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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, during today's (15th May ) Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs), reiterated his commitment to supporting community pharmacies amidst growing concerns over pharmacy closures. Addressing questions regarding the Pharmacy First initiative, Sunak assured the House of Commons of his dedication to bolstering resources for these vital healthcare providers. In response to a query raised by Member of Parliament, St Ives MP Derek Thomas, citing statistics from the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) about "committing to directing funds towards Community Pharmacy to alleviate financial pressure and prevent closures, Sunak remarked that he "cares deeply about the future of community pharmacies." Sunak acknowledged the indispensable role played by community pharmacists in alleviating pressure on urgent care services, emphasising the importance of initiatives like Pharmacy First in government's commitment to supporting community pharmacies. "There are over 10 and a half Community pharmacies across the country working incredibly hard to serve their patients," Sunak said praising the community pharmacists and highlighted the concerning trend of pharmacy closures, citing a significant increase compared to the previous year.

"Our main concerns are that the use of what they call an asynchronous supply, where the prescriber neither sees nor talks to the patient at the time they issue the prescription, does lay itself open to perhaps people getting hold of medication that they shouldn't," the Head of Policy, PDA said. The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) engages in a critical conversation on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, shedding light on the online prescribing of weight loss drugs and advocating for safer practices. The PDA's spokesperson, Head of Policy Alima Batchelor, emphasised the importance of adhering to professional guidelines to ensure patient safety and mitigate regulatory concerns. During the feature, the PDA highlighted the complexities and risks associated with online supply chains, stressing the necessity for direct clinical consultations and pharmacist involvement in medication management. ""There are guidelines and advice about verification within the DiCE guidance, but it doesn't go quite far enough for us. We are concerned when patients decline to allow the online prescriber to advise their GP of what they're taking," Batchelor highlighted.

A recent report by the Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has revealed a significant disparity in patient engagement with the Pharmacy First service across the UK. In response, Santosh Sahu, Founder and CEO at Charac, has emphasised the need for technological reform to address "the interoperability gap between pharmacists and GPs". Sahu identified the lack of GP referrals for Pharmacy First consultations as a key issue, attributing it to inadequate IT infrastructure. He urged the sector to "implement technological reforms to enhance interoperability between pharmacists and GPs, enabling them to share patient records, identify care pathways, and address health needs more effectively".

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.

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) is gearing up to conduct a vital Pharmacy Advice Audit, calling on pharmacy owners and their teams to help measure the increasing reliance on pharmacies within communities. With years of financial strains impacting the sector, despite the much-needed £645 million recovery plan funding, the sector finds itself on the edge. The launch of Pharmacy First sparked a notable surge in people seeking advice from community pharmacies, both within and beyond the funded service, as revealed by recent sector polling. To accurately assess this trend and advocate for sustainable funding, CPE is initiating an audit to gather data crucial for showcasing the extent of unfunded care provided by community pharmacies. Scheduled to commence this week, the Pharmacy Advice Audit will entail pharmacy teams documenting informal healthcare advice dispensed over a single day.

Change is sweeping through Westminster as the newly elected Labour government makes strategic cabinet appointments following their landslide victory in the general election held on Thursday, July 4. With Sir Keir Starmer stepping in as the new Prime Minister and Wes Streeting assuming the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care role, the announcement of Karin Smyth and Stephen Kinnock as health ministers on Monday marked a pivotal moment in Labour's healthcare agenda. Who is the new Minister of State for Health? Karin Smyth, the Labour MP for Bristol South, has been appointed as Minister of State for Health. Smyth has a robust background in healthcare, having served as a shadow spokesperson on health since December 2021. Her previous roles include Shadow Minister for Northern Ireland and Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons. Before her parliamentary career, Smyth worked as an NHS Manager and held a non-executive director position at an NHS Trust.

At the Future of Britain Conference 2024, the newly appointed Secretary of Health and Social Care, (DHSC) Wes Streeting, stated that "Labour's DNA is in the NHS". He also called for a long-term approach to reform the broken health sector and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to steer the healthcare system towards sustainability and growth. Hosted by Tony Blair Institute for Global Change and My Life My Say today, Tuesday, 9, Streeting discussed the plans to fix the healthcare system and role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in "making the right choices" by bringing in three essential shifts in the healthcare. Criticising the previous Conservative administration for leaving "massive burning deck issues" due to constant reshuffling within the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), Streeting lamented that this "instability" and "indecisions" have made comprehensive reform even more pressing. Drawing inspiration from Chancellor Rachel Reeves' speech on economic growth, Streeting stressed the interconnectedness of health and economic prosperity.

New amendments to the Human Medicines Regulations will soon allow registered pharmacy technicians to supply and administer medicines under Patient Group Directions (PGDs). Laid before Parliament at the end of May, the legislative changes will come into effect from June 26, 2024, the Community Pharmacy England (CPE) announced today. The introduction of this new legislation follows an announcement made by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) earlier this year. The regulatory adjustments provide the legal framework for pharmacy technicians to engage in the supply and administration of medicines under PGDs in the course of their professional practice. However, there will be no immediate change in the provision of community pharmacy services, the CPE noted

Pharmacies across Northern Ireland are in financial turmoil, reporting that they are dispensing prescription medicines at a loss due to inadequate reimbursement from the Department of Health (DoH). This crisis has led to the closure of almost a dozen pharmacies over the past 18 months, with many others struggling to stay open. Siobhan McNulty, who runs Melvin Pharmacy in Garrison, County Fermanagh, described the dire situation. "We're dispensing medicines at a loss," she said. "The reimbursement rates don't match the cost of the drugs, and we're left to cover the gap." McNulty relies on sales of non-pharmaceutical products to keep her business running.

