Campaigners have submitted an open letter to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), urging the Minister for Primary Care and Public Health to
freeze prescription charges to keep people with long-term conditions alive and well.
The campaign is led by the Prescription Charges Coalition, which represents over 50 organisations, including Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Pharmacists'
Defence Association (PDA).
Currently, the prescription charge is £9.65 per item, and campaigners have asked the government to freeze it for 2024 and 2025 as people living with long-term
health conditions in England are "being forced to choose between heating, eating, and taking their vital medication on a daily basis."
In 2023, a study conducted by the Prescription Charges Coalition revealed that almost 10 per cent of survey participants had skipped medication in the previous
year due to the cost of prescriptions. This led to increased physical and mental health problems, as well as impacted the time they took off work.
Laura Cockram, Chair of the Prescription Charges Coalition and Head of Campaigns at Parkinson's UK, expressed deep concern that a further rise in the charge this
year will lead to people skipping or not taking the full dose of their medication, which will affect their health and put more pressure on the already under
pressure NHS.
The UK Government is investing £100 million to accelerate the use of AI in life sciences and healthcare under a new mission.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the AI Life Sciences Accelerator Mission in his speech last week.
The new initiative will capitalise on the UK's unique strengths in securing "health data and cutting-edge AI."
It will also help to identify those at risk of "dementia" and will ensure that patients participate in the trials at the right time to develop new treatments
effectively.
Henceforth, it will provide us with better data on how well new therapies work.
Sunak said: "AI can help us solve some of the greatest social challenges of our time. AI could help find novel dementia treatments or develop vaccines for cancer."
Good news for patients whose epilepsy cannot be controlled by standard anti-seizure drugs! Next month, NHS England will introduce a cutting-edge laser beam
therapy that can prevent seizures in these individuals.
Known as Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT), the advanced treatment targets the part of the brain causing seizures without the need for invasive surgery,
the health service said.
The new fibre optic laser therapy is being offered at King's College Hospital in London and The Walton Centre in Liverpool. Starting from June, it will be gradually
extended to eligible patients across England.
Each year, it is expected to benefit up to 50 epilepsy patients in England who are resistant to standard anti-seizure medications.
"This groundbreaking new treatment will change the lives of those with severe epilepsy improving quality of life and providing much-needed assurance," said Andrew
Stephenson, Minister of State for Health.
The only way to overcome the challenges facing the medicines supply chain in the UK is through close cooperation - the government, pharmacies, and the
industry all working together in tandem - said Andrew Stephenson, Minister for Health and Social Care.
The MP for Pendle, Lancashire made the statement while addressing the Healthcare Distribution Association's (HDA) Annual Conference at the Institute of Directors
in Pall Mall, London on Thursday (25 January), where over 130 leaders from the pharma industry gathered.
As the keynote speaker, Stephenson acknowledged the crucial role wholesalers, manufacturers, and retail pharmacy chains, play in the wellbeing of the nation.
He said: "In the first few months that I've been in this job, it's become immediately obvious to me just how important this sector is and just how important the
work that all of you do is for our country."
"Not possible for pharmacists to check whether prescriptions issued from overseas registered prescribers have been issued in a similarly safe and effective
way," the new Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care) Karin Smyth said during a recent parliamentary written response.
At a recent session on Monday, July 29th, at the House of Commons, MP Cat Smith raised an important question directed at the Secretary of State for Health and
Social Care.
Smith, who represents Lancaster and Wyre, and has been an MP continually since 7 May 2015, inquired about whether the Department of Health and Social Care had
conducted a comparative assessment of the UK's stance on prescribing puberty blockers for treating gender incongruence in comparison to other European countries.
Responding to the questions, MP Karin Smyth emphasised on the significance of the Cass Review and described it as one of the most thorough examinations
conducted across the globe on gender identity services for children and young people.
Britain almost doubled the number of visas awarded to foreign migrants coming to work in the health and care sector last year, government data showed,
adding to pressure on prime minister Rishi Sunak over immigration ahead of the next general election.
Immigration is one of the top three concerns for voters as the country gears up for an election expected later this year. Trailing the opposition Labour party
in the polls, Sunak has vowed to bring it down.
But data released on Thursday by Home Office was the latest set of statistics to show the scale of the challenge he faces.
Britain granted 337,240 work visas in 2023, 26 per cent higher than in 2022, with the rise largely driven by those coming to the country to work in the care home
sector.
That follows figures released in November which showed annual net migration to the UK hit a record 745,000 in 2022 and has stayed high since.
Visas under the 'Skilled Worker - Health and Care' route almost doubled, Thursday's data showed, rising by 91 per cent to 146,477 last year.
The government, NHS England and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has begun the negotiations for a new voluntary scheme for
branded medicines pricing on Thursday (4 May).
A new voluntary scheme is expected to take effect from 1 January 2024, replacing the current scheme which came into force in 2019 and ends on 31 December 2023
In their first meeting, the government, NHS England and industry - represented by the ABPI -expected to agree to a shared negotiation aim of working toward a
mutually beneficial agreement that supports better patient outcomes and a healthier population, a financially sustainable NHS, and UK economic growth.
