Nuffield Trust and The King's Fund are seeking feedback from community pharmacy on their proposals for the future of community pharmacy and they are seeking
feedback from community pharmacy stakeholders.
The online survey is the latest opportunity for pharmacy owners, LPCs and others in the sector to engage with the project to develop a Vision for Community Pharmacy.
Nuffield Trust and The King's Fund want to hear their views on their proposals, ahead of the publication of the final report later this year. The vision is
critically important, as it will be used to develop the future strategy for the sector and lay the groundwork for the next Community Pharmacy Contractual
Framework (CPCF) negotiations.
The survey is asking for thoughts on key aspects of the vision and its recommendations. The vision has been developed by Nuffield Trust and The King's Fund
following an extensive programme of research, interviews and meetings of the vision Steering Group, Advisory Panel, and Working Groups, all of which have
contractors, LPCs and other representatives of the sector at their heart.
The vision project team are looking forward to hearing views from across the sector on their proposals and what will need to happen to make them a reality.
he Pharmacy Schools Council (PhSC) has elected Professor Katie Maddock as the organisation's new chair.
Prior to becoming head of school at Keele University, Professor Maddock had been MPharm course director and associate dean for education for the Faculty of
Medicine and Health Sciences, responsible for developing the clinical teaching at Keele.
Before joining Keele University, she taught clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice at Aston University. Her research interests lie in pharmacy education,
particularly the use of technology in teaching, clinical therapeutics, augmented reality simulation and interprofessional education. She was also awarded a
principal fellowship of the Higher Education Academy in November 2020.
Having worked in hospital pharmacy, Professor Maddock is acutely aware of the pressures that Covid-19 has placed on healthcare, as well as the importance of
retaining and building upon the positive changes to patient care and pharmacy practice that were developed in response to the pandemic.
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) is encouraging community pharmacy contractors and their teams to take part in the negotiator's latest Pharmacy Advice Audit.
The audit has been extended but results must be submitted by 23.59 on Friday (March 11).
Under the audit, pharmacy teams need to record information about the informal healthcare advice that they give in a single day, which would provide a critical check on how people continue to rely on community pharmacies.
The results of the audit will provide key evidence for use in funding discussions with the government and the NHS.
Last year's Advice Audit highlighted the scale of the informal consultations that took place in pharmacies during the pandemic, and helped the PSNC to persuade MPs to support the case for Covid-19 costs.
The voter turnout for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) England this year has dropped to 7.3 per cent.
Out of a total 18,333 eligible voter only 1,336 voter elected Danny Bartlett to the vacancy on the English Pharmacy Board.
This year, four nominations were received for one substantive place on the English Pharmacy Board.
One nomination was received for a single vacancy on the Welsh Pharmacy Board. Richard Evans has been elected unopposed to the vacancy on the Welsh Pharmacy Board.
There were no vacancies this year on the Scottish Pharmacy Board. Therefore, no election was required for the Welsh Pharmacy Board nor the Scottish Pharmacy Board.
Sarwat (Sorbi) Khattak has been elected for a period of one year to fill the casual vacancy.
Ensuring comprehensive healthcare services for the community necessitates collaboration between pharmacies and GP surgeries. However, several pharmacists
have voiced concerns about a lack of cooperation from their local GPs in implementing the Pharmacy First (PF) service.
In a survey conducted by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) covering 470 pharmacies across England, three-quarters of pharmacists (77 per cent) indicated
that local GP practices are not appropriately referring patients to the new service.
The survey highlighted instances of patients either not being referred or being referred but found ineligible for support through Pharmacy First. Additionally,
one in five NPA members (19 per cent) felt that their local GP practices were not engaging with the initiative at all.
Commenting on the issue, NPA chair Nick Kaye said: "Feedback from across our network suggests that the rollout of Pharmacy First varies considerably from area
to area.
A pharmacy in Derby is to reopen a year after its closure sparked more than 600 worried residents to sign a petition demanding it stayed open.
An old LloydsPharmacy store on Main Drive in Chaddesden is to be the new home for Vision Pharmacy which currently has a branch at nearby Nottingham Road.
Vision Pharmacy, which has been based in Chaddesden for nine years, is to move to Main Drive from the beginning of December.
