Lim EJ, Tse Y, McCabe PG, Mistry RD, Vasey N, Pickering A, Rathbone AP. KidzMed e-learning to upskill student pharmacists to teach pill swallowing to children. PLoS ONE 2023, 18(3), e0282070.
  • Richardson CL, Filan J, Lindsey L, Mundell A, Rathbone AP, Nazar H. Intersectional identities: making sense of skill development on clinical placements. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 2023, 87(7), 100050.
  • Ashkanani F, Lindsey L, Rathbone AP. A systematic review and thematic synthesis exploring the role of pharmacists in supporting better sleep health and managing sleep disorders. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2023, 31(2), 153–164.
  • Jamie K, Rathbone A. Using theory and reflexivity to preserve methodological rigour of data collection in qualitative research. Research Methods in Medicine & Health Sciences 2022, 3(1), 11-21.
  • Lindsey L, Rathbone AP. Beyond the numbers: Utilising existing textual data for qualitative research in pharmacy and health services research. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy 2022, 18(1), 2193-2199.
  • Nazar H, Rathbone AP, Richardson C, Livsey L, Husband AK. Young@Heart clinic: a feasibility study of an undergraduate pharmacy student-led blood pressure and healthy lifestyle clinic. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2021, 29(3), 277-284.
  • Nazar H, Rathbone A, Husband AK. The development of undergraduate pharmacy students as reflective thinkers for the evolving field of pharmacy. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2021, 29(3), 271–276.
  • Lindsey L, Hughes S, Rathbone AP. Social prescribing in community pharmacy: a systematic review and thematic synthesis. The Pharmaceutical Journal 2021, 307(7951).
  • Rathbone AP, Richardson CL, Mundell A, Lau WM, Nazar H. Exploring the role of pharmacy students using entrusbable professional activities to complete medication histories and deliver patient counselling services in secondary care. Exploratory Research in Clinical and Social Pharmacy 2021, 4, 100079.
  • Taqi A, Rowlands G, Rathbone AP. A systematic review and thematic synthesis to identify factors that influence pharmacists’ involvement in asthma care services: an identity crisis. Exploratory Research in Social and Clinical Pharmacy 2021, 3, 100051.
  • Rathbone AP, Jamie K, Todd A, Husband A. A qualitative study exploring the lived experience of medication use in different disease states: linking the experiences of disease symptoms to medication adherence. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics 2021, 46(2), 352-362.
  • Masudur P, Rathbone AP. Providing medicines adherence support to areas of high deprivation in England: community pharmacists’ experience. The Pharmaceutical Journal 2020, 304(7936).
  • Rathbone AP, Jamie K, Blackburn J, Gray W, Baqir W, Henderson E, Campbell D. Exploring an extended role for pharmacy assistants on inpatient wards in UK hospitals: using mixed-methods to develop the role of Medicines Assistants. European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy 2020, 27(2), 78-83.
  • Rathbone AP, Rokib T, Baqir W, Campbell D. The Foundation Pharmacist Project: exploring new models of dual-sector postgraduate pharmacy training. International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2019, 27(2), 191-200.
  • Rathbone AP, Nazar H, Harburn J, Todd A, Husband A. Exploring Undergraduate Pharmacy Student Experiences of Learning Human Anatomy Using Cadaveric Specimens. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education 2019, 83(8), 7103.
  • Rathbone AP, Norris R, Parker P, Lindsley L, Robinson A, Baqir W, Campbell D, Husband A. Exploring the use of WhatsApp in out-of-hours pharmacy services: A multi-site qualitative study. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy 2019, 16(4), 503-510.
  • Rathbone AP, Jamie K. Transferring from Clinical Pharmacy Practice to Qualitative Research: Questioning Identity, Epistemology and Ethical Frameworks. Sociological Research Online 2016, 21(2), 1-9.
  • Rathbone AP, Mansoor SM, Krass K, Hamrosi K, Aslani P. Qualitative study to conceptualise a model of interprofessional collaboration between pharmacists and general practitioners to support patients' adherence to medication. BMJ Open 2016, 6(3), e010488.
  • Rathbone AP, Husband AK, Todd A, Jamie K. PP53 “I’ve never been a big tablet taker”: a phenomenology of the experiences of medicines adherence in men with diabetes. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health 2015, 69(Suppl. 1), A75-A76.

• Book Chapter

  • Lindsey L, Rathbone AP. Using textual data in qualitative pharmacy and health services research. In: Desselle, SP;Garcıa Cardenas, V;Anderson, C;Aslani, P;Chen, AMH;Chen, TF, ed. Contemporary Research Methods in Pharmacy and Health Services. London: Elsevier, 2022, pp.421-432.

• Conference Proceedings (inc. Abstracts)

  • Lindsey L, Hogg H, Rathbone AP. Electronic medicines management systems and medicines administration errors: Aqualitative thematic analysis Electronic medicines management systems and medicines management errors: a qualitative thematic analysis. In: Pharmacy Education. 2023, International Pharmaceutical Federation.
  • Offu OF, Lindsey L, Rathbone A, Visram S. Systematic review of facilitators and barriers to community pharmacists’ role in licit opioid misuse prevention. In: The Royal Pharmaceutical Society Annual Conference. 2022, London: Oxford University Press.
  • Baqir W, Rathbone AP, Stocker A, Campbell D. Foundation pharmacists in GP Practice: exploring experiences of future workforce development. In: Clinical Pharmacy Congress 2017. 2017, London, UK.
  • Rathbone AP, Husband AK, Todd A, Jamie K. "I've never been a big tablet taker": a phenomenology of the experiences of medicines adherence in men with diabetes. In: 59th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Social Medicine. 2015, Dublin: BMJ Group.

• Online Publications

  • Rathbone AP. Prescribing Basics. Geeky Medics, 2019. Available at: https://geekymedics.com/prescribing-basics/.
  • Rathbone AP. How to take a medication history. Geeky Medics, 2018. Available at: https://geekymedics.com/how-to-take-a-medication-history/.

• Review

  • Rathbone AP, Todd A, Jamie K, Bonam M, Banks L, Husband AK. A systematic review and thematic synthesis of patients’ experience of medicines adherence. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy 2017, 13(3), 403-439.