In the competitive landscape of healthcare, strategic alliances can be a game-changer. Dr. Dupe, a General Practitioner at Christchurch Clinics, and Baba, a Pharmacist at Christchurch Pharmacy, married for 24-years cultivate their synergy through mental wellbeing walks. Their recent 24 kilometres fundraising walk to support a local hospice - Farleigh Hospice, is one of such. Having met Dupe first in 1994, first as interns at a teaching hospital, now married, the couple offer a comprehensive range of services, including pharmacy, private clinics, homecare services as proprietors of Christchurch Health-centre in Braintree. gp; pharmacist; mental wellbeing walks, healthcare Dupe and Baba in their clinic Dr. Dupe and Pharmacist Baba Akomolafe in their clinic, demonstrating their synergy and dedication to patient care. United by faith, a love for healthcare, and a shared commitment to service the community, their 'Mental Wealth Management' as they call it comprises of daily morning walks covering a distance of six kilometres.

The Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has responded positively to the Labour Party's manifesto, which outlines plans to bolster community pharmacy services and shift the NHS towards a more localized, prevention-focused model. Key proposals include the creation of a Community Pharmacist Prescribing Service and the enhancement of care delivery in local communities. Malcolm Harrison, Chief Executive of the CCA, expressed strong support for these initiatives and said: "We welcome the Labour Party Manifesto's clear focus on moving to a 'Neighbourhood Health Service', prevention, and the return of the 'family doctor'." "Harnessing community pharmacy is crucial to delivering each of these," Harrison added.

Knights Pharmacy has significantly expanded its footprint in South Wales through its recent acquisition of pharmacies in Abercarn and Cwmcarn from the Evans Group. This move marks another strategic expansion for the Redditch-based pharmacy group, bolstered by funding from HSBC UK. The Abercarn site, which handles approximately 12,000 medication items annually, and the Cwmcarn site, dispensing around 5,000 items, will now operate under the Knights Pharmacy banner. This acquisition adds to Knights Pharmacy's growing portfolio, which now spans 49 community sites across England and Wales, a substantial increase from 18 sites just three years ago.

The Labour Party's election manifesto, unveiled with a focus on bolstering community pharmacy services and enhancing localised healthcare, has sparked responses from key pharmacy bodies across England. A standout pledge within the manifesto is the commitment to establish a Community Pharmacist Prescribing Service, aimed at granting more pharmacists independent prescribing rights. This initiative is viewed as pivotal in recognising the clinical capabilities of pharmacists and their potential to alleviate pressures within primary care. Additionally, Labour's plan advocates for broader healthcare access improvements, including enabling opticians to directly refer patients to specialist services and expanding self-referral options where suitable. The manifesto also introduces proposals to trial Neighbourhood Health Centres, designed to consolidate various healthcare services under one roof, such as family doctors, district nurses, and mental health specialists.

The latest GP Patient Survey 2024 by the National Health Services (NHS) involving 2.56 million patients has revealed encouraging insights into patient experiences with pharmacy services across England. Along with pharmacies, GPs, and dentistry services were also surveyed highlighting the vital role these services provide in healthcare delivery. Among the key findings, 89.3 per cent of respondents reported utilising at least one pharmacy service in the past year, highlighting the widespread reliance on these facilities. Of those who used pharmacy services, an overwhelming majority of 86.8 per cent expressed satisfaction with their experience. The survey identified 'picking up prescriptions' as the most commonly accessed service, with 75.8 per cent of patients utilising this facility.

Hobbs, who joined the company in 2019, navigated it through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, and successfully oversaw the acquisition and integration of Lexon in 2023. He will retire from the company at the end of September 2024. "After five years with the company, I am retiring at the end of September to spend time with my wife who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease last year," Hobbs said. "I wish to extend my personal thanks to our owners, the Bestway Group, for their kindness and understanding of our situation. "It has been a privilege to lead the Well Pharmacy, now Bestway Healthcare organisation. The business is resilient for today and fit to prosper in the long term. When I leave it will be with gratitude and admiration for the 7,500+ people in Bestway Healthcare who are committed to improving the lives of our patients and customers, thank you all."

The Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB) has called on the new Labour government to prioritise six key actions within its first 100 days to harness the benefits of self-care for the public, the NHS, and the wider economy. Aimed to ease the burden on the NHS, the PAGB hopes that the suggest six key actions would help during the incoming winter illness season. According to PAGB, the NHS deals with approximately 25 million GP appointments and 5 million A&E visits each year for self-treatable conditions. By empowering individuals to manage their own health more effectively, the NHS could potentially save up to £1.7 billion annually. In her letter to Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Michelle Riddalls, CEO of PAGB, urged the government to act promptly.