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The Government has been forced to intervene formally 50 times in the past two years to authorise the use of alternative drugs because of serious medicine shortages hitting patients, new analysis by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has found today. 78 per cent of all Serious Shortage Protocols, produced by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) due to medicine shortages, were issued in 2022/24 - more than three times the rate in the previous two years. The NPA, which represents independent community pharmacies in the UK, is warning that shortages are leading to pharmacists having to increasingly turn patients needing vital medication away. Analysis by the NPA of the NHS's Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) issued to pharmacies and other providers over the last five years has found that: The number of SSPs issued in the last two years is 3.5 times higher than in the previous two years.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has alerted pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy owners via email regarding new emergency legislation governing the prescribing and supply of puberty-suppressing hormones, commonly known as 'puberty blockers', for children and young people under 18 in England, Wales, and Scotland. The regulations apply to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues, used to suppress puberty as part of treating gender incongruence or gender dysphoria in individuals under 18. Effective from 3 June 2024, new private prescriptions for GnRH analogues from prescribers in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland who are not UK registered are banned from being dispensed in Great Britain for patients under 18. The emergency ban on these medicines will remain in effect until September 3, 2024, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced on 29 May, stating that the action has been taken to address risks to "patient safety."

Online pharmacy delivery partner Gophr has released new data showing a further drop in pharmacy numbers in England, resulting in a phenomenon they call 'Pharmacy Deserts'. Gophr highlighted that a significant portion of the population now lives in 'pharmacy deserts,' referring to the situation where an increasing number of urban residents struggle to access a shrinking number of pharmacies. For the second consecutive year, Gophr has analysed the data for its 'Prescription For Pressure' initiative. The analysis showed that in 2023, pharmacists dispensed 1.18 billion prescriptions across England, marking an increase of 137 million compared to 2022. The average number of prescriptions per pharmacy stands at 103,380, which equates to 283 a day. As calculated by Gophr's data experts, pharmacy numbers decreased from 11,522 in 2022 to 11,414 in 2023, reflecting a decline of 108 compared to the previous year's 'Prescription For Pressure'. Gophr's data also showed that pharmacy deserts are most prominent in the South East (6,024 people per pharmacy), the East of England (5,327), the South West (5,284), and the Midlands (4,975). London, which ranked high last year, fell out of the top four, with 4,759 people per pharmacy.

We're approaching that time of year where the sun is supposed to be shinning and things are supposed to quieten down over the summer holidays (note I said supposed to. . . well we have the sun at least). The elections are over, and a new party is in power. Wes Streeting is the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. He's met with GPs and Dentists and has great ambitions for Primary Care but when will he meet with community pharmacists? To be fair to Wes, he did visit a local pharmacy in his constituency, with CPNEL last year as Shadow Health Secretary (and was a guest speaker at the Pharmacy Business Awards 2023). He has also had meetings with NPA and CPE, so we know he understands the value of Community Pharmacy. The question is, do we as a sector and profession need to shout louder so that we aren't forgotten about, as healthcare plans are being drawn up? Community Pharmacy is a humble sector, not unlike most other HC sectors. The difference is that we often get forgotten. I have lost count of the times I've heard in meetings or conversations "Primary care and community pharmacy. . ." totally disregarding the fact that we are part of primary care.

Following the publication of a new study by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) that estimates the economic impact and prevelance of hazardous NSAID prescribing in England, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has underscored the pressing need for enhanced safety measures in medication management. The study, led by RPS Fellow Rachel Elliott, reveals significant health and financial costs associated with the high-risk prescribing of oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) among vulnerable populations. James Davies, Director for England at the RPS, emphasised the critical findings of the research. "Improving the safety of NSAID prescribing requires a multi-pronged approach, that educates and supports prescribers on the risk, as well as uses the skills of pharmacists in the primary care team to help identify higher risk patients and prescribing scenarios," Davies remarked. The study highlights that NSAIDs, while effective in managing pain and inflammation, are associated with serious adverse events, including gastrointestinal bleeding, renal dysfunction, and cardiovascular issues.

The Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies (AIMp) celebrated achievements of its members during the pandemic at its first annual 'ball and award' ceremony held last week in London. To highlight the important role played by pharmacy teams, the association representing community pharmacy businesses with multiple branches, introduced two award categories - for patient safety and social care. Stephen Walls from H I Weldricks won the Patient Safety Awards and Sandeep Dhami, Nadia Hussain and Sachin Basandrai from MW Phillips won the Social Care Award. Congratulating the winners, Leyla Hannbeck, CEO of AIMp, said that community pharmacy teams "have worked tirelessly to deliver patient care throughout the pandemic." David McNicol, head of sales at AAH Pharmaceuticals, noted that the country and community pharmacy witnessed the toughest 18 months, and the gathering provided an opportunity to discuss ongoing challenges.

As part of community service in our pharmacies we provide advice, help and support on the importance of a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. This has been especially important during the Covid-19 pandemic as many of our customers are understandably even more concerned about their immune health and how they can help boost their immunity during this time in order to protect themselves as far as possible. We help them understand the relevance of good nutrition, the importance doing exercise (where possible), and how they can take steps to reduce risk over these worrying times. For example, through our pharmacy services, we offer the flu jab to customers and support the NHS in administering the jab, for which demand has been greatly increased this year as people look to protect their immune system from flu (which for some - can prove fatal). By protecting from illness, our body's immune system can remain stronger, as is not distracted into fighting illnesses that could have been prevented.

Independent pharmacies played a leading role in administering Covid-19 vaccines in the country, latest data compiled by the National Pharmacy Association has revealed. According to the latest research conducted by the NPA and PharmData, independent community pharmacies were the biggest deliverers of Covid vaccines during January - September 2021 as compared to corporate-run pharmacy sites. The PharmData figures which looked at 610 pharmacy sites around the country showed that 85 per cent of them were independents, most of whom are NPA members. NPA chief executive Mark Lyonette said: "These figures show us that flexible, locally engaged, entrepreneurial independent community pharmacies are making a huge contribution to the vaccine programme.

Bas Vorsteveld, who was made vice president and general manager for Great Britain & Ireland (GBI) in November last year, is joined by Monica Michalopoulou as GBI marketing director and Onyeka Anugwom as GBI commercial excellence director GSK Consumer Healthcare. He took over from Jonathan Workman, who held the position from 2018, and has now moved into the role of Business Unit general manager for Northern Europe. Vorsteveld, who has 15 years' industry experience, played at major part in the merger of Novartis and GSK consumer healthcare businesses. Most recently, he held the role of VP & head of commercial excellence EMEA LATAM at GSK Consumer Healthcare, where he spearheaded international sustainability initiatives. Commenting on his new role, Vorsteveld said: "I am incredibly honoured to have been a part of GSK Consumer Healthcare's journey to date and it is our collective ambition to deliver better everyday health with humanity for our customers, with a laser focus on 'self-care'. "The recent pandemic has shown us that healthcare matters more now than ever before for our consumers. We want to redefine the role that self-care plays in people's lives, because it can bring long-term benefits for individuals and society, and is a key component of a sustainable healthcare system.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is mulling over introducing "differentiated fees options to cover the increased regulation needed for online pharmacies." In papers published by the regulator ahead of its meeting on Thursday (December 9), it noted that with increase in number of online and distance-selling pharmacies, the regulation has become "potentially more complex and resource intensive." It highlighted that service provided by online pharmacies pose a high risk "in terms of professional care and professional standards". Only 63 per cent of the 187 inspections of online pharmacies since April 2019, met all standards, against the overall benchmark of 84 per cent, the GPhC said. The independent regulator informed that swift enforcement action has been taken against 48 online pharmacies to address patient safety risks, including 40 conditions notices and 11 improvement notices.

Day Lewis Pharmacy has enlisted Locate a Locum, a Belfast-based healthcare technology innovator, to deploy and manage a digital solution aimed at enhancing locum staffing and management across its 267-pharmacy network. "We sought a faster, user-friendly system for instant locum bookings, particularly for last-minute shifts," said Sam Patel, Executive Director at Day Lewis Pharmacy. "This tool improves communication between potential locums and our coordinators, creating more opportunities to attract talent from across the country. Our customers are our priority, and ensuring they have access to staff and advice when needed is our main focus." Locate a Locum will implement a cloud-based digital solution across the Day Lewis Pharmacy estate, allowing locums to securely search, manage, request, and receive payment for shifts, Day Lewis said in a statement. This platform enables locum staff to manage their work diaries, location preferences, and commitments, promoting balanced work-life planning. "The Locate a Locum platform allows for swift, complete payments to our locums and offers them instant booking, eliminating the need for shift confirmation wait times," Patel added. "In a dynamic market with rising demand for pharmacy services, this platform is a game-changer, driving growth and unlocking potential."