Health Minister, Will Quince, said: "These negotiations will ensure a new scheme continues to deliver value for money by providing significant savings for our
health services, securing access to innovative lifesaving drugs for NHS patients, and helping to reduce waiting times - one of the Prime Minister's 5 priorities.
The current voluntary scheme supports investment in NHS services and saves billions of pounds for the NHS, while also promoting innovations and a successful life
sciences sector.
In response to the concerning surge in youth vaping, the UK government in January announced its decision to ban disposable vapes as a measure to safeguard
the health of children.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that while the long-term impacts of vaping were uncertain, the nicotine present in these products can be highly addictive.
Therefore, he emphasised that "marketing vapes to children is not acceptable."
Now, there's a stronger reason to crack down on vape sales as a new study has revealed that vaping or the use of e-cigarettes may increase the risk of developing
heart failure.
The study, which involved 175,000 adults in the United States, found that those who use e-cigarettes were 19 per cent more likely to develop heart failure over a
four-year period.
Dr Yakubu Bene-Alhasan, lead author of the study, from MedStar Health in Baltimore, underscored that an increasing number of studies are linking e-cigarettes with
harmful effects, suggesting vaping "might not be as safe as previously thought."
With further research, Dr Bene-Alhasan's team plans to uncover "a lot more about the potential health consequences and improve the information out to the public."
As Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announces the forthcoming UK general election, pharmacy bodies are calling on all political parties to commit to solving the
issues facing the sector.
The next UK general election will be held on 4 July, Sunak announced it on Wednesday afternoon during a press conference outside 10 Downing Street.
"As the election is called it's imperative that any incoming government addresses the crisis in primary care and the looming cliff edge facing pharmacies, which
for millions of people are the front door to the NHS and a crucial source of frontline health care," said Paul Rees, Chief Executive of the National Pharmacy
Association (NPA).
Noting that the first responsibility of the government is to keep its people safe and healthy, he emphasised the importance of addressing the "deep funding gap
that is pushing record numbers of pharmacies to the edge of closure and beyond, exacerbating the issues of waiting lists for GPs and hospital care."
Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has backed pharmacists to play a greater clinical role in the health and well-being of the nation, describing them
as "valuable and trusted" members of the community.
Pharmacists have faced a difficult year with 222 community pharmacies closing in just the first six months.
Boots alone will be closing 300 branches over the next 12 months.
Sunak, however, insisted that his government knows the "hard work of pharmacy teams", and that he wants to "enable them to do more to support the NHS."
Speaking at the annual Sigma Conference in London on Sunday (5 November), the prime minister reiterated that community pharmacy is in line for a much-needed
boost in funding.
"Earlier this year, the government announced plans for further investment of up to £645 million over the next few years to support the Pharmacy First service
for patients," Sunak said in a letter read out at the conference by Lord Dolar Popat.
"This means that community pharmacies will be able to assess patients and provide some options to protect them without a GP appointment."
Lord Markham, a health minister suggested the House of Lords on Tuesday (10 January) that plan of 'using pharmacies more for patient will put funding their
way', just like allocation of Covid vaccine provided support.
In a statement to the House of Lords he praised the sector saying they are a 'crucial part of the front line'.
His statement was in response to a question from Lord Grade, who is campaigning on behalf of the community pharmacy sector. Lord Grade warned Government that it must
take action before pharmacies start to close.
On Monday (9 January) the Health Secretary, Steve Barclay MP, commented: "There are many more things that community pharmacists can support with that can ease
pressure on General Practice. The Primary Care recovery plan will set out a range of additional services that Community Pharmacy can deliver."
The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) today released a new guidance to pharmaceutical companies using Disclosure UK which it said will boost transparency in the relationships between healthcare professionals, other relevant decision-makers and the industry.
The guidance encourages companies to use 'Legitimate Interests' as their lawful basis for processing individual's data, in order to increase the number of named healthcare professionals and other individuals on Disclosure UK, the database showing the payments and benefits in kind made by the pharmaceutical industry to doctors,nurses and other health professionals and organizations.
"I'm pleased the ABPI is launching this new guidance which will boost patient safety and public confidence in our healthcare professionals," Patient Safety and Primary Care Minister Maria Caulfield commented.
In a recent meeting with the head of the government's HRT Taskforce, Madelaine McTernan, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) board members gave a gist on the ongoing medicines supply issues in community pharmacy.
The meeting, which explored possible solutions to end the nationwide shortage of some Hormone Replacement Therapies, took place on Friday (May 20).
Independent contractors Reena Barai and Olivier Picard gave the so-called 'HRT tsar' an overview of the medicines supply issues in community pharmacy and discussed the new Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) which the government introduced in response to the on-going HRT disruption.
Earlier this month, the NPA attended an HRT summit organised by the Department of Health and Social Care, alongside other pharmacy bodies, wholesalers and manufacturers.
Health secretary Sajid Javid and pharmacy minister Maria Caulfield said they would be working collaboratively with manufacturers to meet demand and boost supply.
