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Released on Monday morning, the election manifesto shared by the Liberal Democrats pledges to "strengthen patients' rights" by tackling public health inequalities and providing early access to community services. The Liberal Democrats Party's manifesto promises to address the issues at both the "front and back doors" of the National Health Service (NHS), which the party claims has been plunged into crisis by the Conservatives. Pledging to invest in public health and early access to community services, the party aims to "work towards a fairer and more sustainable long-term funding model for pharmacies and build on the Pharmacy First approach to give patients more accessible routine services and ease the pressure on GPs." The pledge also includes making prescriptions for people with chronic mental health conditions free on the NHS, as part of a wider commitment to review the entire schedule of exemptions for prescription charges.

Dementia is an extremely deceptive disease that develops slowly and may go unnoticed in people, said NHS mental health director Claire Murdoch, while urging people to look out for the vital warning signs of this condition among family and friends over Christmas. Common early symptoms of dementia may include emotional change, forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word, being confused about time and place, the health service has cautioned. An increasing number of people have been diagnosed with dementia in England since the start of the pandemic, following a drive by the NHS England to increase diagnosis rates. In November 2023, NHS staff diagnosed 463,797 people aged over 65 with dementia, up more than 41,000 compared to the same period last year, according to the figures revealed by the health service.

Too many unreasonable demands placed on pharmacists by employers affect their health and wellbeing at work, a stress and wellbeing survey conducted by The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) Union revealed. The survey, conducted during Autumn 2021, covered views of over 2,000 pharmacists employed by big multiples - Lloyds, Boots, and Well. This survey used questions developed by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which enabled the union to understand more about stress and wellbeing in three of the largest community pharmacy multiples. Analysing the survey, the PDA said that some pharmacists working for each of the three employers highlighted "unachievable targets, unrealistic time pressures, and most worrying of all reported numerous instances of bullying and harassment." An overwhelming majority of the respondents reflected personal sacrifices made by the pharmacists to ensure patient services are not impacted by the poor conditions and environments in some pharmacies.

Kids get stomach problems all the time due to low immunity or lifestyle risk factors. While taking medications can reduce a bloated stomach or excess diarrhea, learning how to improve gut health can help your kid avoid stomach problems. One of the most effective gut health products is probiotics. Whether you plan to provide your kid with good strains of gut bacteria through Sproutedbiome supplements or introducing the good bacteria through diet, knowing what to expect can help you determine if they are working. HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR KID IS RESPONDING TO PROBIOTICS? Fewer tantrums and outbursts Gut health and mental health go hand-in-hand. A child with gas or stomach cramps tends to be fussy. The fussiness may progress to outbursts and tantrums due to symptoms in the gut. Probiotics trigger serotonin production, a neurotransmitter that improves your child's mood, sleep and appetite. If your once moody child starts getting happy and has sufficient sleep after taking probiotics, you will know they are working.

Ninety-six per cent of community pharmacists surveyed in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Workforce Wellbeing survey said they were at 'risk of burnout'. A higher number of respondents working in community pharmacy (20%) reported not being offered breaks compared to all other sectors (8%) and were more likely to experience verbal or physical abuse from patients and the public (69% vs an average 44%). The annual Workforce Wellbeing survey also revealed that 88 per cent of pharmacists surveyed are at high risk of burnout due to winter pressure. Therefore, RPS is calling for workforce planning for pharmacy to address skill mix and staffing levels so that workloads can be effectively managed. Top factors causing poor mental health and wellbeing revealed by the survey include inadequate staffing (70%), lack of work/life balance (53%), lack of protected learning time (48%) and lack of colleague/senior support (47%). This is the fourth survey RPS has run in partnership with the charity Pharmacist Support on the state of mental health and wellbeing in pharmacy. The findings demonstrate continued pressure on pharmacists and trainees across the workforce, especially in community pharmacy where 96% of those surveyed said they were at risk of burnout.

