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The leading pharmacy bodies have come together to launch the 'Save Our Pharmacies' campaign which highlights the pressure and untapped potential of the sector. Pharmacy bodies- Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies (AIMp), Company Chemists' Association (CCA), National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) have agreed to work together on a programme of activities to lobby for fair NHS funding for pharmacies in England, including co-ordinating efforts to mobilise public support. The campaign will focus on highlighting both the pressures that pharmacies are under and the huge untapped potential of the sector - including to offer a Pharmacy First service - if appropriate resourcing is made available. Mark Lyonette, NPA Chief executive, said: "Together we will be cranking up the noise to persuade Government and NHS to make the right choices and back the community pharmacy sector with decent funding. Maintaining patient and public support is critical to our campaigning success, so this will be a key focus in the months ahead. Our joint message is very clear: pharmacies can help get the NHS back on its feet, but not while the sector itself is on its knees." The pharmacy bodies will develop shared resources for effective parliamentary lobbying and mobilising public opinion, in the face of chronic underfunding that threatens further pharmacy closures. They will also work hard to show off the value of pharmacy and to continue pushing for a fully funded Pharmacy First service.

The national pharmacy bodies has created 'Save Our Pharmacies' campaign website to give new focus to calls for fair pharmacy funding in England. The newly launched site contains key messages for public, politicians and stakeholders, and hosts campaign resources to be used by pharmacy teams. The pharmacy bodies encourage members of the public and pharmacy teams to show their support for the campaign on social media, as well as signing the petition and contacting their local MPs about fair funding. A further resource in the form of a window poster is being printed and will shortly be mailed out to all community pharmacies in England. It is the latest output of a joint programme of work being coordinated by PSNC, CCA, AIM and the NPA.

Representatives from the national community pharmacy bodies will brief the MPs on the severe challenges facing community pharmacies on Tuesday (21 March) at a roundtable summit. The roundtable summit will include discussions on the urgent action needed to address the current severe challenges being faced by community pharmacy, as well as the sector's role in the upcoming Primary Care Recovery Plan, said PSNC. The Parliamentary event this week has been coordinated by PSNC as part of the joint #SaveOurPharmacies campaign which exceeded 30,000 signatories in a week. The Association of Independent Pharmacies (AIM), the Company Chemists' Association (CCA), the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and PSNC will take part at the event. A spokesperson for the #SaveOurPharmacies campaign group said: "30,000 signatures in a week indicates a high level of underlying public support for community pharmacy and it's a good start to the #SaveOurPharmacies campaign. A petition by itself won't change the world, but it works as a kind of drumbeat for the campaign, giving forward momentum, and it's a really easy way to express your opinion. We hope the new window poster - along with all the resources available at saveourpharmacies.co.uk - will help as many pharmacies as possible to drum up support from their patients, and we're really grateful to Communications International Group for helping us to print and distribute this.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) is distributing new campaign materials to pharmacies across England this week to empower them to advocate for fair funding in the forthcoming general election. These include campaign posters, stickers, postcards for patients to send to MPs and petition materials. By supplying these resources, the NPA aims to boost its cross-sector #SaveOurPharmacies campaign and help pharmacies raise local and national awareness of the funding crisis that is forcing pharmacies to close at the rate of 10 a week. NPA chief executive Paul Rees said: "Pharmacies are under crushing financial pressure. We want to help them join our efforts to raise the profile of the funding crisis and make the public and politicians fully aware of the threat to our much-loved pharmacy network.

The National Pharmacy Association has announced the theme for this year's 'Ask Your Pharmacist Week' campaign - 'Meet Your Local Pharmacy Team'. The campaign, scheduled for October 30 to November 6, seeks to enhance awareness of pharmacy services and initiate dialogues with local stakeholders, highlighting the role and advantages of community pharmacy, the NPA said in a statement. NPA has organised an array of promotional activities, spanning window displays, social media engagements, partnerships with patient groups, radio and TV interviews, and visits to pharmacies by local dignitaries and politicians during the week. "AYP Week 2023 will acquaint individuals with the pharmacist's skill set and the broader community pharmacy workforce, showcasing their collaborative efforts in delivering a secure and efficient service, encompassing NHS clinical care," said Stephen Fishwick, NPA's Head of Communications. "As always, the NPA will furnish campaign resources for our members and other participants interested in engaging with this enduring initiative."

