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The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published plans to amend current pharmacy legislation on dispensing errors and clarify how registered pharmacies are governed. The Department's response to a public consultation on rebalancing medicines legislation and pharmacy regulation programme first proposed in summer 2018 was delayed due to Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. The programme aims to clarify and strengthen the organisational governance arrangements of registered pharmacies, specifically to define and clarify the core purpose of the Responsible Pharmacist and Superintendent Pharmacist roles. It will also give the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) powers to define in professional standards how those roles are fulfilled.

As the general election campaign heats up, major political parties - including Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats - have released their manifestos, detailing their plans and visions for the future of community pharmacy. While the Conservative Party promises to expand Pharmacy First initiative, Labour pledges support for small businesses, with plans to overhaul the business rates system. The Liberal Democrats' election manifesto commits to developing a fairer and more sustainable long-term funding model for pharmacies. Announcing their plans recently, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that they are investing in community care services to secure the future of the NHS and make healthcare more accessible. The Conservatives plan to fund these initiatives by cutting NHS managerial positions back to pre-pandemic levels and halving the government's management consultancy expenditure.

Community pharmacy contractors are likely to receive more referrals from NHS 111 for the Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (CPCS) following a review of the NHS Pathway algorithms, NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) announced on Friday (January 14). The review, conducted by an expert group of Integrated Urgent Care clinicians and pharmacists, led to inclusion of more minor illness symptoms for referral to the CPCS from NHS 111. The reviews based on data from 2021, showed it could generate 275,000 additional referral opportunities annually. With the introduction of changes, three new condition types (scratches and grazes, teething, sinusitis) and general health information requests will be added.

The GP Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (GP CPCS) is also delivering 'unexpected' insights to help transform patient care and facilitate integrated working between pharmacists and GPs across Greater Manchester. Since April 2021, almost 14,000 appointments have been referred using the GP CPCS across the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership - a figure that is growing as its success gathers pace and they continue to support practices to increase referral activity. Joshua Nolan, a pharmacist at Internet Pharmacy in Heywood, one of the first in the area to join the referral service, said: "The number of patients we're seeing from GP CPCS has been building consistently month-on-month. On average we see around 50 patients, but recently we recorded 53 in just one week." The pharmacist, who has been practising for six years and is also an independent prescriber, believes the GP CPCS has helped bring about more awareness to the clinical services community pharmacy can offer.

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has called the 'new general practice contract' which was imposed by NHS England on Monday (6 March) as 'simply unreasonable'. The imposition of new contract followed a failed talk of British Medical Association (BMA)'s with the negotiator. The association's main issue with the contract is the lack of further funding beyond that agreed in 2019 as part of the five-year deal. PSNC Chief Executive Janet Morrison said: "The breakdown in GP contract negotiations for the second year running is another blow for primary care. The verdict of the GP negotiators is that the demands being made of doctors by Government and the NHS are simply unreasonable." "Community pharmacy is being treated with the same disregard: too much is being asked of us, with far too little funding available." The committee has been raising the issue and challenges faced by the community pharmacists with the government. The government is asking pharmacies to do more by taking giving additional services but the committee is of view with no extra funding the community pharmacies will collapse.

Talk of hub and spoke models has been rumbling on for as long as I can remember. The topic has once again hit the headlines as the government announced a fresh consultation for its proposed changes, calling on all interested parties to submit their views by 8th June. The argument for hub and spoke is to allow independents to have the same level playing field as the larger groups who have been operating this model for some time. The government also sees significant efficiency gains in centralisation, arguing this will free pharmacists time away from dispensing to focus on clinical services. The latest consultation advocates two models being created. In the first model, the dispensed medication is sent back to the spoke. In the second model, the completed medication can be sent out directly to the patient. The latter is a new concept which could open up new opportunities in how services are delivered. Pharmacies could effectively outsource the entire dispensing and delivery to housebound patients and care homes allowing pharmacies to take on new business without having to worry about logistics and geography.

While responding to the consultation on hub and spoke dispensing, trade unions for pharmacists have emphasised that the patient safety and care must be the priority in hub and spoke dispensing. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has welcomed the opportunity provided by a change in legislation to enable community pharmacies to make use of hub and spoke dispensing but reaffirmed that patient care must be at the heart of future changes. With regards to patient safety, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) considers that only Model 1 is appropriate, with manageable risks related to patient safety, and is a model that has the potential to allow the whole sector to benefit fairly. In its response to the consultation on Hub and Spoke dispensing, PSNC highlighted that Model 2 in the consultation, a hub direct to patient supply of dispensed medicines, raises patient safety issues and it cannot be supported. RPS President Professor Claire Anderson said: "In all models, patients need to continue to have access to a pharmacist at the time of supply of medicines so they have the opportunity to discuss, ask questions or raise concerns, and receive appropriate information with counselling and advice.