The Professional Pharmacists Association (PDA) has demanded efforts to secure greater support and recognition for community pharmacists from governmental bodies. In its written evidence provided to the Health and Social Care select committee's pharmacy inquiry, the PDA raised concerns about the well-being of pharmacists, specifically for those who belong to minority ethnic groups and race and are subjected to bullying, harassment, and ill-treatment. The association highlighted issues in the workplace that impact pharmacists' health and well-being, including chronic understaffing, sub-standard working environments, an absence of protected training time, and experiences of racism, violence, and abuse. Parallel to the PDA's advocacy, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) is intensifying calls for prioritising workforce wellbeing within the pharmacy domain. Stressing the pivotal role of workforce retention in addressing current challenges, RPS emphasises the need for robust support mechanisms and equitable access to mental health services.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association has called on the Scottish government to end unnecessary pharmacy closures and introduce emergency regulations to force companies that operate Scotland's pharmacies to open on the days and hours they have agreed. It is concerned that decisions made by some health boards in Scotland have now allowed pharmacy owners to close their pharmacies on Saturdays. The PDA is worried that a pharmacy closure could have negative impact on patients and other parts of the NHS, including neighbouring pharmacies, addiction and mental health services, and minor injury and A&E units. The association claims that there are record numbers of registered pharmacists who are available to work and therefore a decision to close a pharmacy over staff shortages is misleading. "The business owners may claim there is a shortage of pharmacists, but when they actively cancel agreed hours of work it does not suggest there is a shortfall of workers," said the PDA, adding: "These business decisions often include closing their pharmacies at very short notice, even when pharmacists are available and willing to work."

A new Attention-Deficit-Hyperactive disorder (ADHD) taskforce has been launched by National Health Services England (NHSE) to counter the challenges faced by many suffering from the neurodevelopmental condition. The ADHD taskforce aligns with the NHS Long Term Plan's vision to revolutionise mental health services, with a specific emphasis on bolstering community-based care and reducing reliance on inpatient services. The NHS has partnered with the government to tackle the escalating demands including increasing funding, improving system efficiency, altering the service provision model, and clinical prioritisation by bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education and justice, to help provide a joined-up approach in response to concerns around rising demand. Over the past two decades, there has been a significant expansion in the acknowledgement and successful medical interventions for ADHD, leading to a steady rise in clinical requests throughout the UK.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has welcomed the Health Secretary Sajid Javid's plan to appoint Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) tsar to tackle the medicine shortages. On Sunday (April 24) Sajid Javid told the Mail that he planned to tackle the problem (shortage of HRT medicine) by appointing a new HRT tsar with the role modelled on that of Kate Bingham, who successfully led the government's Covid vaccine taskforce. "The difficulties in accessing HRT medicine have unfairly impacted women's mental health," said RPS President, Professor Claire Anderson. "I look forward to working with this new champion for HRT and the Government on how we can better support women's health, building on the positive move to reduce prescription charges for HRT for women." Anderson also stressed that "the Government should now go further and end unfair prescription charges for patients in England altogether."

GSK Consumer Healthcare has recently unveiled a three-year programme to support the pharmacy profession with additional practical resources, mental health provisions and proposed policy changes as part of its new report Standing with Pharmacists in the Age of Self-Care. The new report summarises findings from a roundtable hosted by GSK Consumer Healthcare in collaboration with the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) earlier this year, which convened the pharmacy community, policy experts, and industry leaders to discuss the critical role of pharmacy in the age of self-care following the Covid-19 pandemic. "We've seen Covid-19 have a significant impact on consumers' understanding of self-care, leading to an increased focus on wellbeing and everyday healthcare. During this time, pharmacies played a vital role in providing care and advice to their patients - particularly with many other health facilities closed. Our research shows that more than half of Europeans are planning to consult their pharmacist more often than before the pandemic. Yet in general, pharmacists remain under-utilised, despite being the most widely distributed health resource in Europe," said Tess Player, global head of expert at GSK Consumer Healthcare.

