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Pharmacy leaders have called for reassurance that the workforce plan, expected by April 2023, will cover the entirety of the pharmacy workforce across the health service, including in community pharmacies. A joint letter has been signed by representatives from 14 pharmacy organisations which highlights that with continued pressures on services, it is more important than ever to support the pharmacy workforce so that the staff needed to deliver patient care now and into the future can be recruited, trained and retained. Mark Koziol, Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) Chairman said: "Our pharmacist members practise across the entire health system and have the potential to do far more to help patients and improve public health, but they can only do so safely if they are in appropriately staffed workplaces. This is a workforce issue, so it is important that the Government works with representatives of the pharmacist workforce, and of their employers, to get a suitably agreed plan in place." Thorrun Govind, English Pharmacy Board Chair, Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), said: "It will be crucial to use the skills of all our health professions to support the NHS recovery, reduce health inequalities, manage the growing cost of long-term conditions, and deliver best value from medicines.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has issued draft guidance on 'Evusheld' which is not recommended for vulnerable adult with high risk of severe Covid-19 on Thursday (16 February). The draft guidance is open for public consultation until 9 March 2023. The committee will consider any comments received at a meeting currently due to take place on 4 April 2023. It comes after last month's decision by the US drug regulator to withdraw its emergency use authorisation for Evusheld as a preventative treatment for Covid-19, which said there was insufficient evidence that Evusheld is effective against the dominant variants of Covid-19 in the US. NICE's independent appraisal committee has reached the same conclusion having considered evidence which shows Evusheld is unlikely to prevent infection with most of the variants circulating in the UK now and in the near future. It has also announced that it is developing a new review process to update recommendations on the cost-effectiveness of Covid-19 treatments so they can be made available more quickly to patients if they show promise against new variants and are found to be cost-effective.

In response to a Scottish government consultation, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has called for continued investment to develop community pharmacy teams and create additional capacity in existing services. The consultation examines different ways patients access healthcare services in Scotland and focuses on sources of healthcare other than GPs that exist in the community. The inquiry was discussed with NPA policy leads across the UK, NPA Scottish members and other Scottish pharmacy stakeholder organisations. The NPA stated that services delivered during the pandemic has proven the importance of Scotland's 1,258 community pharmacies, and believes additional capacity for existing pharmacy services, and expansion of pharmacy Public Health Services is possible with continued investment from the government.

Deaths caused by hepatitis C has declined by 35 per cent in England between 2015 and 2020, latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealed. It showed that estimated prevalence of chronic hepatitis C in England has continued to fall to around 81,000 in 2020 from 129,000 in 2015, showing a considerable progress has been made towards eliminating the virus as a public health problem by 2030 in England. Commenting on the data release, health and social care secretary Sajid Javid, said: "It is fantastic to see the significant progress that has been made in eliminating hepatitis C in England. Deaths and prevalence of the virus have fallen consistently thanks to improvements in diagnosis, access to treatments and the hard work of the NHS. "This is another example of the UK being at the forefront of tackling serious diseases. We are on track to eliminate this virus by 2030 and I urge anyone who may be at risk to get tested as soon as possible."

Online pharmacies have to operate from bricks & mortar premises that are registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council, but recent cases show that, in reality, the practices of online pharmacies are often very different to other pharmacies, and the regulation of online pharmacies is also different - and evolving as issues arise. For a start, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is only one of the regulators taking an interest in online pharmacy services. Other regulators include the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) which enforces the advertising and promotion of medicines, and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) which regulates prescribing services. The different regulation of online pharmacies is attributable to the higher risk to patients and the public from medicines bought online. These risks often arise from a combination of patients who do not tell the truth in order to obtain medicines and the nature of a transaction in which a pharmacist does not see patients face-to-face. "The GPhC has strong enforcement powers that it uses when it considers its premises standards have not complied with." However, there are also things that go wrong because pharmacists have simply failed to act professionally or take sufficient care, as well as cases where things have gone wrong through misfortune.

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.

Two pharmacies in Rotherham are set to merge into one, if plans are approved by NHS England. Weldricks Pharmacy has applied to merge its two Swinton branches, on Church Street and the Crown Street Surgery. If approved, the branch on Church Street will be modernised, and additional consulting rooms will be added, while the Crown Street site will be closed. Rotherham Met Borough Council's health and wellbeing board are set to make a representation supporting the plans, and say that analysis by public health "outlines the very minimal impact that this change will have in terms of pharmacy access in the borough based on the service offer, opening hours and walking times to this branch and the main pharmacy." They say the current opening hours will remain the same, and there will be no disruption to services during the consolidation. A statement from Weldricks adds that the decision to merge is down to funding cuts, and the company could go out of business if operating costs are not reduced - 'despite having been a local, family-owned business for almost 100 years'.

