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The government has earmarked £200 million to enhance NHS resilience and expedite patient care during the upcoming winter season. This extra amount will bolster the health service during its busiest period, while protecting elective care so we can keep cutting waiting lists, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said. On August 13, the Prime Minister and Health and Social Care Secretary met with clinical leaders and NHS Chiefs to strategise and refine planning for urgent and emergency care, while prioritising the preservation of waiting list targets for the upcoming winter season. "Patients can be reassured that I will always back the NHS, so that those who most need help and support will get the care they need," Sunak said. "Winter is the most challenging time for the health service, which is why we've been planning for it all year - with huge government investment to fund new ambulances, beds and virtual wards." "This £200 million investment, assured by the Department of Health and Social Care as new and additional funding, should aid NHS leaders in their preparations and mitigation for what will be a seriously difficult winter period," said Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of NHS Confederation. "The priority now is swift allocation of funding to local systems for optimal utilisation."

The National Health Service said that over 425,000 patients have utilised its new national online service to complete GP registration within its inaugural year. The GP surgery registration service, managed by NHS England, has granted NHS patients efficient and user-friendly access to GP registration since its inception in August 2022. According to the NHS, more than 1,400 GP surgeries, a fifth of the national count, have joined the NHS online registration service as part of a new plan to improve access to primary care. "This aligns with a new strategy to enhance primary care access, with a target of enrolling 2,000 practices in the Register with a GP surgery service by December 2023." Many GP surgeries still use paper forms, requiring patients to visit surgeries to collect paperwork. However, the new online service has been shown to save GP surgery staff up to 15 minutes per registration by helping to reduce paperwork and admin time, the NHS said. The NHS said that this service enables patients to register with a local GP online at any time, eliminating the need for in-person visits and simplifying the process for both patients and GP surgeries.

Pharmacies and other spaces should be able to facilitate the provision of health care to bring services closer to patients and reduce demands on general practice, suggested a report by Tony Blair Institute. In a paper 'Modern and Sustainable NHS Providing Accessible and Personalised Care for All', it has propose six areas for reform where radical-but-practical policy action will begin to transform the future of the NHS and deliver better patient care. It has proposed to create new access routes for services and providers. It added: "The range and availability of health-care services must increase to reflect citizens' demands and their increasingly complex needs. "Pharmacies, gyms, supermarkets, workplaces and other spaces should all be able to provide or facilitate the provision of health care, bringing services closer to patients and reducing demands on general practice. It suggested: "We must move towards greater community-based care and the creation of a neighbourhood health service, with more routes for direct patient access, to ensure services are available when and where people need them. These should all be accessible through a single, simple digital front door to the NHS."

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.

The Green Party has previewed its upcoming manifesto with a bold proposal for the National Health Service (NHS) and social care system, promising an unprecedented level of investment to restore and enhance these critical services. By 2030, the Greens aim to inject over £50 billion annually into health and social care, accompanied by an additional £20 billion capital investment to modernise healthcare infrastructure. Green Party Co-Leader Adrian Ramsay emphasised the urgency of these reforms, stating, "Our NHS is at breaking point following 14 years of underfunding." "Patients are stuck in hospital corridors, people can't see their GP or NHS dentist when they need to, and staff are severely overstretched." The manifesto highlights a comprehensive approach to revitalising the NHS, including:

Seven NHS trusts in England are set to begin trials of new wireless technologies to help improve patient care and strengthen connectivity in A&Es and ambulance bays. They have been awarded around £1 million as part of NHS England's Wireless Trials programme, which aims to leverage advanced wireless technologies to enhance patient care and experiences while freeing up more staff time. Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust will introduce an innovative approach of combining satellite and cloud-based wireless solutions to enhance connectivity across its 10 hospital sites and wider community services. At Mid Cheshire and Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS trusts, wireless trackers will be installed on medical equipment and hospital beds. This will allow real-time monitoring and location tracking, enabling easy accessibility for staff to locate necessary items promptly.