Attempts to deal with record waiting lists for hospital treatment caused by the Covid-19 pandemic are at risk of being derailed by a staffing crisis, which is being exacerbated by the Omicron wave, a cross-party lawmakers' report said on Thursday (January 6). The report entitled 'Clearing the backlog caused by the pandemic' calls for a broader national health and care recovery plan - one that would embrace A&E, mental health, GPs, community and social care. Hospitals are facing extreme pressure as they try to catch up on months of operations that have been delayed and suspended during the pandemic, as Covid-19 hospitalizations rise once more and self-isolation hits staffing levels. There is a record 5.8 million waiting list for elective care, the Health and Social Care Committee said, adding that a recent surge in the Omicron variant has pushed cases to record highs and intensified pre-existing issues.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Pharmacy Declares are inviting pharmacy teams from around the world to sign up and commit to taking "bold action" on climate change as mentioned in a climate change charter which was published on Monday (June 13). The charter asks pharmacy teams to commit to understanding how human health and the systems which underpin it are "reliant on the state of our natural environment" and actively explore ways to make pharmacy practice and medicine use more sustainable. It also asks to collaborate and share best practice to improve sustainability in pharmacy and healthcare; demonstrate leadership on sustainability or being a champion for sustainability at work; and assist patients to optimise their medicine use to increase both health outcomes and environmental sustainability. The individuals can also commit to a personal action on climate change of their own choosing. The Charter is being supported by a strong coalition of organisations from across pharmacy including the Centre for Postgraduate Pharmacy Education, the Clinical Pharmacy Association, College of Mental Health Pharmacy and Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists.

Adding to the growing evidence of global medicine shortages, a new study has revealed that the European generic medicines market is "not in shape" to help Europe meet its public health priorities. In the past decade, the rate of generic medicines withdrawals has risen by 12 per cent, while there has been a three per cent decrease in the launch of generic products, as per Teva Pharmaceuticals' recent analysis of IQVIA data. Within the mental therapeutic area, seven per cent of generic products disappeared between 2013 and 2023, while there was a seven per cent decrease in the availability of generic cancer medicines in just six years (2017-2022). These medicines were listed on the Union List of Critical Medicines to help avoid potential shortages, as the European Commission (EC) said this could cause "significant harm to patients and pose important challenges to health systems." While mature generic products constitute the majority of the List, they remain susceptible to withdrawals, despite containing products crucial for safeguarding Europe's public health, the Teva analysis report noted. Since 2013, the number of generic products for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder has declined by 25 per cent, with Hungary and Bulgaria experiencing the biggest loss at 83 per cent and 58 per cent respectively.

Are you looking to infuse your day with tranquility and vitality? Look no further than the delicate and nuanced world of green tea blends. Whether you're a seasoned connoisseur or just dipping your toes into the vast ocean of tea, the artistry and serenity found in a well-crafted green tea blend are unmatched. Read on to discover the variety of green tea blends and how they can elevate your tea-drinking experience to new heights of relaxation and rejuvenation. Health Benefits: Nourishing Body and Mind Beyond their exquisite taste, green tea blends offer a myriad of health benefits that can nourish both body and mind. Packed with antioxidants and nutrients, green tea is known to boost metabolism, improve heart health, and enhance cognitive function. Green tea can contribute to helping you relax and unwind, while also providing a gentle energy boost to tackle your day with clarity and focus. Additionally, the ritual of preparing and savoring a cup of green tea can be a mindful practice that promotes relaxation and mental clarity.

Depression is a serious mental illness that affects millions of people each year. It can be very difficult to deal with, and often leaves the sufferer feeling helpless. If you know someone who is struggling with depression, there are ways you can help them. In this blog post, we will discuss seven ways you can help someone with depression. ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET HELP If you know someone who is depressed, one of the best things you can do is encourage them to get help. Depression is a serious illness, and it is important to seek professional help if you are struggling with it. There are many different types of treatment available for depression, and a mental health professional can help determine which type of treatment is right for the individual. If you've found a good treatment center, encourage your loved one to check them out and they might even give it a chance. Just make sure not to pressure them into it, as this can cause more harm than good.

