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The Local Pharmaceutical Committees (LPCs) has rebranded to be known as Community Pharmacy to present a strengthened and unified identity to the local NHS, local government and other stakeholders, as the local voice of community pharmacy. "There are now 58 LPCs in England. The number of LPCs has reduced from 69, with further consolidation expected by April 2024 to a network of 48 local organisations," said Community Pharmacy England. "The changes mean there will be better alignment between LPCs and the 42 NHS Integrated Care Systems in England, who have taken on the responsibility for commissioning pharmaceutical services delegated by NHS England." "This marks a significant milestone, as similar to Community Pharmacy England, LPCs have been undergoing changes to respond to the Review Steering Group (RSG) recommendations on pharmacy representation. The sector voted in favour of the RSG proposals in the summer of 2022, and since then progress has been made on many of the changes at both local and national level as part of the Transforming Pharmacy Representation (TAPR) Programme."

Approximately 25 million GP appointments and 5 million A&E visits are utilised each year for self-treatable illnesses. If these individuals chose to self-treat using over-the-counter (OTC) medications, the potential savings for NHS could amount to at least £1.7 billion annually, according to a research commissioned by Proprietary Association of Great Britain. The study, conducted by analysts at Frontier Economics, revealed that embracing self-care could bring an additional economic benefit of £350 million annually, as employees would avoid unnecessary time off from work for medical appointments. Apart from the savings resulting from the increased OTC medicine use, the report emphasises the potential benefits of reclassifying more prescription-only medications (POMs). A mere 5 per cent reduction in NHS prescribing levels and spending could lead to an annual cost-saving of £1.4 billion, encompassing both prescription costs and GP appointments, it said. "This substantial amount could greatly alleviate financial pressures on the NHS and offer essential resources for recruiting and training much-needed healthcare professionals."

Dementia is an extremely deceptive disease that develops slowly and may go unnoticed in people, said NHS mental health director Claire Murdoch, while urging people to look out for the vital warning signs of this condition among family and friends over Christmas. Common early symptoms of dementia may include emotional change, forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word, being confused about time and place, the health service has cautioned. An increasing number of people have been diagnosed with dementia in England since the start of the pandemic, following a drive by the NHS England to increase diagnosis rates. In November 2023, NHS staff diagnosed 463,797 people aged over 65 with dementia, up more than 41,000 compared to the same period last year, according to the figures revealed by the health service.

General practitioners (GPs) across England have made a resolute stand against proposed alterations in the 2024/25 national GP General Medical Services (GMS) contract put forth by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England. This firm opposition coincides with the declaration of an extended six-month strike by 33,869 junior doctors within the NHS, advocating for full pay reinstatement and reforms in the pay recommendation process. The latest survey conducted by the British Medical Association (BMA) has revealed that an overwhelming 99.2% of GPs in England are against any changes to the existing contract. The proposed amendments, slated for implementation from April 1st, 2024, encompass a meagre national practice contract baseline funding uplift of just 1.9%, notably falling short of recent inflation rates. This corroborates with GP Online poll that recently unveiled widespread GP dissatisfaction with proposed changes to the national GMS contract. 83% of GPs in favour of strikes cite pay and funding concerns, while burnout, high workloads, and patient safety also fuel discontent.

The NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, which was introduced in England in 2016, is helping hundreds of thousands of people to lead healthier lives. People with pre-diabetes are being identified and offered a nine-month behaviour change programme that supports healthier diet and exercise choices to reduce their risk of developing diabetes. A study funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has found a significant reduction in diabetes risk among patients who had been referred to the NHS programme. Three years after their referral, the participants were 20 per cent less likely to have type 2 diabetes than a similar person who was not included in the programme, the evaluation revealed.

In a first, NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) has appointed a pharmacy technician to the chief pharmaceutical officer's team. Liz Fidler, president at the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK), will join the team in March 2022 in the newly created post of senior professional advisor: pharmacy technician practice NHSE&I. The appointment signaled "a new era for the profession, leading the step-change needed to build on and fully realise the benefits of the pharmacy technician clinical role for patients across the NHS system," said Dr Keith Ridge, chief pharmaceutical officer. In the new role, Fidler will provide leadership and professional advice in relation to the pharmacy technician profession in England.

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).