In a strategic move to enhance healthcare delivery, the NHS has announced plans to intensify the utilisation of virtual wards under the the Urgent and Emergency Care Recovery Plan. The NHS virtual wards are aimed to reduce avoidable hospital admissions across England. This follows a comprehensive analysis revealing significant benefits from virtual wards over the past year. "Virtual wards offer a transformative approach to healthcare delivery, allowing patients to receive medical care from the comfort of their own homes," remarked NHS national director for urgent and emergency care, Sarah-Jane Marsh. "This initiative not only reduces the burden on hospital resources but also ensures that patients receive timely and personalised care."

Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of the NHS Confederation, delivered a compelling speech at the NHS ConfedExpo 2024, emphasising the critical need for investment in community-based care and the revitalisation of primary care services. In his address, Taylor also criticised the current health policy as "not fit for purpose," calling for radical changes to shift the NHS from a reactive to a proactive health model. Addressing delegates at the Manchester event, Taylor highlighted the importance of shifting resources towards prevention and community services. Underscoring a strategic pivot from reactive to proactive health models, he said: "We must see action to fulfil the long-held vision of a health service that invests better upstream in prevention, in primary and in community-based care."

In a significant move to enhance the working conditions of over 50,000 postgraduate doctors in the National Health Service, NHS England has unveiled a series of measures aimed at providing greater choice and opportunities to the new entrants in the medical profession. With flexible rotas, reducing payroll errors, and easing the financial burden of course fees, the NHS has taken steps to address the issues faced by junior doctors in order to support their well-being. In recent announcement, 83 per cent of senior doctors and dentists accepted the government's pay offer. Alongside the junior doctors who still fighting for fair pay and recognition, the senior medical professionals demanded that the authorities help them tackle issues pertaining underfunding and overworking in the NHS. Junior doctors in training also often face challenges with frequent moves between trusts, leading to short notice changes in work schedules and duplicated inductions when transitioning to new hospitals. As a measure taken by the health serivces, the committee aims to review the minimum legal requirements for statutory and mandatory training, potentially halving the time burden for such training and allowing doctors to spend more time caring for patients as part of the long-term workforce plan.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) made a recent announcement that the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (i.AI) and NHS England (NHSE) have joined forces in a groundbreaking move by signing a Collaboration Charter on AI. This pivotal partnership aims to equip the NHS workforce with the tools and resources to leverage AI technology for enhancing patient care, improving staff experience, and driving operational efficiency. The Charter, endorsed by Minister Burghart, Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office, and Lord Markham, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the DHSC, signifies an important step towards integrating AI into the fabric of the NHS. Under this collaboration, the i.AI team, comprising elite technical experts within the government, will identify opportunities where AI technology can be deployed responsibly to support the NHS. This initiative is expected to streamline processes, optimize resource allocation, and ultimately enhance patient outcomes.

"We're thrilled that MedicinesComplete will now be available to all clinicians in Wales through the NHS Wales e-Library," said Karen Baxter, Managing Director of Pharmaceutical Press, announcing a contract with NHS Wales. The collaboration between Pharmaceutical Press, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's knowledge business, and NHS Wales is set to grant healthcare professionals across Wales unlimited access to MedicinesComplete. MedicineComeplete is a vital resource for accurate and trusted medicines information, includes key resources such as the British National Formulary, Stockley's Drug Interactions, and Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference and will be accessible through the NHS Wales e-Library, managed by Digital Health and Care Wales. The collaboration effective starting September 1, 2024, aims to significantly enhance patient safety and improve healthcare outcomes by providing time-pressured clinicians with instant access to essential, evidence-based guidance. According to Baxter the new collaboration "will better enable health professionals across primary and secondary care to make confident decisions about medicines, ensuring patients get the best from their treatment." Moreover, MedicinesComplete has made it easy for health professionals globally to access trusted medicines information since 2004, provided expert guidance on the safe use and administration of drugs and medicines, in one place.