Indian authorities have cancelled or suspended licences of some domestic drug companies as part of action taken against 76 pharmaceutical firms this month for
selling adulterated or fake products, a government source said on Thursday.
India is known as the 'pharmacy of the world' and its pharmaceuticals exports have more than doubled over the past decade to $24.5 billion in 2021-22.
But that image has been dented by the death of at least 70 children in Gambia and 19 children in Uzbekistan in Uzbekistan last year linked to drugs made by
India-based pharmaceutical companies.
Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya confirmed a crackdown but did not give details of companies against which action had been taken.
"There are more than 10,500 pharma companies in the country. Companies who make spurious medicine will not be spared," Mandaviya told reporters at an event.
Licences of some Indian drug companies have been cancelled, some were suspended while others have been put on notice during the past 15 days, the source, who had
direct knowledge of the matter, told Reuters news agency.
The UK government has decided to ban disposable vapes to tackle the rise in youth vaping and protect children's health, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak
announced on Sunday (28 January 2024) during a visit to a school.
Official figures revealed that the number of children using vapes has tripled in the past three years, with nine per cent of 11 - to 15-year-olds now affected
by this rising trend.
Disposable vapes are believed to be mainly driving the worrisome rise in youth vaping, with the number of 11- to 17-year-old vapers using disposables estimated
to have increased by almost ninefold in the last two years.
Sunak said: "As any parent or teacher knows, one of the most worrying trends at the moment is the rise in vaping among children, and so we must act before it
becomes endemic.
"The long-term impacts of vaping are unknown and the nicotine within them can be highly addictive, so while vaping can be a useful tool to help smokers quit,
marketing vapes to children is not acceptable."
Britain is looking at the possibility of changing rules on mandatory vaccination for healthcare staff, chief secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke said on Monday (January 31).
"We do recognise those realities and that does open a space where we can look at this again," Clarke said.
Sky News reported Clarke as saying that the policy of mandatory jabs was something that ministers had "always kept under review".
In response to Thursday (5 January)'s announcement on the proposal of new 'anti-strike' legislation, the Pharmacists Defence Association (PDA) has said that
it will work with other trade unions to defend the fundamental right for workers in the sector to strike.
The association believes that "industrial action should always be a last resort, especially for health professionals such as pharmacists, however having the option
to strike is a fundamental right for working people in a fair and free, civilised society."
"The right to strike is a fundamental right through which employees can act collectively to secure and protect pay and conditions."
It added: "The Trade Union Congress (TUC) are coordinating the challenge to these proposals."
The TUC said in a statement: "The Prime Minister should concentrate on fixing our public services, not attacking public sector staff. The proposed legislation would
make it harder for disputes to be resolved."
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has urged people across Scotland to be kind to their pharmacy teams this winter through its campaign called 'Be Kind'.
The pharmacies are facing lot of pressure and challenges during winter, RPS has heard from its members that abuse towards pharmacy teams, particularly those in
community pharmacy, has 'unfortunately' risen.
The campaign has been running throughout December, to promote 'be kind' message to the public at a time when pharmacy services are particularly stretched by winter
pressures and other factors, including the recent shortages of antibiotics.
"Throughout December, leading figures have provided a series of powerful videos, which all encourage the public to be kind to their pharmacy teams. The campaign has
highlighted personal video messages from many figures including Jason Leitch, Scotland's National Clinical Director, Maree Todd, Minister for Public Health, Women's
Health and Sport, and Andrew Carruthers, RPS Scottish Pharmacy Board Chair," said RPS.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is encouraging people to come forward for their first and/ or second dose of the Covid vaccine before the free
offer ends on Friday (30 June).
The NHS's world-leading vaccination programme has so far delivered over 146 million Covid jabs.
Building on the success of autumn and spring booster programmes, a seasonal, targeted vaccination offer will remain open for those most at risk, in line with advice
from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
Health Minister Maria Caulfield said: "As we live with Covid without restrictions on our freedoms, it is right that we move towards a more targeted vaccination
offer that prioritises those most at risk, so we can focus our efforts on cutting waiting lists for NHS treatment - one of the Prime Minister's top five priorities.
As the offer for any adult to get a Covid vaccine comes to an end on 30 June, I would urge those who have not yet come forward to choose to have the first and second
Covid vaccine. It takes minutes to get your jab and thousands of sites are open across England."
This year's spring booster programme continues to gather pace, with over two million eligible people receiving their vital top-up dose.
The British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA) on Monday alerted the Health and Social Care Committee that medicines shortages have increased and
are "around double what they were a year ago."
BGMA chief executive Mark Samuels told the committee that they have been highlighting the medicine shortage risk to ministers since July 2021 and the association
is "very concerned" about the current situation.
"We've been monitoring it for several years now, and as you saw in the written evidence, shortages have increased. They're around double what they were a year ago.
We have them at 101 shortages in February this year," said Samuels.
Dr Rick Greville, director of distribution and supply at the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), highlighted that the problem of drug
shortages in the UK is a "long-standing issue" and the scarcity of certain medications "continues to be challenging".