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) and NHS England have agreed that community pharmacy contractors will have to participate in one mandatory national health campaign. This campaign on weight management commenced from Tuesday (03 January) and will run until Sunday (29January). PSNC said: "Pharmacies can be required to participate in up to six health campaigns at the request of NHS England per year (1st April to 31st March). Pharmacies will be involved by displaying and distributing leaflets provided by NHS England. In addition, pharmacies are required to undertake prescription-linked interventions on major areas of public health concern, such as encouraging smoking cessation. "Contractors can order pharmacy specific posters, wallet cards ('info' cards with a QR code signposting people to the Better Health website and free tips and tools to lose weight) and a dispenser for these cards on the Campaign Resource Centre website. A guidance leaflet to support community pharmacy teams' conversations with patients is also available," said PSNC.

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has released a series of resources to help pharmacy owners and their teams promote the new Pharmacy First service, which is slated for launch on 31st January 2024. Pharmacists can use a variety of resources, including posters, social media content, flyers and a local press release, to raise awareness of the new service to patients and members of the public. The promotional materials are now available to download from the Committee's website. "The messaging and graphics have been developed with the input of pharmacists and pharmacy owners, to highlight the benefits of the service to patients, the public, and the NHS," it said. CPE has been providing a range of information, guidance and resources to support community pharmacies in the implementation of the new service. Beginning Monday 29 January 2024, the committee will be hosting a series of online drop-in sessions (no need to register) to assist pharmacy professionals with any queries they may have on the service.

Community pharmacy contractors will start receiving materials for the winter vaccines campaign via Royal Mail from today (November 8). It is the second mandated health campaign for 2021/22 in which contractors must participate as part of their NHS contractual requirements, after the NHS England and NHS Improvement and Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) reached an agreement. The campaign pack, to be arrived in pharmacies, includes a briefing sheet; four A4 posters; one Q&A leaflet; and one A6 shelf wobbler along with social media and digital resources. PSNC has also reminded contractors to have "an action plan" promote Covid-19 vaccinations, particularly in Black, Asian and minority ethnic and low uptake communities.

Pharmacist Support, a charity centred on bolstering pharmacist well-being, has launched the 'ACTNow' campaign 2023, aimed at promoting and supporting the health and overall wellbeing of pharmacists. This campaign is launched following the successful 2022 initiative, which heightened awareness about wellbeing in the pharmacy profession. Launched in May 2020 in response to COVID-19 challenges, ACTNow has transformed into a dynamic platform fostering positive workplace culture, teamwork, and individual well-being, Pharmacist Support has said. Its primary goals are to inspire individuals and teams in the profession to prioritise their well-being, support colleagues, and proactively foster a healthier work environment. Pharmacist Support emphasised that the 2023 ACTNow campaign will continue to prioritise fostering a positive workplace culture. "This year, the campaign will provide individuals, pharmacy teams, and employers with essential tools, resources, and strategies to effectively support colleagues dealing with distress, all while cultivating a growth-oriented mindset within their teams," the charity firm said.

The commencement of the weight management campaign has been postponed from the scheduled date of January 4, 2022 due to delay in the delivery of the campaign resource packs, Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) stated. After a new delivery date for the resource packs has been confirmed, PSNC will announce the new start date for the programme, which is the third mandated health campaign for 2021/22.

Consumer health company Haleon, formerly known as GSK, claims that pain's emotional and life impact has grown by nearly 25 per cent in the past decade. The company has launched a campaign #ListenToPain to personalise patients' pain management through a series of practical tools and resources. The campaign was introduced on 28 September which focused on enabling the HCPs to maximise their time with patients and understand their pain experience - providing them with an effective treatment plan. The new data has been obtained through the fifth edition of the Haleon Pain Index (HPI). This social study measured the impact of individuals' everyday lives, their health, their feelings, their emotions, motivations and behaviours. They have spoken to more than 87,000 people around the world since their first edition in 2014 - HPI 1 (The State of Pain), which later progressed over the years from HPI 2 (Impact of Pain) in 2017, then HPI 3 (Managing Pain) in 2018, to HPI 4 (Treatment Journey), and finally HPI 5 (Pain and Inclusivity) in 2023.