In a delightful announcement, the University of Brighton has honoured NHS England's Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, David Webb with its prestigious Doctor of Science honorary degree Webb's award is a highlight of the university's graduation ceremony which celebrated the graduation of over 3,400 undergraduate and postgraduate students from 92 countries at the Brighton Centre this week. The accolade recognises Webb's transformative work in the pharmacy services within the NHS, highlighting the profound impact his contributions have had on delivery of healthcare across the UK. Under Webb's leadership, significant advancements have been made in integrating pharmacy into NHS care pathways, improving patient outcomes, and enhancing the role of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the healthcare system. Webb expressed his honour stating, "I am delighted to receive the honorary award of Doctor of Science from the University of Brighton in recognition of both my contribution to pharmacy in the NHS"

National Health Services (NHS) patients across England are set to experience a significant enhancement in accessing key healthcare services such as community nursing through the expansion of self-referral options that no longer require a GP appointment. The recent announcement is part of the NHS primary care access recovery plan and is set to offer hundreds of thousands more individuals each month the opportunity to refer themselves for essential services such as "incontinence support", "podiatry", or "hearing tests" without GP referrals. This move aims to alleviate the burden on general practitioners through self-referrals for more than 180,000 patients, allowing them to focus their time and resources on patients in need of immediate care and recover the long waiting times. As per the NHS data, approximately 200,000 people per month self-refer themselves which under the new plan will extend to additional critical services tailored to local population needs to "continue modernising GP, expand pharmacy services, and offer patients more choice in how they access care".

Wes Streeting's speech at the Labour Party Conference 2024 outlines several key health and social care reforms, which hold significant implications for community pharmacy in England. His focus on reforming and rebuilding the NHS to ensure fair, universal access to care, with prevention and early intervention at its core, presents both opportunities and challenges for community pharmacy. Here are the potential implications: 1. Prevention Focus Streeting's vision of a shift from a reactive, hospital-based model to a preventive healthcare system presents a promising future for community pharmacies. These changes could significantly reduce pressures on GPs and hospitals, integrating pharmacies more closely into primary care networks and enhancing their role in preventive care. 2. Digital Transformation The move from an "analogue to digital" NHS could see community pharmacies adopting more digital tools and systems for service delivery. This would likely involve greater use of digital prescribing, telehealth consultations, and AI-driven services. Pharmacies will need to invest in digital infrastructure and ensure that pharmacy professionals are trained to operate within a more tech-centric environment. 3. Reform and Redistribution of Services Streeting's plans to extend choice and equitable access to services mean that community pharmacies could become integral to providing care in underserved or disadvantaged areas. With a focus on decentralising healthcare and bringing it closer to local communities, community pharmacies could play a more significant role in supporting healthcare delivery in areas where GP services are stretched. This may include expanding access to pharmacy services in the most deprived areas, aligning with Labour's emphasis on addressing health inequalities.

Expressing apprehension over the concerning decline in the nursing workforce, Sir Julian Hartley, CEO of NHS Providers, urged the forthcoming government to bolster investment in nursing education and enhance support for student nurses. Recent analysis from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has projected that the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will fall short by 10,000 new nurses by 2025. Commenting on the RCN analysis, Sir Hartley underscored the critical importance of having an adequate number of nurses to ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality patient care. "Without enough nurses, the delivery of safe, high-quality patient care is compromised," he said. He cautioned that the predicted shortfall in nurses would exacerbate existing pressures on the NHS, resulting in long waiting times, delayed treatments and staff burnout.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and National Pharmacy Association (NPA) have both urged the new health secretary Steve Barclay to back the 'pharmacy first' approach in England as mentioned by his predecessor on numerous occasions. "Sajid Javid recognised the vital role of community pharmacy and the potential of a 'Pharmacy First' to support patient access to care. I would urge the new Health Secretary to see this through to completion," said chair of RPS in England Thorrun Govind. Thorrun hopes the new health secretary will engage with pharmacy leaders about how we can make the most of our health and care workforce to support the NHS recovery, including reducing health inequalities, managing the growing cost of long-term conditions, and utilising the enhanced skills of Pharmacist Independent Prescribers. Commenting on the new appointment, she said: "This is a crucial time for the future of health and care - with continued pressures on teams, changes to NHS structures and organisations, and the need for long-term investment in the workforce. "With a 'refresh' of the NHS Long-Term Plan and the Government's workforce plan expected later this year, these must support a more ambitious approach to advancing the clinical role of pharmacists across the NHS to better meet changing patient demand, backed by investment in pharmacy education and training.