The new 'How to Involve and Engage Patients on Digital Health Tech Innovation' learning module has been created specifically to support the development and delivery of patient-centric technologies, at a time of critical digital transformation in the NHS. The foundation level module will be freely available at www.orcha-digitalhealthacademy.com and on the Health Education England NHS Learning Hub (learninghub.nhs.uk). No training previously exists on conducting effective patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE), leading to wasted resource on unsuitable technologies at a time when the healthcare system simply cannot afford it. The module aims to educate innovators who are creating new technology, and the clinicians who are prescribing these solutions. Crucially, the module also provides valuable support to the 500 NHS clinicians who are on the Clinical Entrepreneur Programme. The module is an introduction to the first evidence-based framework for PPIE, launched by the University of Plymouth, the AHSN Network (the national voice of the 15 academic health science networks in England) and Boehringer Ingelheim UK & Ireland. It helps to fast-track learning for the EnACT principles described in the framework, outlining how to involve patients in product innovation and critical issues such as data privacy, intellectual property, inclusivity, reimbursement, useability, and recruitment of patients.

YouGov polling commissioned by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has revealed that majority of the people responding to the poll said that they would be concern by the pharmacy closure in their locality. The results show the extent of the public backing for a Pharmacy First approach - PSNC has been arguing that a fully-funded service would be beneficial for pharmacies, patients and the wider NHS. The poll witnessed 1,774 adults' participation from England. It showed 68 per cent of people agree that they would find it easier to seek health advice for common conditions, such as skin conditions or indigestion, at a community pharmacy rather than a GP surgery. Only 11 per cent disagreed that this would be easier. While 75 per cent of people agree that they would like to see community pharmacies offering more healthcare services such as treating urinary tract infections or sore throats. Only 6 per cent strongly disagreed with this. When asked how important, if at all, are the services provided by community pharmacies to them, their family, or community, 78 per cent indicted this was very important. Only 14 per cent said this wasn't important. 77 per cent said they would be very concerned if the pharmacy they use most often were to close permanently. Only 19 per cent said they would not be very concerned.

The Department of Health in Northern Ireland has advised pharmacies to continue providing rota services on Easter after learning that many pharmacies are unwilling to provide the services on Easter holidays. "It is extremely regrettable that community pharmacy representatives have advised that access to rota pharmacies in some parts of Northern Ireland will be reduced over the Easter holidays," department said. They have also stated that despite a commitment of recurrent investment, support for new patients assessed by Trusts as requiring blister packs may be restricted. These actions have the potential to impact on patients and other parts of the Health and Social Care system. The department has also called the CPNI's demand to increase the funding up to 50 per cent in the sector "unrealistic" in the current financial climate. It said: "Financial pressures across the entire NI public sector are severe with an extremely challenging health budget anticipated for 2023/24." "The Department is therefore facing a significant funding gap just to maintain existing services and the whole Health and Social Care system is an extremely unpredictable and fragile position. The core funding envelope available to community pharmacies in NI has increased by 16% over the past three years."

Along with pharmacists, pharmacy technicians in England are now able to perform blood pressure checks as part of the Hypertension Case-Finding Service and deliver the Smoking Cessation Service (SCS). The government has amended Drug Tariff and includes the amendments to The Pharmaceutical Services (Advanced and Enhanced Services) (Amendment) (England) Directions 2023. Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) said: "The service specifications for both services are currently going through NHS England's publication process; when these are published PSNC will alert contractors through their normal communication channels. PSNC resources for both of these services are also currently being updated."

There has been a lot of coverage in the national and pharmaceutical press of the prices being charged to pharmacy owners for certain medicines. Leaving aside the reasons for steep price rises, I have been asked on social media and elsewhere whether pharmacy owners can refuse to supply prescribed medicines if they would make a significant financial loss. Legal obligation The first thing to point out is that the National Health Service Act 2006 imposes a legal duty on the Secretary of State and NHS England to make arrangements for people to receive sufficient prescribed drugs. These arrangements involve the publication of the Drug Tariff. The Drug Tariff includes reimbursement prices or a method for determining prices. Various factors can be taken into account in determining reimbursement prices. The Drug Tariff does not provide a pound for pound reimbursement for medicines that pharmacies supply on NHS prescriptions.

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.

Pharmaceutical recalls are complicated and expensive, just like in any other business. Pharmaceutical recalls, however, pose a further risk because they might change both short- and long-term health effects. To ensure smooth recalls with few negative effects on public health, it is crucial to understand the pharmaceutical product recall procedure and the roles of each key player. Throughout the recall procedure, patient safety is crucially ensured by the FDA, pharmaceutical companies, pharmacy technicians, and other healthcare professionals. Learning about pharma recalls, procedures, and responsibilities is essential for guaranteeing patient safety for key actors like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), manufacturers, and other medical specialists. RECALL CLASSIFICATIONS Recalls can fall into one of three categories-class I, II, or III-with class I being the most serious and lethal. Products that have the potential to result in serious, permanent complications or death are subject to Class I recalls. Class II recalls are recommended for product flaws that have a low likelihood of harmful events or that can result in reversible side effects. Last but not least, class III recalls typically arise from problems with packaging that do not pose a risk. Since they are frequently issued out of an abundance of prudence rather than due to any negative impacts, many people may even describe this kind of recall as benign.