It means that Chaddesden will once again have a pharmacy right next to The Park Medical Practice - one of the main GP surgeries in the area - making it ideal for patients as they will simply have to just visit next door to collect prescriptions and medicines.
Huge banner signs can be seen on both the existing Vision Pharmacy store and its new Main Drive premises saying the move will take place from December 1.
Preet Kaur Gill, Shadow Minister for Primary Care and Public Health, has paid a recent visit to a community pharmacy in Staffordshire to personally experience
the services it provides to patients, while staying updated on the latest sector developments.
Her visit to Eason's Pharmacy in Tamworth on September 22nd marked her first since assuming new responsibilities for pharmacy policy matters within Labour's health
team. Gill was also joined by a member of the National Pharmacy Association staff.
The Minister received a comprehensive briefing on Eason's Pharmacy from its third-generation owner, Kieran Eason (R). He outlined the NHS services, which include
the New Medicines Service and blood pressure monitoring, and showcased two consultation rooms and an operational dispensary.
"It's great that Preet came to learn firsthand about the challenges we face and the substantial potential of community pharmacies nationwide," Eason said. "As an
independent prescriber, I have the expertise to provide even more convenient care, but the current funding levels severely limit our contribution."
Northern Ireland's chief pharmaceutical officer paid a visit to a community pharmacy in Belfast on Monday (November 7) - marking the end of this year's Ask
Your Pharmacist week, an annual public awareness campaign launched by the National Pharmacy Association.
Cathy Harrison interacted with patients and staff in the pharmacy before recording a video to promote NI's 'Pharmacy First' service in which she described community
pharmacies as "one of the front doors to the health service" with over 500 outlets located across the country.
"In our community pharmacies you can always rely on friendly staff, medicines expertise, and walk-in access to face-to-face advice," she said.
First launched in Scotland, the NHS Pharmacy First service enables patients to have a consultation with a pharmacist for advice on minor ailments.
Ms Harrison also drew attention to community pharmacy's role in cancer awareness and helping people to quit smoking, as well as managing patients with urinary tract
infections, in addition to playing their part in delivering Covid-19 and flu vaccinations.
Independent pharmacies played a leading role in administering Covid-19 vaccines in the country, latest data compiled by the National Pharmacy Association has revealed.
According to the latest research conducted by the NPA and PharmData, independent community pharmacies were the biggest deliverers of Covid vaccines during January -
September 2021 as compared to corporate-run pharmacy sites.
The PharmData figures which looked at 610 pharmacy sites around the country showed that 85 per cent of them were independents, most of whom are NPA members.
NPA chief executive Mark Lyonette said: "These figures show us that flexible, locally engaged, entrepreneurial independent community pharmacies are making a huge contribution to the vaccine programme.
In his maiden speech delivered to community pharmacy since becoming new minister with responsibility for the sector, Will Quince MP said he's determined to be
"your champion" and "voice in government".
Addressing delegates on Wednesday (Oct 12) as chief guest at the 22nd Pharmacy Business Awards in central London, he praised community pharmacy for delivering 25
million Covid-19 vaccines, five million flu jabs, 200 million lateral flow testing kits and millions of medicines throughout the pandemic.
"These local efforts became the national success story," he told over 600 attendees at a gala dinner held at the iconic Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel
overlooking the Houses of Parliament.
'We need you now'
Quince, who was appointed minister of state at the Department of Health and Social Care on 7 September 2022, added: "Just as we needed you in the pandemic, we
need you now," highlighting the vital role of community pharmacy in realising the secretary of state (Thérèse Coffey)'s vision, particularly in regard to her
much talked about 'Plan for Patients'.
A community pharmacy, Barton Pharmacy located in Woolacombe, Devon has been sold to a local pharmacist and its previous employee, Harminder Chaggar,
announced Christie & Co.
The business has been owned by Mr Osman Hamid for the last seven years and was brought to market to allow him to concentrate on his other business interests.
Barton Pharmacy is dispensing an average of 2,440 items per month. It lies completely unopposed in the highly desirable North Devon coastal village of Woolacombe,
in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and is an ever-popular holiday destination which boasts 'Beach of the Year 2021' as voted for by The Sunday Times.