Bipolar disorder can be a very challenging mental illness to deal with. It is characterized by severe mood swings, from manic highs to depressive lows. Many people with bipolar disorder struggle to live normal, productive lives. However, there are various treatments available that can help manage the symptoms of this condition and improve quality of life. In this article, we will discuss the different treatments for bipolar disorder and how to properly deal with the symptoms. MEDICATIONS One of the most common treatments for bipolar disorder is medication. There are a variety of different medications that can be used to treat the symptoms of bipolar disorder. The type of medication that is prescribed will depend on the individual's specific situation. Some common medications that are used to treat bipolar disorder include mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and antidepressants. However, it is important to note that these are serious medications and should only be taken under the supervision of a qualified mental health professional. So, never attempt to take these medications on your own.

One of the most challenging aspects of living a healthier lifestyle is trying to accomplish your goals while simultaneously dealing with a hectic schedule. Life is often full of responsibilities, and things can get so hectic that it's difficult to keep track of anything else outside of one's work. As a result, many people sacrifice their physical and mental health for work-which isn't worth it in the long run. While it might not be easy to manage a hectic schedule, there are ways to ease the burden. Here are some of the most popular best-practice tactics when dealing with a busy schedule. Write things down-even the things you'll do for fun One way to help deal with a hectic schedule is to ensure you write everything down. While some might think that it makes everything feel robotic, the fact that you can write down the things you plan to do for fun means you have something to look forward to. It also has the added benefit of bracing yourself mentally for various tasks. It's not easy to be spontaneous with fun events if you're already tired from work. Fortunately, writing things down and making them a part of your schedule can help your body adjust.

Despite being more connected than ever, the majority of Europeans are experiencing feelings of loneliness. The STADA Health Report 2024, released on Monday, revealed that over half (52 per cent) of Europeans "always, often or occasionally" feel lonely. Although the younger generation reports the highest levels of overall happiness, they are the ones most affected by this current loneliness epidemic. Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of Europeans aged 18 to 35 reported feeling lonely, compared to 41 percent of those aged 55 and older - according to the report, based on a survey of over 46,000 respondents aged 18 to 99 across 32 countries. Extensive screen time is contributing to increased loneliness among younger people. Europeans under the age of 34 are much more likely to spend long hours on their devices (41 per cent) than those aged 35-54 (22 per cent) and those over 55 (13 per cent). The survey found that people who spend a "long" or "fair" amount of time on social media were significantly more prone to feelings of loneliness compared to those who restrict their screen time. Moreover, extensive screen time was also associated with more intense feelings of loneliness.

The recent data released by the NHS England revealed that in 2022/23 nearly 86 million antidepressant items were prescribed to around 8.6 million identified patients. According to the statistic published on 'Medicines Used in Mental Health' of the 5 British National Formulary (BNF) sections, 4 had increases in items and identified patients across 2022/23. The only BNF section to decrease since 2021/22 was hypnotics and anxiolytics. Items fell by 2% to 14 million and identified patients fell by 2 per cent to 1.9 million in 2022/23 The data also revealed that Prescribing of Central Nervous System (CNS) stimulants and drugs for ADHD increased by 32 per cent in adults over 18 and 12 per cent in children 17 and under. "2022/23 was the first time that more adult patients have been prescribed drugs from this section than child patients, in the time period covered by these statistics," said the report.

Working conditions in pharmacies have worsened in 2021, the annual Safer Pharmacies Survey conducted by the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) revealed, highlighting the challenging and unsafe environments that some pharmacists are working in. The survey asks pharmacists across all areas of practice about their experiences of key safety measures in the workplace. Since the launch of the Safer Pharmacies Charter in 2017, PDA's annual surveys have monitored their feedback against the Charter's commitments, which covers seven basic areas as standard practice for pharmacy work. The commitments are No Self-Checking, Safe Staffing, Access to a Pharmacist, Adequate Rest, Respect for Professional Judgment, Raising Concerns and Physical Safety. The survey revealed that eight out of 10 feel unsafe at work as violence and abuse still remain areas of concerns in pharmacy.