The General Pharmaceutical Council's Fitness-to-Practise (FtP) committee has reversed its earlier decision ruling that a London pharmacist's statement, attributing the Grenfell tragedy to "Zionist supporters of the Tory party," amounted to the propagation of anti-Semitic tropes. In an initial 2020 hearing, the FtP committee found that a set of remarks delivered by Nazim Hussain Ali, Managing Partner of Chelsea Pharmacy Medical Clinic, through a megaphone to a crowd assembled at a Palestinian rights rally in central London in 2017 were deemed "grossly offensive," but not classified as anti-Semitic. Ali admitted his comments were offensive, but he was cleared of accusations of antisemitism and received a first warning on November 5, 2020. However, the High Court overturned this decision in June 2021 following an appeal by the Professional Standards Authority as the Judge found evidence of a "serious procedural or other irregularity" in the FtP committee's decision and instructed the GPhC to reopen the case.

To help pharmacy owner to better understand the negotiating process, Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has published commentary and infographics. "Our work to negotiate fair funding, as well as changes to NHS pharmacy services, with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England is a crucial part of our role," said CPE. "Understandably the sector is eagerly awaiting an update on the progress of the current negotiations on the Government's pledge to invest £645m in community pharmacies and, as part of our ongoing efforts to improve transparency of our work, we have released materials to explain the negotiating process." Negotiating Team Member Stephen Thomas - who joined the team this year - has written a blog about his experiences. He has described both the complexity of the process and volume of work undertaken, and recognises the significance of his role on behalf of pharmacy owners across the country. Whilst speed is of the essence, even higher on the Negotiating Team's list of priorities is working through a large number of important questions - particularly around the funding and logistics that need to be put in place.

STADA has appointment Nigel Stephenson as General Manager UK with effect from 1 August 2023. Based in Huddersfield, UK, Stephenson will report directly to STADA's Head of Western Europe and Germany, Stephan Eder. He will take over from Rudolf Bär, who has successfully led the UK business for almost one year in addition to his responsibilities for STADA's Mid-Sized European Markets.| A dynamic and modern commercial leader with extensive experience in sales and marketing across Western, Central and Eastern Europe, and the UK in leading pharmaceutical, consumer healthcare and fast-moving consumer goods companies. He joins STADA from consumer healthcare leader Haleon, where he most recently served as General Manager Switzerland. "With his strong people and results orientation, along with deep purpose-driven engagement, Nigel will support our UK team in realizing its full potential through innovative and inclusive leadership," stated Eder.

Achieving the community pharmacy vision necessitates legal adjustments and additional funding beyond recent boosts, the pharmacy vision document published by Nuffield Trust and The King's Fund has revealed. It says community pharmacies in England must adapt to changing population needs amidst unprecedented health and care challenges. Commissioned by Community Pharmacy England, the report titled 'A Vision for Community Pharmacy', published on Sept. 19, is a result of almost a year of research and extensive consultation with the sector and wider stakeholders, advocating for community pharmacy. The think tanks detail a shift in the community pharmacy sector, highlighting how pharmacies can contribute to crucial policy objectives regarding population health, prevention, and the increasing demand in primary care. "The health and care needs of the population are evolving, and pharmacies in England, like all components of the health and care system, must adjust to address these changes," said Helen Buckingham, Director of Strategy at Nuffield Trust.