Amendments to the NHS (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013 along with introduction of a new type of pharmaceutical service come into effect from Tuesday (December 21) and from January 1, 2022. PSNC will be consulted on the new type of enhanced service - the National Enhanced Service (NES), where NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) commissions an enhanced service with a service specification that sets standard conditions nationally. Other amendments to the regulations include: Changes in the contractors' terms of service, allowing NHSE&I to introduce a pandemic response programme, by which contractors are required to have various premises and other arrangements for responding to a pandemic. An alternative route to supply pandemic treatments, via a listed prescription items voucher (LPIV). This is a further option for the community pharmacy for supply of treatments or medicines during or in anticipation of pandemic disease;

NHS Somerset is aiming to grow its referral rate through GP Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (GP CPCS) to between 4,000 to 6,000 patients a month. Since June 2021 GPs in Somerset have successfully referred around 1,000 patients a month through the Somerset GP Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (GP CPCS) Currently, 59 of NHS Somerset's 64 GP practices and all of Somerset's 102 community pharmacists are using the Somerset GP CPCS. NHS Somerset found that providing the right training for GPs and for reception staff and practice managers was key to a smooth rollout and uptake of the service. As was making sure the technology worked when making referrals from general practice to community pharmacists. NHS Somerset is using software called Patient Access Connect, which seamlessly integrates with the EMIS Web GP system used in Somerset, to give practices a quick and easy way to capture the patient information needed to deliver a referral.

Royal Pharmaceutical Society in England and the Royal College of General Practitioners have published recommendations for the roll-out and success of the GP Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (GP CPCS). These recommendations follow a workshop with stakeholders from pharmacy, general practice and representative bodies, examining ways to maximise the potential of the service and meet growing demand on the health service. The workshop report made five recommendations: The NHS England and Improvement should provide additional investment in local system support and resources to drive the CPCS implementation and uptake between general practice and community pharmacy. National representative bodies should work with NHS E&I to develop national and local engagement and streamline communication plans for CPCS referral pathway. Focus on expanding the role of community pharmacists in the management of minor illness. Evaluation of CPCS service and its impacts on general practice workload, patient outcomes and health inequalities.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) is refreshing its Professional Standards for Homecare Services and will be shared for consultation in August to allow comment and input on the updated content. The final version is expected to be completed in the autumn. The standards were originally published in 2013 and are a framework to support teams providing and commissioning homecare services. Homecare medicines services deliver medication, and any necessary associated care, direct to the patient's home with their consent. The standards help patients experience a consistent quality of homecare services, irrespective of provider, will protect them from avoidable incidents and help them get the best outcomes from their medicines. Jennifer Allen, The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer's Clinical Fellow leading the refresh at RPS said: "It has been 10 years since the first set of Homecare Standards were published, so it is important that they are reviewed and brought up to date to reflect current service design, medicine pathways and delivery models to ensure patients receive safe and effective medication supply and associated care."

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) today (19 October) issued its official response to an evaluation conducted by an independent expert panel from the Health and Social Care Committee (HSCC) regarding government commitments in the pharmacy sector. The joint agreement between DHSC, NHSE, and CPE (Community Pharmacy England) under a five-year plan commitment to review the funding model, however, the current status is "continue to monitor and discuss progress". The government has claimed that the panel's rating has "not been met" and still "requires improvement". However, the funding "remains subject to affordability and consultation with the sector on the activity that can be delivered within that funding envelope".

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has called its member to to express their views and fill out the Department of Health and Social Care's hub and spoke survey on the proposed model of dispensing. The Society has urged its members to fill out the survey before May 20. RPS president Claire Anderson said: "It is vital that RPS members have their say on issue that impact you in your roles. Currently only single legal entities can make use of this model of dispensing. "Our survey, which opened today, seeks your views and comments and will help to inform the RPS submission to this consultation." The consultation on the proposals to enable all community pharmacies to access hub and spoke dispensing published by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will run for three months and will close on June 8, 2022.

The UK GDP Association has been established as a non-profit organisation, operating as a Community Interest Company (CIC), with a focus on providing a broader support network, particularly for small and medium business enterprises and pharmacy wholesalers. In addition to delivering commercially viable Good Distribution Practice (GDP) consultancy services for simple models with smaller budgets, the association aims to function as a networking platform for Responsible Persons in the UK. As members of the association, companies and individuals can gain multiple benefits that will add value to their business through access to knowledge, discounted training, consultancy services, audit and inspection support, as well as resources like document templates for risk assessments, CAPA, deviations, and more. Moreover, members can enjoy the benefit of a like-minded support network via a dedicated GDP community hub, providing a platform for discussions, seeking advice, and fostering new relationships. "Our mission is to ensure that patient safety, GDP compliance, and excellent quality is paramount in all organisations, regardless of budget," the company said.