Osman Hamid, previous owner of Barton Pharmacy, comments, "Owning this business for the last seven years has been an enjoyable experience, as we have had full
support from the NHS as it has an attached LPS contract and receives an overwhelmingly generous OTC income which is more than the average pharmacy. The business
has huge potential to grow and diversify into other avenues that are yet to be explored, and it is lovely to know that it has been passed onto a new owner operator
that I trust will do well with the business moving forwards."
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and BeWell are working together to help provide efficiencies and productivity that address the growing pressures within
community pharmacy.
BeWell's Pharmacy Management Platform provides robust solutions that include Patient Relationship Management, Omnichannel Communications and Engagement, Services
and Bookings Management, access to patient records, NHS Login supported Patient Application, and repeat prescription capabilities for Pharmacy Website and Patient
App that include integrations with Surgery Online Services.
This single interoperable platform is also integrated with pharmacy PMRs, connecting back office and administrative functions with front-of-house digital patient
experiences. In line with the NPA's vision, BeWell has taken a leading role in formulating a unique ecosystem of pharmacy partners uniting marketing agencies,
PGD-based service providers, and delivery method partners - integrating their capabilities within the BeWell platform.
Will Quince, MP for Colchester and Health Minister visited Rowlands pharmacy on Friday (20 January) in Nayland Road in his constituency.
The important role played by pharmacies in providing NHS care, support, and advice helping the local community to live healthier lives and manage long-term conditions
were discussed among the pharmacy teams.
Mr Quince said: "Community pharmacy is playing an increasingly important role in ensuring people in Colchester have convenient walk-in access to the healthcare
support and advice they need.
Pharmacies are not simply places to collect prescriptions, they provide a wide range of services and are the third pillar of access to primary care alongside GPs and
A&E. I would urge people to think pharmacy first if they have a minor ailment; need advice on taking their medication; want to stop smoking or want to check their
blood pressure."
Tough times for community pharmacies in England are far from over as the industry continues to grapple with major gaps in the workforce.
Even though the latest figures released by the Health Education England (HEE) Community Pharmacy Workforce Survey 2021 showed doubling of pharmacist vacancy rate in England to 8 per cent between 2017 and 2021, it flagged the contractors' difficulty level in filling up these positions.
The survey report showcased changes in the size and make-up of the community pharmacy workforce since the last survey conducted in 2017.
It revealed that 56 per cent of pharmacy contractors reported high difficulty level in recruiting pharmacists, up from 21 per cent in the earlier survey.
Moreover, a greater proportion - 60 per cent of contractors found filling up the pharmacy technician role 'fairly' or 'very' difficult.
Other roles in the sector considered difficult to fill included accuracy checkers and trained dispensing assistants, both at 58 per cent.
Private healthcare provider CityDoc has partnered with the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) in its bid to widen a "nationwide network of vaccine clinics" to
increase footfall to community pharmacies that come onboard.
The company says NPA member pharmacies that join the network will have their own dedicated page on the CityDoc website, while benefiting from having online marketing
done on their behalf via an extensive Google AdWords campaign and local listings optimisation - all paid for by CityDoc.
The participating pharmacies will also have access to their own booking system, marketing materials and access to the latest vaccine and private healthcare
information.
NPA member Nick Daines, who runs Lifestyle Pharmacy in Bath, said he has partnered with CityDoc for six years and seen "a significant increase in revenue from
private services."
He added: "The CityDoc partnership has allowed us to establish Lifestyle Pharmacy as a go-to venue for healthcare within Bath.
"We have seen significantly increased footfall thanks to our partnership with CityDoc, which in turn has allowed us to grow the NHS and retail aspects of the business."
Bristol-based Titan PMR, a technology firm specialising in PMR systems for community pharmacies, is set to roll out an innovative platform named 'Titanverse,'
that it claims will redefine pharmacy management, offering comprehensive solutions extending beyond prescription management.
This new platform takes a versatile approach, efficiently managing all facets of pharmacy operations, from high-level management down to daily tasks, according to
top company officials.
"Our aim is to reshape pharmacies into genuine health hubs, providing advanced services and harnessing state-of-the-art technologies," said Tariq Muhammad, CEO of
Titan PMR. "Titanverse, our latest offering, is positioned to ignite this transformation, revolutionising clinical services in the same way its predecessor
revolutionised dispensing. With Titanverse, we have the vehicle to drive this vision forward, placing pharmacies at the forefront of primary care in the future."
