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The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has finally published its response to the 2022 consultation on hub and spoke dispensing. Considering the consultation evidence and further discussions, the government has expressed its intention to progress the proposals for enabling hub and spoke models across different legal entities as soon as possible. This will be achieved by using the enabling powers outlined in Part 2 of the Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021 (MMDA) to amend the Medicines Act 1968 and the HMRs. Furthermore, the DHSC has decided to proceed with the implementation of the two models of hub and spoke dispensing that it consulted on. The government response to the consultation reads: "Having considered the responses, the government intend to proceed to implement the necessary changes to medicines legislation to remove the current restrictions that prevent the hub and spoke dispensing models from operating across different legal entities found in section 10 of the Medicines Act 1968.

In a decisive move highlighting the financial strain faced by community pharmacies, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) submitted a £108 million invoice to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) today (16 May). According to the NPA, this substantial sum represents the amount that pharmacies in England personally covered for the dispensing of NHS medicines last month, as a result of inadequate funding. "The £108m figure is an average monthly figure based on the loss to pharmacy incomes over the past decade," it said. The association believes that mass closures can be prevented only when the government stops expecting pharmacies to subsidise the cost of delivering NHS care. NPA chief executive Paul Rees, said: "The soaring costs of dispensing medicine coupled with declining real terms funding has led to community pharmacies in England having to subsidise the dispensing of drugs to the tune of £108m a month.

The Department of Health and Social Care has clarified that community pharmacists will not be among those allowed to issue sick notes, calling the service unsuitable to be provided over the counter. In response to a question from Pharmacy Business, a spokesperson for the department said that the policy change was "aimed at pharmacists working within general practices or hospital settings", adding: "The intention is that 'where' the fit note is issued will remain the same but 'who' issues it will change. The DHSC went on to explain that fit notes, known technically as 'Med3', were "not part of the NHS commissioned services" and therefore private providers, such as high street pharmacies, were unable to provide it under government provision. It added that since "fit notes should only be issued following a full assessment of a patient's fitness for work", it "would be an unsuitable service to be provided 'over the counter'.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has introduced new arrangements for the application of discount deduction to community pharmacy payments which will be implemented in six financial quarters beginning in October 2022 and concluding in January 2024. Under the new discount deduction system, the current single scale will be split into three groups: one each for generic medicines, branded medicines, and appliances. Separate fixed deduction rates have been determined for each group. This will provide all pharmacies the same rates of deduction applied to their reimbursement for the three different groups, regardless of the total value of that reimbursement. Fin McCaul, PSNC member and independent community pharmacy contractor, said: "The discount deduction scale has been a point of contention for contractors for many years, and PSNC has long been pushing to remedy this. "The incoming changes are designed to both improve equity of access to margin and manage the distortions presented by branded medicines, which just don't have the same level of discount available as generics.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on Thursday (30th November) announced the launch of a new suicide surveillance system, bolstering its efforts to tackle emerging methods of suicide and clamp down on those seeking to sell dangerous products to vulnerable people. For now, the DHSC will work with the National Police Chiefs' Council to gather near to real-time data from across the country on deaths by suspected suicide by gender, age group and method. The data will be obtained from individual police forces in England and the government will get it within three months of a suspected suicide, the DHSC said in its release. Previously, the only suicide data available at a national level was provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), but it could take up to 2 years for the official ONS data to come through.

The government's formal consultation on pharmacy supervision, which closes today (29 February), leaves important questions unanswered, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has warned. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) proposals are to: enable pharmacists to authorise pharmacy technicians to carry out, or supervise others carrying out, the preparation, assembly, dispensing, sale and supply of medicines enable pharmacists to authorise any member of the pharmacy team to hand out checked and bagged prescriptions in the absence of a pharmacist allow pharmacy technicians to take primary responsibility for the preparation, assembly and dispensing of medicinal products in hospital aseptic facilities In its formal response to the consultation, the NPA acknowledged that modernisation of the regulations is long overdue, including enabling non-pharmacist members of the pharmacy team to hand out checked and bagged prescriptions.