Two weeks prior to the closing of the hub and spoke consultation, issues around patient safety, costs and competition as well as practicalities such as what to do with uncollected medicines were discussed in a webinar on hub and spoke dispensing on Wednesday (May 26). The webinar was organised by Sigma Pharmaceuticals in association with the National Pharmacy Association (NPA). NPA director of corporate affairs Gareth Jones chaired the event and was joined by Sigma's Hatul Shah and Raj Haria as well as NPA vice chair Nick Kaye and NPA head of advice and support services Jasmine Shah. Kaye said: "There are still many 'unknown unknowns' with hub and spoke and the jury's still out on any potential benefits. I have lots of reservations about cost and it worries me how efficient this is for the business and the long term sustainability for the sector as a whole. Above all we need to think about the patient at the centre of all this and the potential confusion for them." Jasmine Shah felt patient safety was going to be the key in regards to whether the spoke and the hub would hold the ultimate responsibility and "who is going to take the accountability as far as patient care goes". She added: "It is most important that GPhC standards and NHS requirement are both met in identifying all the risks associated with the arrangement with hub and spoke and ensuring that (patient safety) measures are in place. Everything that needs to be looked at is by putting the patient at heart of the arrangement and seeing what is the safest way for them to receive care from both spoke and hub."

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will introduce new arrangements for the setting of Drug Tariff Category A reimbursement prices from April 2024. Driven by ministers, DHSC's decision aims to equalise access to margin on Category A medicines and it's part of a series of drug reimbursement reforms proposed by the department following a public consultation in 2019. Currently, prices of medicines in Category A are subject to monthly adjustment. From 1 April 2024, these will be updated quarterly based on sales and volume data obtained by DHSC under the Health Service Products (Provision and Disclosure of Information) Regulations 2018. The transition will conclude in July 2025 when the reimbursement prices will be exclusively determined by the new method. Advance notice for contractors regarding the 'new arrangements' has been outlined on the NHSBSA website. However, Community Pharmacy England (CPE) did not support the introduction of the changes at this time as pharmacies are currently grappling with "wider challenges" and there is uncertainty about the potential impact of these changes on the already "turbulent" medicines supply chain

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Director for Scotland, Clare Morrison will be joining NHS Scotland in January. Morrison has been appointed Director of Community Engagement at Healthcare Improvement Scotland. Paul Bennett, RPS CEO said: "Many people, particularly in Scotland, will know of Clare's passion for quality improvement and patient involvement in the co-design of services. This was demonstrated through her previous work on the development of Near Me, NHS Scotland's video consulting service, and its co-design with the public, patients, clinicians and NHS staff which gained international recognition from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. "Therefore, this is an exciting opportunity for Clare to join Healthcare Improvement Scotland to take on a strategic leadership role in supporting effective community engagement across health and social care in Scotland. It also enables Clare to make even greater use of her training as an NHS Scotland Scottish Quality & Safety Fellow and we wish her every success in her new role.

A groundbreaking research project has revealed that the public is urging the government to prioritise primary and community care over hospitals. The study also found a strong public willingness to pay higher taxes to enhance NHS services. The Health Foundation and Ipsos UK conducted the research, combining nationwide polling with in-depth public deliberative workshops. These workshops, held in King's Lynn, Leeds, and London, constitute one of the most comprehensive public consultations about the future of the NHS in England. The study published on 16 May underscores the public's desire for a redistribution of NHS resources. If the NHS budget remains unchanged, 60 per cent of those polled believe the government should focus on improving access to community-based services like general practice and dentistry.

In response to new research that revealed inequality in menopause support with 51 per cent of women from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, Holland & Barrett, the UK's leading health and wellness retailer, has decided to continue its menopause campaign work to make "every menopause matter". A quarter of women (26 per cent) from minority ethnic communities say they find it difficult to access menopause support relevant to their specific backgrounds. Alongside support from Olympian and menopause campaigner, Michelle Griffith Robinson and expert, Meera Bhogal, the retailer is launching several new initiatives to make its information and support on menopause more inclusive by offering more diverse and personalised advice and content, tailored to different needs. Almost a third (31 per cent) believe being able to speak to a female healthcare professional of the same ethnicity as them would have made a difference to their menopause experience. Fifteen per cent go as far as saying that communicating in their native language would have made a positive difference. Based on these findings, Holland and Barrett is the first retailer to launch a free, multi-language menopause online consultation service. The service will see trained H&B menopause advisors offering guidance and symptom support in multiple languages, starting with Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati and Punjabi.

A new report based on research from pharmacists across England by Sanofi, has called for the introduction of a 'national self-care strategy' to relieve the burden currently faced by health services. The new report, titled 'Driving a self-care revolution in the UK', explores the views of pharmacists, patients and doctors on self-care and the support needed to deliver it more effectively. While self-care policy measures are estimated to increase monetary savings for healthcare systems and national economies by 16%, this report highlights the right tools and resources are not yet in place to enable pharmacists to play a greater role in delivering self-care advice and medicines to patients. "As many as 77% of pharmacists said they would support the creation of a National Self-Care Strategy to provide national leadership on improving understanding of self-care and encourage its use among both patients and clinicians," the report said. According to the report, currently, 33% of pharmacists working for independent or small pharmacy chains do not have the resources to support patients with self-care, alongside their other roles. "To tackle this, close to half (45%) of pharmacists believe greater emphasis by primary care practitioners on the benefits of self-care would leave pharmacists in a better place to support patients. Similarly, 42% believe that training and recruiting more pharmacists would improve their capacity to deliver self-care advice."