Community pharmacists in England have slammed the government's latest decision to reduce the number of people who get a free winter flu jab in the 2022-23 flu season, as concerns related to Covid-19 still exist. This follows a letter from the NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) to clinicians, which stated that the flu vaccination service in 2022-23 will be offered to patient groups eligible in line with pre-pandemic recommendations. The eligibility was widened significantly after the pandemic struck in 2020 to help reduce the death toll from the Covid-19. With the change in place people aged 50-64 and schoolchildren aged 11-15 will not be eligible to receive the free jabs on the NHS next winter, pushing millions of people to pay for their jabs privately. It further recommended that vaccination for frontline healthcare workers and social care workers should be provided by employers as part of the organisation's policy to prevent the transmission of infection.

The NHS England and Improvement has announced the emergency provisions introduced during pandemic to provide flexible opening hours for pharmacy contractors end today. The flexibilities were enacted in March 2020 when changes to the Pharmaceutical Services (Advanced and Enhanced Services and Emergency Declaration) Directions 2020 were made following a declaration of emergency at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Since March 2020, the flexibilities have permitted temporary opening hours and closures during a specified period due to a genuine Covid-19 related emergency. NHS England and Improvement has advised pharmacy contractors that the emergency declaration will not be extended further and will expire on 31 March 2022. Pharmacy contractors will therefore no longer have the option to close pharmacies within their agreed contracted hours with the NHS.

Type 1 diabetes patients can monitor their glucose with the newly introduced flash glucose monitors by the NHS. The wearable gadgets with the size of a £2 coin, have a sensor that easily sits on the arm, allowing patients to check their glucose levels with a one-second scan. Eligible patients are currently able to access the monitors on prescription from their local GP or diabetes team, helping them to better manage their blood sugar levels. Everyone living with type 1 diabetes will be eligible for lifechanging flash glucose monitors on the NHS. The NHS Long Term Plan has already helped almost three in five people with Type 1 diabetes to access the monitors that allow people to check their glucose levels more easily and regularly. The change, confirmed today by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), means that everyone in England with the condition will be able to benefit from the convenient technology.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has welcomed the appointment of Michael Matheson MSP as Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care in Scotland. Commenting on the announcement Laura Wilson, Director of RPS Scotland, said: "I would like to congratulate Michael Matheson on being appointed to this position. NHS recovery is vitally important, and pharmacy has a huge amount to offer this agenda. "Our current priorities include enabling pharmacists to take leadership of prescribing in all care settings, tackling health inequalities and advocating for change, implementing shared patient records between healthcare professionals to provide high-quality, person centred and safe patient care, improving pharmacists' wellbeing and tackling the climate emergency by encouraging sustainable and green prescribing across Scotland.

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;

Since the introduction of the 2019 NHS Long-Term Plan, several policy commitments have surfaced, presenting a definitive 'blueprint' for community pharmacy in England. The Company Chemists Association has identified four crucial commitments that, when integrated, hold the potential to revolutionise patient care through community pharmacies. "Each commitment is like a crucial piece of a puzzle," CCA said. "For the transformation of patient access through community pharmacy to be successful, all these pieces must come together harmoniously. Otherwise, the picture will remain incomplete." The four major pieces of the puzzle coined by CCA include: * Building on education and training reforms to increase the size and capability of the workforce. * Expanding the number of clinical services commissioned and delivered in community pharmacy. * Introducing digital enablers which underpin service delivery. * Introducing legislative changes to increase capacity and allow the delivery of more patient-facing clinical care.

As the Easter holiday draws near, pharmacies across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are readying themselves to provide essential healthcare services to residents. Operational throughout Good Friday (March 29), Easter Sunday (March 31), and Easter Monday (April 1), these pharmacies stand poised to offer vital support to those in need. NHS England has raised awareness by releasing a comprehensive list of pharmacies scheduled to operate during the holiday period. Hampshire residents, including those in Southampton and Portsmouth, can access detailed information about open pharmacies on the NHS England website, along with separate listings for the Isle of Wight. However, it's important to note that opening times may vary, prompting individuals to confirm details before visiting, as schedules are subject to change. Beyond merely dispensing prescriptions, pharmacies are equipped to provide expert advice on minor illnesses and administer treatments for common conditions. This includes addressing issues such as shingles, sore throats, infected insect bites, earaches, sinusitis, impetigo, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) under the Pharmacy First scheme.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) is supporting pharmacists in England whose employment has been impacted by the creation of new NHS structures. As a result of the 2022 Health and Care Act, Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) were established in England, and Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) were closed on 1 July 2022. Each of the ICSs includes two key parts: an Integrated Care Board (ICB) and an Integrated Care Partnership (ICP). The association said: "The previous structures in England, established by the Health and Social Care Act 2012, originally had over 200 clinical commissioning groups. This number had reduced over recent years via mergers." "However, this latest shift to just 42 commissioning entities means a significant change to significantly larger geographies and populations covered by each ICS. Although each ICS and its activity can be subdivided into 'places', and within places into 'neighbourhoods', it is at the ICS level that the employer is formed." "Whereas CCGs previously employed many local health professionals, including pharmacists, the new arrangements mean that ICBs are now that employer. The PDA is supporting members who have contacted its Service Centre about the impact of these changes."

