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Period problems, women's health research and support for domestic and sexual abuse victims are among the government's priorities for women's health in 2024, which Health Secretary Victoria Atkins announced at the Women's Health Summit on Wednesday. Organised in central London, the event marked the second year of the landmark Women's Health Strategy for England. Victoria joined women's health champions to celebrate successes of strategy's first year and outlined plans for coming year, which also include improving maternity care and support for mothers who suffer birth trauma. Successes achieved over the strategy's first 12 months include reducing the cost of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for nearly half a million women and the rollout of specialist women's health hubs in every local health area. A new dedicated women's health section of the NHS website was also created, providing updated information, advice and practical resources for women's health across the life course.

Over a century-year-old Boots pharmacy in St James's Street, Brighton shut its doors permanently on Saturday (20 January) leaving the communities disappointed. The branch in Kemp Town, which was opened to the public for the first time in 1914, was supposed to close on November 19 last year but continued trading into the new year, The Argus reported. Locals are not happy with the retailer's decision to close the store as some say it used to be "always busy with prescriptions and people buying things." Another person recalled that Boots had earlier closed two pharmacies, one on Lewes Road, Brighton, and another on Church Road, Hove. The American-owned health and wellbeing chain is in the process of closing more UK branches in the coming months as it's targeting to reduce its store portfolio to 1,900 from 2,200.

The UK's National Health Service (NHS) has become the first healthcare system in the world to provide a new blood group genotyping test for people with rare inherited blood disorders. From Monday (22 January), thousands of patients suffering from sickle cell disorder and thalassaemia will get access to the world-first 'blood matching' genetic test, which will help reduce their risk of transfusion side effects while offering more personalised care. In England, it is estimated that around 17,000 people are living with sickle cell disorder, with 250 new cases reported each year, and there are about 800 thalassaemia patients, with less than 50 new cases a year. Health Minister Andrea Leadsom said: "Thousands of people living with sickle cell disease and thalassaemia will be eligible for this new world-first blood test which is set to transform their care.

Eli Lilly's weight-loss medicine Mounjaro, also known as tirzepatide, will be available in the UK within weeks as a four-dose pre-filled injection pen. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the drug to treat adults with type 2 diabetes and for weight management in obese patients. Branded as Mounjaro KwikPen, the injection is to be used together with a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, the regulator said. "The public health importance of safe and effective treatments to help manage diabetes and obesity, which can have a significant impact on people's health, is clear. "This approval enables access to the approved Mounjaro pen in a more convenient presentation of a month's treatment, of one dose per week," said Julian Beach, MHRA Interim Executive Director, Healthcare Quality and Access.

The Scottish government has appointed Christina McKelvie MSP as the new Minister for Drugs and Alcohol policy, following the resignation of Elena Whitham MSP due to health reasons. In a letter to the First Minister, Whitham said she was receiving treatment for post-traumatic stress, which had "greatly" affected her wellbeing. Commenting on the news, Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Scotland thanked Whitham for supporting them, particularly for her "efforts to bring in a new national service to provide emergency access to supplies of naloxone." RPS Scotland has continuously advocated for the accessibility of naloxone through all community pharmacies (for supply to people who use drugs, family, healthcare professionals and carers), and to make it available in all clinical settings for use in emergencies. It was also the top recommendation of their policy on Pharmacy's role in reducing harm and preventing drug deaths.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reclassified codeine linctus, a medicine used for the treatment of dry cough, from a pharmacy-only medicine (P) to a prescription-only medicine (POM) owing to the risk of dependence, addiction, and overdose. This implies that the dry cough syrup, which is also known as codeine oral solution, can only be dispensed upon the submission of a prescription at a pharmacy, rather than being accessible over the counter upon request. Patients are cautioned that as an opioid medicine, codeine can be addictive, and the risk of addiction may increase, particularly with prolonged use over an extended period. According to the medicines regulator, codeine is converted into morphine by the liver enzyme CYP2D6. In individuals identified as ultra-rapid metabolizers, this conversion from codeine to morphine occurs at a faster rate than in others. "If you want to stop taking it and have been taking codeine linctus for a long time, then it is important to reduce the amount you take slowly with the help of your prescriber," the agency said in its drug safety update issued on Tuesday, 20 February.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) have responded to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) consultation on pharmacy supervision, which was launched in early December last year. The DSHC set out proposals to amend the Medicines Act 1968 and The Human Medicines Regulations 2012 to allow registered pharmacy technicians to work without direct supervision, which in turn will help free up pharmacists to provide more clinical care and reduce GP appointments. While the RPS supported the legislative change, it highlighted a range of topics that should be considered and clarified in regulations and guidance. According to RPS, the new concept of 'authorisation', including around documentation, accountability, and the role of superintendent pharmacist and responsible pharmacist, needs clarification.