Three pharmacy bodies have called on the government to allow pharmacy students access to the NHS learning support fund (LSF) currently available to students from other healthcare professions. Calling it "unjust", the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), British Pharmaceutical Students' Association (BPSA), and Pharmacy Schools Council (PSC) have voiced their disappointment over continual exclusion of pharmacy students on clinical placements and asked that pharmacy students are given equal access to the LSF. The Department of Health and Social Care recently announced a 50 percent increase in travel and accommodation allowances for students in nursing, midwifery, allied health professions, medical, and dental courses. However, this initiative notably excluded pharmacy students.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA)'s Health Education Foundation (HEF) has funded a major study that aimed to test the SPUR tool and evaluate how effective it was at measuring medicines adherence. The study has been published in the British Medical Journal Open. Dr Joshua Wells, a fourth year PhD candidate at Kingston University, who was awarded the NPA bursary, was the lead researcher for the SPUR UK study, under the guidance of Professor Reem Kayyali. Created by Observia, a health research group, SPUR is a self-assessment questionnaire which helps to detect a patient's risk of medicine non-adherence and aims to accurately articulate the reasons for health behaviour. As well as funding from HEF, the study was made possible via a partnership with Kingston University and Kingston Hospital. HEF chair of Trustees, Dr Ian Cubbin, said: "We are delighted that NPA's Health Education Foundation has played a part in such an important study. This research could lead ultimately to a far more personalised, tailored approach to medicines optimisation - recognising that people's medicines behaviour can be highly individual to them."

A winter NHS crisis is inevitable unless the government acts now to reverse the worrying decline in community pharmacies. Years of government underfunding could see 3,000 pharmacies in England - around a third of the network - having no option but to shut their doors to patients in the next few years. That figure is based on independent assessments from Ernst & Young and UCL/LSE healthcare professors: it is not scaremongering - it is the reality the country faces. Fifty per cent of pharmacies are already in financial distress because government funding has been falling in real terms since 2019 and that figure is predicted to rise to 75 per cent within the next two years. The government needs to act now and invest in pharmacy or sleepwalk into a healthcare disaster as we have seen with access to dentistry care. Prescription volumes have risen consistently year-on-year by roughly 2 per cent which means fewer pharmacies doing more work and under greater pressure than a decade ago. Ten years ago around 11,200 pharmacies in England were dispensing roughly 79,000 prescriptions; nowadays around 11,500 are dispensing roughly 89,000 prescriptions. The secretary of state recently asked pharmacy to do more to avoid a winter NHS crisis and at the same time said there will be no new money to pay for those additional services. This at a time when the network is in decline with random unplanned pharmacy closures - 640 closures since 2016 - and pharmacy staff face huge workload pressures as prescription demand is increasing year-on-year. The government's approach to pharmacy literally does not add up: the pharmacy contract is not fit-for-purpose now let alone dealing with a NHS winter crisis.

Teva UK has begun replacing its existing packaging with a new design which is "clearer and easier to read". The new look is "unique, recognisable and distinctive." It "enhances safety and provides a recognisable and distinguishable pack range." One of the UK's leading generics manufacturers, Teva UK supplies more than 500 generic pharmaceutical products to retail and hospital pharmacies. The company says each product within the portfolio is distinguishable by colour, ensuring no two different packs have the same drug and strength colours and with additional product information on the side of the pack and a simplified back, it makes it even easier to identify the correct product when dispensing and supports patients when taking their medication. "Our medicines impact the lives of millions of people every day and our packaging is often the first touchpoint for our patients and our customers", said Kim Innes, general manager of Teva UK and Ireland.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has appointed Laura Wilson as Director for Scotland commencing 23rd January 2023. Laura, is currently Policy and Practice Lead for RPS in Scotland. She is accountable for bringing national RPS policy to life for members in Scotland, while contributing to the GB wide professional leadership agenda. She will work closely with the Scottish Pharmacy Board, senior NHS officials and other key stakeholders across the breadth of the pharmacy profession and beyond to ensure pharmacy is on the forefront of healthcare in Scotland. She joins the existing team of RPS Country Directors, which includes Elen Jones, Director for Wales and James Davies, Director for England and will report directly to the Chief Executive. Laura Wilson said: "I am delighted to be appointed Director for Scotland having worked as part of the RPS Scotland team as the policy and practice lead. It will be an honour to continue the fantastic work started by former Director Clare Morrison to bring Pharmacy 2030, our vision for pharmacy in Scotland in the future, to life and supporting pharmacy teams to deliver person centred care.