A combination of factors, including the doctors' strike, medicine shortages, and funding scarcity, indicates that this upcoming winter could be the most challenging period for both community pharmacies and the NHS, Community Pharmacy England has said. In a September 4 blog post, CPE Chief Executive Janet Morrison emphasised that the relentless pressures show no signs of easing. "Pharmacy businesses, like numerous other sectors, are grappling with the challenges of staying afloat in the current economic climate, compounded by the detrimental effects of historical funding cuts." "The doctors' strike, despite ongoing assurances from the Health Secretary that their pay deal is final, will inevitably exacerbate the demand for both primary and secondary care, leading people to turn to their local pharmacies for assistance," she added. "This, in turn, will heighten the pressure on community pharmacies." "Whatever the coming winter brings I am sure of two things: that community pharmacies are going to be more critical to the health of the population than ever before, and that your representatives here will be fighting on all fronts to get you the help that you need."

At last Friday's Clinical Congress Conference, the NHSE Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England at NHS England, David Webb, announced the upcoming launch of the Pharmacy Stakeholder Forum- an initiative led by NHS England aimed to improve pharmacy professional leadership and foster collaboration within the sector. Webb highlighted the forum's significance as a platform for driving transformative change in pharmacy leadership. "The aim is to deliver collaboration to develop a stronger and more united voice for pharmacy professionals," Webb emphasised. Highlighting the need to drive transformative change in pharmacy leadership, he underscored that "the overarching goal is to address key challenges facing the pharmacy profession and chart a course for future development and innovation." Scheduled to commence in June, the Pharmacy Stakeholder Forum will provide a space for diverse organisations and networks with a vested interest in pharmacy professional leadership to converge.

Acknowledging the ongoing challenges in delivering the required IT systems for the scheduled launch of the Pharmacy First service on January 31, NHS England reported progress in fulfilling 'many' commitments outlined in its plan to enhance primary care access during a board meeting on Thursday. However, it noted that the digital infrastructure supporting Pharmacy First, included in the £645 million fresh funding for community pharmacy, will require additional time for implementation. "Delivery remains challenging due to changes needed in digital infrastructure, and we are working with suppliers to support January implementation," NHSE said. "A public campaign is planned for 2024." The Pharmacy First service allows pharmacists to supply prescription-only medicines for seven common health conditions (sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women), eliminating the need for a GP visit. Meanwhile, NHSE is leveraging the widespread accessibility of pharmacies by expanding blood pressure monitoring and introducing direct prescribing of clinically safe oral contraceptives-an initiative that has been well-received.

The emergency provision of pharmaceutical services, introduced to help maintain pharmacy services during the Covid-19 pandemic, has been extended to March 31, 2022. The provision allows contractors to make temporary changes to opening hours or temporary closures in condition of adequate reasons for these changes. Before making such changes contractors have to give 24 hours' notice to the NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I), and take approval from the department.

The British Medical Association (BMA) has urged non-GP partners and contractors, including pharmacists, nurses, and physiotherapists, to support their "Protect Your Patients, Protect Your GP Practice" campaign, which was launched to protest changes to the 2024/25 GP contract. GP contractors and partners across England have strongly opposed the modifications to the GMS contract, leading to an ongoing dispute with the NHS. The BMA highlights that general practice in England currently receives just 6 pence of every NHS pound and an average GMS 'global sum' of £107.57 per registered patient annually. Since 2018/19, CPI erosion to the GMS contract has resulted in a loss of £659 million, or 6.6%. This financial strain has contributed to the closure or merger of over 1,300 practices over the past decade. To address these issues, the BMA is urging all GP contractors and partner members to vote YES in the GPC England non-statutory ballot, which will be open until July 29.