"Record long NHS waits are forcing huge numbers of people out of work, including doctors and nurses," said Wes Streeting MP, Labour's Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary as Labour announced a new partnership with Nuffield Health today to tackle joint pain issues among NHS staff and reducing waiting lists. Musculoskeletal problems, including back, knee, hip, and neck pain, are the second leading cause of NHS staff absences, surpassed only by mental health issues. In December 2023 alone, NHS workers missed a record 198,000 days due to these issues, marking a 13 per cent increase from the 174,000 days recorded in December 2019. Nurses and health visitors accounted for 52,000 of these days, up from 47,000 pre-pandemic, while doctors took 3,500 days off, a 9 per cent increase from 2019. The partnership with Nuffield Health will provide up to 4,000 extra places for NHS staff in Nuffield Health's Joint Pain Programme at no cost.

According to the report, in 2022-23, 4.4 million people were diagnosed with diabetes "Bold action is needed to reverse the rising trend in type 2 diabetes, overturn our broken food environment, and give every child and young person the best possible chance to grow up in good health," retorts Chief Executive of Diabetes UK. A newly published report, Reverse the Trend - Reducing type 2 diabetes in young people, reveals a troubling 40 per cent rise in type 2 diabetes diagnoses among younger people from 2016-17 to 2022-23. The report highlights that almost 168,000 individuals under 40 in the UK are currently living with type 2 diabetes, an increase of over 47,000 since 2016-17. Historically associated with older adults, type 2 diabetes is now increasing more rapidly among younger populations, particularly affecting those from deprived areas and Black and South Asian communities.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, visited St Margaret's Hospital in Epping, West Essex, on Thursday (1 August) as part of an ongoing series of planned engagements with NHS trusts across England. Accompanied by NHS Chief Executive, Amanda Pritchard, Streeting observed how NHS staff are using innovative technology to monitor patients at home and prevent unnecessary hospital admissions. He met with staff from the hospital's Care Coordination Centre and the 'hospital at home' hub, which work to reduce unnecessary A&E admissions and facilitate quick and safe discharges home. Before the hospital tour, the health secretary met the trust's falls response team, which uses a specially equipped 'falls car' to assist patients who have fallen at home, preventing A&E visits. Later, Streeting visited the Ross Practice GP surgery in Harlow before holding a town hall event with health leaders in the region.

Community pharmacies are being forced to halt certain NHS and public health services due to escalating financial and operational pressures, a recent survey by Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has revealed. In the survey conducted ahead of the June Committee Meeting, an overwhelming 96 per cent of pharmacy owners reported having stopped delivering locally commissioned services over the past twelve months. Additionally, nearly one-third of the pharmacies surveyed indicated they had discontinued providing some Advanced services. The survey also revealed that pharmacy opening hours are being reduced, with 81 per cent of respondents stating they had to stop offering extended hours. In 90 per cent of the cases, pharmacy owners had to cease employing locum pharmacists, likely due to cost constraints. Furthermore, over 20 per cent of the more than 2,100 pharmacies surveyed reported having to discontinue the free delivery of prescription medicines to patients.

In response to stakeholder feedback, the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is developing a streamlined, single route to registration that will replace the current multiple-pathway system for overseas pharmacists wishing to practice in Great Britain. This revised approach will include updated standards for the education and training of internationally qualified pharmacists, with all applicants still required to pass a registration assessment. The GPhC's Council intends to streamline the registration pathway, reducing the two-year process to one-year process. This new pathway will encompass both university study and in-practice training. Historically, pharmacists qualified within the European Economic Area (EEA) or European Free Trade Association (EFTA) have been eligible for qualification recognition in Great Britain. While this recognition has been extended until September 2028, the future requirement for EEA-qualified pharmacists to undergo the new registration route remains contingent on forthcoming government decisions. Initially, the GPhC had explored the development of three distinct registration routes for internationally-qualified pharmacists, "however decided to change this proposed approach after considering feedback from stakeholders."

The NIHR Research Delivery Network (RDN) has published a new paper highlighting the learnings from a major COVID-19 research trial conducted in primary care settings. The paper, which draws on insights from the PANORAMIC study, emphasised the importance of prioritising primary care studies from the very start of any pandemic to prevent worsening of patient symptoms and reduce hospital admission. Additionally, it recommended considering the use of UK-wide pharmacy networks, including community pharmacies, to promote research inclusion for future similar trials in primary care to increase recruitment in underserved communities. Authored by Professor Phil Evans, GP and Deputy Health and Care Director at the NIHR RDN together with colleagues from the NIHR and University of Oxford, the 80-page paper concluded that primary care research should be at the forefront of future pandemic preparedness. During the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, much research was carried out on critically ill patients in secondary care settings.