A survey of over six thousands pharmacies has revealed that the community pharmacy sector is buckling under growing cost and capacity pressures. The survey conducted by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, which also involved two thousand community pharmacy confirms, rising costs, patient demand and medicine supply issues continue to grip the sector. PSNC's 2023 Pharmacy Pressures Survey, run as a follow up to the 2022 pressures survey, provides clear comparative data showing the worsening situation across the sector. Govt must act now The result of the survey indeed paints a bleak picture for community pharmacies and it is clear that without urgent action from government and the NHS this will only get worse: more community pharmacies will either be forced to reduce the number of services they provide or, in the worst-case scenario, will be left with no option but to close their doors for good. The PSNC has urged the government to act now "to save our pharmacies, before it is too late for patients, the public, and the rest of the NHS". "This year's survey clearly shows that community pharmacies are buckling under growing cost and capacity pressures," said PSNC Chief Executive Janet Morrison.

National pharmacy bodies have expressed their disappointment on the launch date for Tier 1 of the Pharmacy Contraception Service which has been announced by NHS England (NHSE) as '24th April 2023′. Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) said that this start date for the service has not been agreed with PSNC and is in direct contradiction of our warning to Ministers that no new or expanded services can be rolled out in 2023/24 unless extra funding is put into community pharmacies. Responding to this announcement, PSNC Chief Executive Janet Morrison said: "This is despite our warning last month that without additional funding, the roll-out of Year 5 additional services and the Pharmacy Quality Scheme is neither feasible nor affordable. Community pharmacies are having to work harder and harder for less money and many are at breaking point. And just this week the results of our 2023 Pharmacy Pressures Survey have confirmed the worsening situation. Clearly our view is not because contractors don't see the benefit of the service. This is a much-anticipated service that could deliver real benefits to patients and community pharmacies are always eager to support public health initiatives. But capacity in the sector is now so stretched that more money is needed to safely resource additional work. We have repeated our concerns to the Department in recent days and reminded them of the potential for a properly funded community pharmacy sector to play a greater role in providing clinical solutions and relieving pressures elsewhere in primary care."

Brits are increasing relying on over-the-counter (OTC) medicines to prevent or treat common ailments, as the 'care at home trend' has become prominent amongst UK households following the COVID-19 pandemic. Almost three-quarters of Brits (71 per cent) now choose to treat minor ailments at home rather than visit their GP or pharmacist, according to new research. The self-care message promoted by the government and NHS during the pandemic has led to a new generation of consumers who continue to take control of their own health and treat minor ailments themselves. Additionally, the research, commissioned by Lanes Health, revealed that public awareness about preventative treatment has increased, with 70 per cent of Brits claiming that they do their best to prevent the spread of common illnesses since the pandemic.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has created a form to help locum and other pharmacists to report about breach of NHS contract by community pharmacy. According to the association, they have been told by increasing number of pharmacists about contractors closing pharmacies, despite a locum readily available to cover the shift. The PDA said this is an issue of NHS contractual breach and creates difficulties for patients, and so they have created the form to assist members to report unnecessary closures to the relevant NHS England & Improvement pharmacy contract team. A locum pharmacist, who does not wish to be named, has alleged that a community pharmacy declined their offer to cover an extra shift for £5 more per hour, and decided to close the store, denying the public access to services. The pharmacist recalled the occasion while writing in the PDA's latest member voice article.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England have written a letter to pharmacy professionals thanking them for providing the best possible services to patients and the public, despite experiencing high and sustained demands and pressures. GPhC Chief Executive Duncan Rudkin and CPhO David Webb indicated that there will be further challenges over the coming weeks and months due to the ongoing industrial action, and staff shortages due to sickness or caring responsibilities. They expressed concerned that increased pressure will have a significant and potentially prolonged impact on pharmacy teams both personally and professionally. Acknowledging that pharmacy professionals may have to make some difficult decisions as they deal with the pressures they face, the leaders have urged those working in pharmacy to use "your professional judgement to assess and mitigate risk, and to deliver safe and effective care for your patients within your scope of practice."

In a recent announcement the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) unveiled its strategic approach to artificial intelligence (AI), as it sets out to embrace the transformative potential of AI in healthcare regulation. Building upon the Government's white paper 'A pro-innovation approach to AI regulation', released in 2023, the MHRA outlined five key strategic principles guiding its adoption of AI. These principles encompass safety, security, and robustness; appropriate transparency and explainability; fairness, accountability, and governance; and contestability and redress. A science-led organization, the MHRA was tasked with providing an independent view of its approach to AI in medicine and science, aligning with a government white paper. Recognising its role in UK's goal to be a science and tech leader by 2030, MHRA is tasked to evaluate AI's opportunities and risks across regulatory, public service, and evidence-based decision-making area.