NHS England has announced a phased implementation for mandatory multi-sector rotations in the Foundation Pharmacist Training Programme, delaying the full rollout to the 2027/28 training year. Under the General Pharmaceutical Council's Standards for Initial Education and Training of Pharmacists (2021), multi-sector rotations - where trainees spend at least 13 weeks in a different pharmacy setting- were initially planned for all trainees starting in 2026/27. These rotations are designed to enhance pharmacists' adaptability, multi-professional collaboration, and ability to deliver person-centred care across healthcare systems. Acknowledging significant progress from pharmacy employers in developing these programmes, NHS England cited current workforce pressures as a key reason for introducing a phased approach. "We are mindful of the current pressures faced by pharmacy teams and the broader healthcare sector and greatly appreciate your continued commitment to delivering high-quality training. To support pharmacy teams in continuing to deliver high quality training, mandatory rotations will be delayed, and a phased approach will be implemented," David Webb, chief pharmaceutical officer for England and Samantha Illingworth, director of education quality and reform at NHS England, wrote in a letter to training programme providers.

Scotland's first minister, John Swinney, has announced the expansion of the NHS Pharmacy First Service as part of the government's strategy to shift more care into communities. However, Numark chairman Harry McQuillan has stressed the need for additional funding to support this expansion effectively. Speaking at the National Robotarium in Edinburgh on 27 January 2025, Swinney outlined the government's plans for enhancing public services and renewing the NHS, promising a significant boost in NHS Scotland's capacity to reduce waiting times. Recognising the importance of identifying new approaches, Swinney underscored the critical role of community pharmacies in easing pressure on GP services. He said: "I want to see the NHS Scotland Pharmacy First Service expand so that community pharmacies can treat a greater number of clinical conditions and prevent the need for a GP visit in the first place." McQuillan welcomed the announcement, stating that this advancement will "empower pharmacists to provide even greater value, leveraging their clinical expertise to deliver comprehensive care directly to patients." However, he noted that the sector should be provided with extra funding to support this expansion.

Local pharmacists in England can now evaluate and provide treatment for patients with uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women under the age of 65, without the need for a GP appointment. The 'ByeByeUTI' scheme has been expanded across the country, following a successful pilot across North East and North Cumbria. More than 30,000 women have been treated for uncomplicated urinary tract infections at local pharmacies since the pilot scheme was launched in July 2022 as part of the NHS and government's primary care access recovery plan, according to NHS England. The expansion of pharmacy services not only enhances patients' access to care but also frees up tens of thousands of GP appointments at the same time. Dr Faisel Baig, Medical Director for Primary Care, NHS England North East and Yorkshire, said that the rollout of this service across the whole region will enable many more women to receive "faster and easier" access to advice and treatment.

Community pharmacists are readily accessible healthcare providers and medicine experts in the community setting and their counsel is often sought by patients and consumers on a number of subjects including the use of dietary supplements. Their role in the sale of and advice regarding natural health and drug alternatives has never been more relevant. The recent National Health Service (NHS) Interim People Plan calls for the NHS to put all staff front and centre of the way it operates and identifies pharmacists as a critical part of multidisciplinary teams, providing care across a wide range of increasingly complex patient needs. Despite existing demand to counsel patients on a vast range of medicines, more and more consumers are looking to their pharmacist to support and enhance their knowledge regarding the relevance of a growing range of supplementary nutrients now available. Nutritional supplementation is increasingly becoming the consumer's first choice for 'drug free' treatment or natural prevention that provides a true sense of taking control, which the prescription process often denies them. Historically the immense benefits provided by the NHS have instilled a general abdication of our personal health control, leaving us to rely on the health service to treat and cure as necessary. As our NHS has become visibly over-stretched we begin to realise what the rest of the world has known for centuries - good health is based primarily upon nutritional robustness. It may be stating the obvious but there is an excellent source of incremental revenue for the pharmacist who is willing to provide space to and advice for nutritional supplements.