"It is crucial that patients can access care when they need it, whether from a pharmacist or a GP, " Paul Rees, Chief Executive of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has said. In response to a recent survey conducted by the General Medical Council (GMC) highlighting alarming trends among General Practitioners (GPs), the NPA has issued a warning about the growing crisis in the UK's primary care system. Rees emphasised the urgent need for government intervention, saying, "Only by reversing these cuts and providing pharmacies with a new funding deal will we be able to end the 8am scramble for appointments." The GMC survey reveals that there is a significant increase in the number of doctors reducing their working hours to safeguard their wellbeing, spotlighting concerns about the long-term impact on patient care. According to the report, nearly half of GPs ( 48 per cent) are struggling to manage their workload, with several resorting to decreasing their hours or declining additional work to protect their mental and physical health.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved a new indication of semaglutide (Wegovy), authorising its use to reduce the risk of serious heart problems and strokes in adults who are obese or overweight. Semaglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, was previously approved for use in the treatment of obesity and weight management, to be used alongside diet, physical activity and behavioural support. The latest approval establishes it as the first weight loss drug to be prescribed to prevent cardiovascular events, such as cardiovascular death, non-fatal heart attack and non-fatal stroke, in people with established cardiovascular disease and a Body Mass Index (BMI) higher or equal to 27 kg/m2. Novo Nordisk, the manufacturer of Wegovy, received this authorisation on 23 July following compelling evidence from a recent post-approval clinical study involving over 17,600 participants. The study demonstrated that Wegovy, administered at a dose of 2.4 mg once weekly via subcutaneous injection for up to five years, significantly lowers the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) by 20 per cent compared to a placebo.

UK-based consumer health company Kenvue has developed a series of tools and materials to support healthcare professionals - including pharmacy teams - with their conversations with smokers on their quit journey. This is part of their newly launched Smokefree Families initiative, which aims to help reduce the number of smoking households with children in England. Kenvue believes that pharmacists and their teams are vital to the success of this initiative, as they play a crucial role in supporting smokers in their quit journey. "As trusted sources of support and advice to families across the country, we firmly believe that community pharmacy teams are crucial to the success of our Smokefree Families initiative," Manoj Raghunandanan, Area Managing Director, Northern Europe at Kenvue, told Pharmacy Business. "To support them, we've created a series of tools and materials that can help pharmacists and other healthcare professionals tackle sensitive conversations with new and expectant parents, their partners and support networks, and ultimately motivate them on their quit journey."

A snap survey conducted by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) revealed that over half of community pharmacy teams have felt unsafe in the past week due to ongoing riots across the country. The survey, which included responses from approximately 350 community pharmacies, also found that one in three pharmacies had considered closing because of safety concerns, while 13 per cent of pharmacy teams reported experiencing racist comments during this period. According to the NPA, over 40 per cent of pharmacists are of South Asian, Black, or other ethnic minority backgrounds, with the majority of independent community pharmacy owners believed to be of South Asian heritage. The association reports that businesses had been vandalised during the riots, leading some pharmacies to reduce their opening hours or close entirely, following advice from the police and local authorities. Despite a recent decline in disorder over the last few days, police have been advised to remain on high alert over the weekend.

In recent years, the healthcare sector has seen a significant transformation driven by the rapid advancement of technology. From improved patient care to streamlined administrative processes, technology has become an indispensable part of modern healthcare. As medical facilities worldwide embrace these innovations, it's essential to understand why the sector leans so heavily on advanced technological solutions. Below are seven key reasons illustrating the crucial role of technology in healthcare. Enhanced Radiology Workflows Advancements in technology have revolutionized radiology workflows, making the process more efficient and accurate. Digital imaging technologies, such as PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication Systems) and RIS (Radiology Information Systems), allow for the seamless storage, retrieval, and sharing of medical images. The specialists AbbaDox say that this reduces the time needed to diagnose and treat patients, significantly improving the overall efficiency of radiology departments. Additionally, AI-powered tools can assist radiologists by highlighting potential areas of concern within images, ensuring that abnormalities are not overlooked. These improvements contribute to faster, more accurate diagnoses and better patient outcomes.

The University of Oxford's Centre for Research Equity (CfRE) has entered into a historic partnership with the Health and Social Care Research and Development (HSC R&D) Division in Northern Ireland to advance health equity across the region and ensure everyone benefits from healthcare advancements. Unveiled during an event at Parliament Buildings in Stormont Estate on Wednesday, this groundbreaking partnership makes Northern Ireland the first UK region to partner with CfRE. Supported by the Department of Health Northern Ireland and key health and social care agencies, the partnership aims to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities through collaborative research. Northern Ireland's Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt, highlighted that this new partnership represents "a significant step forward in efforts to address health inequalities" in the region. "By bringing together leading experts and resources from across sectors, we can work towards conducting research that truly benefits all of our communities," he said.

Sustainability also brings financial benefits to businesses. This has been proven by Prabjaudt Singh Channa, Director of Priory Pharmacy. Prabjaudt is a proud winner of the Sustainable Pharmacy of the Year 2023, awarded by Pharmacy Business in association with Teva UK. Prabjaudt thanked the award organisers for acknowledging the importance of sustainability within the sector and for recognising his modest endeavours to reduce environmental impact and safeguard future generations. "I just felt really happy and proud of this recognition because originally when I set myself down on this path, I didn't really think anyone would be that bothered about the small changes that we were trying to make and the impact," says Prabjaudt. In addition to his family's background in the field, his passion for chemistry also drove him to pursue a career in pharmacy. He finds being a pharmacy contractor enjoyable because it allows him to be flexible, pursue various interests and shape his professional path.