After a month of intense talks, the British government and unions representing consultant doctors in England have reached an agreement, potentially ending six months of disruptive strike action. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has put forward an offer to reform the pay structure for senior doctors from January 2024, reducing the number of pay points and the time it takes to reach the top. As part of this offer, consultants will also be entitled to enhanced shared parental leave, bringing them in line with other NHS staff. New arrangements will ensure a clearer link between pay progression and evidence of skills, competencies and experience, the DHSC said. The British Medical Association (BMA) and Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) agreed to put the offer to their members for a vote in the coming weeks, with no further strike action to be called during that time.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published the full text of the 2024 voluntary scheme for branded medicines pricing, access and growth (VPAG). The 2024 VPAG agreement text sets out the detailed terms of the agreement reached between DHSC, NHS England and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) to support patient access to medicines, the financial sustainability of the NHS and the UK life sciences sector. The new voluntary scheme will come into force on 1 January 2024, following expiry of the 2019 Voluntary Scheme and shall remain in force for a period of five years, until 31 December 2028. Manufacturers or suppliers of branded medicines to the NHS have been given time till 15 January 2024 to decide whether to join the new 2024 Voluntary Scheme, or default to the updated Statutory Scheme.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) published a notification regarding the shortage of Guanfacine 2mg and 3mg modified-release tablets has raised concerns within the healthcare community. This critical medicine supply notification, issued on March 28th, projects the unavailability of these tablets until the week commencing May 6, 2024. Guanfacine tablets, commonly prescribed to alleviate symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity while enhancing attention and concentration, play a vital role in managing conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the scarcity of these specific strengths poses challenges for patients reliant on this medication. Last year, several countries across the globe experienced shortages of medications for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)including the UK, the US and Australia. Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has cautioned that while alternative strengths of Guanfacine remain accessible, they may not adequately meet the heightened demand, potentially resulting in treatment interruptions for patients.

Three pharmacy bodies have called on the government to allow pharmacy students access to the NHS learning support fund (LSF) currently available to students from other healthcare professions. Calling it "unjust", the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), British Pharmaceutical Students' Association (BPSA), and Pharmacy Schools Council (PSC) have voiced their disappointment over continual exclusion of pharmacy students on clinical placements and asked that pharmacy students are given equal access to the LSF. The Department of Health and Social Care recently announced a 50 percent increase in travel and accommodation allowances for students in nursing, midwifery, allied health professions, medical, and dental courses. However, this initiative notably excluded pharmacy students.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is pushing ahead with its plans to implement a new drug tariff from April 2024. However, this move has sparked strong opposition from Community Pharmacy England (CPE), raising concerns about its potential impact on pharmacies and patients. Earlier, it was announced that the April drug tariff will include the new 'Retrospective top-up payment for Concessionary prices, which will be applied automatically for the products listed in Part VIIIE each quarter by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), according to the volume the contractor was paid for. However, CPE argued that the government has imposed these "untested" changes without their agreement, and strongly opposed them stating that "no recovery or downward pressure on margin is acceptable given the financial fragility of community pharmacies." Janet Morrison, chief executive of CPE, has voiced strong opposition to these changes, arguing that "any system expecting pharmacies to dispense at a loss" jeopardises the sector's financial stability and compromises patient care.

The regulators have added 10 new products to the 'Drugs for which Discount is Not Deducted' (DND) list from Thursday (01 June). Community Pharmacy England on behalf of its members had made further applications to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), resulting in the inclusion of 10 new products in the DND. More than 610 products are granted DND status following checks made by Community Pharmacy England's dispensing & supply team over the past 3 years to ensure fair reimbursement for our members. The DND list is updated monthly by the DHSC and includes grouped and individual items. Individual items are separately listed in Part II of the Drug Tariff. Any items covered by the 'Group Items' heading are not listed again individually in Part II. "We will continue our work to assess whether other drugs and appliances fulfil the current DND entry requirements under either the 'Group' and 'Individual item' criteria and make applications to NHSBSA and DHSC, on behalf of our members accordingly," said Community Pharmacy England.

The UK government will lay legislation today (13 December 2023) to allow the General Medical Council (GMC) to begin the process of regulating medical associates to expand their roles in the NHS. This will support plans to reduce pressure on doctors and GPs and improve access for patients, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said. Physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) will have the same levels of regulatory oversight and accountability as doctors and other regulated healthcare professionals once the regulations come into force, which is expected at the end of 2024. The GMC will design and deliver detailed regulatory processes for registration, education, standards and fitness to practise for both professions.