Titanverse adopts a Teams approach, catering to pharmacies with multiple locations or specific focuses. It furnishes real-time analytics and employs a color-coded
rating system for swift performance evaluation.
Moreover, the platform eases operations by enabling task delegation, encompassing clinical checks and dispensing, all while backing private services with adaptable
templates and workflows.
The Company Chemists' Association (CCA)'s research has found that between 2015 and 2022 more than 40 per cent of permanent community pharmacy closures took
place in the 20 per cent most deprived parts of England.
The association has analysed the NHS data and found that between 2015 and 2022, 808 pharmacies closed permanently in England. In that period, only 138 new pharmacies
opened - a net loss of 670 community pharmacies.
It also examined where permanent closures had taken place. "41% of net permanent closures had taken place in the top 20% most deprived areas in England. Meanwhile,
only 9% of net permanent closures took place in the top 20% least deprived areas."
Although the latest figures for 2021/22 suggest that the overall rate of closures may be slowing down, the proportion of pharmacies permanently shutting in more
deprived areas has only increased.
An even larger share of pharmacies that permanently shut in 2021/22 occurred in the most deprived areas compared with the previous fiscal year: 44% of net closures
took place within the bottom two IMD deciles.
"Discussions must involve the government on behalf of NHS Scotland, CPS on behalf of the owners, and the PDA as the pharmacists' representative," it said.
The association believes that there is a need for discussion and decision-making that listens to and balances the rights and responsibilities of both employers
and workers, to generate benefits for individuals, organisations, and society.
It added: "Even though Scotland provides the most generous community pharmacy settlement in the UK, recent reports suggest it is not enough for pharmacy owners
with CPS's rejection of the latest funding proposal in May. Though the Scottish government found an extra £20M to ease pressures related to medicines price
increases, an overall agreement has still not been reached."
"The UK-wide chains may be doing less well in the parts of their networks covered by the Westminster government's contract, but the taxpayers and government of
Scotland need to be given reassurance that they are in no way subsidising funding shortfalls in England's pharmacy contract."
Recently, when LloydsPharmacy's Scotland branches recently came on the market, they appear to have been sold exclusively to existing contractors, including the
UK-wide multiple, Rowlands Pharmacy, who have acquired 30 of them. Other small and medium-sized Scottish pharmacy chains have apparently been able to double in
size overnight by acquiring branches.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has launched a new draft 'Equality Guidance' for pharmacies to tackle discrimination and make sure that everyone can access safe and effective person-centred pharmacy care.
GPhC's consultation is seeking views on "the structure and language of the guidance, if anything is missing and the impacts on patients and members of the public, pharmacy staff, pharmacy owners, and individuals or groups sharing any of the protected characteristics."
The regulator said the draft guidance is designed to support pharmacy owners to:
demonstrate that they are meeting our standards for registered pharmacies
fulfil their legal and regulatory duties in relation to equality
help protect the rights of individuals
advance equal opportunities for staff, patients and the wider public
help improve the experience and healthcare outcomes of patients and members of the public.
Bestway operates approximately 750 pharmacies nationwide in the UK under the Well brand. In April 2023, it completed its acquisition of Lexon, which operates
46 pharmacies in the UK under the Knights Pharmacy brand, and Asurex, a wholesale perfume supplier.
On 26th May 2023, CMA announced the launch of its merger inquiry. A fast-track Phase 1 investigation found that the merger could lead to a significant lessening of
competition between retail pharmacies in 12 local areas located in Liverpool and North East England.
The merging businesses conceded that the deal raises competition concerns in these areas and have submitted proposals to sell pharmacies within these areas to
restore the competition that would otherwise be lost as a result of the deal.
Colin Raftery, CMA Senior Director of Mergers, said: "Pharmacies are essential public health services, and it's vital that the loss of competition brought about
by a deal like this shouldn't leave people with reduced choice or worse services when they need medical support.
The CMA will now carefully consider whether the remedy put forward by Bestway will address its concerns and ensure that customers in the affected areas continue to
have access to good quality chemists.