The Community Pharmacy England has raised a concern on pricing and availability of Atorvastatin tablets. CPE is In discussions with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and have warned about the serious impact this issue is now having on pharmacies. The issue was highlighted after a number of pharmacy owners have got in touch with CPE about the pricing and availability of Atorvastatin tablets. The association said: "The DHSC Supply Team has been working closely with manufacturers and wholesalers on this issue. Thank you to those of you who have taken the time to report the increased prices that you have purchased at.

Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has asked the government and the NHS to give more support to all community pharmacies as they gear up for "an extremely challenging winter period." During talks with NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) last week, PSNC highlighted that contractors are already under pressure because of workforce crisis, capacity issues and escalated staffing costs. all these factors could pose a bigger challenge during the busy winter season, it said. Though PSNC supported the government's aim on booster vaccinations and approval of more pharmacy sites, it expressed concerns over the impact of the vaccination drive on all community pharmacies. To ease the pressure on pharmacies, the negotiator has sought additional support through regulatory measures, the removal of administrative burdens and changes to the current Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS).

With higher than usual number of cases of scarlet fever, caused by invasive Group A streptococci (iGAS) infections being reported in children across the country, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England David Webb has assured pharmacies of sufficient supply of antibiotics. In a letter, shared by the PDA, Webb also urged the pharmacies to order antibiotic stocks sensibly. "Local pharmacy teams may be experiencing a temporary interruption of supply of some relevant antibiotics due to increased demand. On a national level, sufficient stock exists for the NHS," he said. He said NHS is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and has taken actions to help ensure medicines continue to be available. He explained that the supplies of antibiotics for the treatment of Group A Strep, particularly phenoxymethylpenicillin presentations, have seen a surge in demand, leading to potential constraints at certain wholesalers and pharmacies,

The government has joined hands with Prostate Cancer UK to launch a massive screening trial in the country next year. Called TRANSFORM, the trial will use innovative screening methods like an MRI scan to detect prostate cancer, which is the most common cancer in men in the UK. The trail is scheduled for launch in Spring 2024, and recruitment is likely to begin in Autumn 2024. For the £42 million trial, the government will invest £16 million through the National Institute of Health Research, and £26m will be provided by Prostate Cancer UK. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) believes that thousands of men's lives could be saved each year if prostate cancer is detected early with effective screening methods.

Dr Bharat Shah CBE regrets that neither community pharmacists nor pharmaceutical wholesalers in the UK have any control over how Category M reimbursement prices in Part VIII A of the Drug Tariff are determined. The co-founder and chief executive of Sigma Pharmaceuticals was speaking at a conference organised by Avicenna in West London on Sunday (March 6). Introduced into the Drug Tariff in April 2005, Category M is used to set the reimbursement prices of over 500 drugs. The Department of Health and Social Care makes the final decision on the amount of reimbursement (cost of drugs and appliances supplied against an NHS prescription form) and remuneration (fees paid as part of the NHS community pharmacy contract for the provision of a service).

A total of 14 Serious Shortage Protocols (SSP) will expire today (12 May) as the Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed availability of the products to meet normal demand. The products include Sandrena 0.5mg and 1mg gel sachets, Lipitor 10mg chewable tablets, Phenoxymethylpenicillin 125mg/5ml and 250mg/5ml oral solution, sugar free variant of both doses and 250mg tablets, and Paracetamol 120mg and 240mg suppositories. The expiring SSPs include three related to Sandrena gel sachets, one for Lipitor, eight concerning Phenoxymethylpenicillin and two for Paracetamol. These will expire at 23.59pm on Friday 12 May and any prescriptions for these products must be dispensed in accordance with the prescription after that.

In response to significant ongoing disruptions in the supply of certain Quetiapine tablet strengths, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) on Tuesday issued nine new Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs), with immediate effect. These measures aim to ensure the continued availability of quetiapine, an essential medication for managing schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Under the new SSPs, community pharmacists are allowed to consider different options to manage the shortage of the three strengths of quetiapine tablets affected by ongoing supply disruptions: quetiapine 300mg tablets, quetiapine 200mg tablets, and quetiapine 150mg tablets. Depending on the prescribed quantity of the affected quetiapine tablet, pharmacists can either supply a reduced quantity of the same quetiapine tablet or substitute with an alternative strength or provide a reduced quantity of a specific alternative product.