Group items tagged

In its response to the Health and Social Care Committee inquiry into 'Digital Transformation in the NHS', the Community Pharmacy IT Group (CP ITG) has highlighted issues concerning the NHS community pharmacy. CP ITG, of which PSNC is a member, has urged that pharmacy teams should have access to up-to-date records information, e.g. from Shared Care Records, GP Connect and Summary Care Records with Additional Information. It has also stated that the Booking and Referral Standards (BaRS) should be extended so that future referrals into and from pharmacy can be communicated seamlessly. In its written response, CP ITG said: "Ensure that BaRS is expanded and aligns with other referral IT standards such as GP Connect referrals. Ensure it is used across community pharmacy, the GP sector, other health care sectors and across the NHS, and by all health IT suppliers, so that messages and referrals can flow smoothly within and across sectors and patients can have a seamless experience and safe care." The group has asked the Health and Social Care Committee to create a framework for the development of pharmacy IT to ensure IT suppliers are better equipped to support pharmacy teams and their delivery of services.

he Pharmacy Schools Council (PhSC) has elected Professor Katie Maddock as the organisation's new chair. Prior to becoming head of school at Keele University, Professor Maddock had been MPharm course director and associate dean for education for the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, responsible for developing the clinical teaching at Keele. Before joining Keele University, she taught clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice at Aston University. Her research interests lie in pharmacy education, particularly the use of technology in teaching, clinical therapeutics, augmented reality simulation and interprofessional education. She was also awarded a principal fellowship of the Higher Education Academy in November 2020. Having worked in hospital pharmacy, Professor Maddock is acutely aware of the pressures that Covid-19 has placed on healthcare, as well as the importance of retaining and building upon the positive changes to patient care and pharmacy practice that were developed in response to the pandemic.

Northern Ireland's chief pharmaceutical officer paid a visit to a community pharmacy in Belfast on Monday (November 7) - marking the end of this year's Ask Your Pharmacist week, an annual public awareness campaign launched by the National Pharmacy Association. Cathy Harrison interacted with patients and staff in the pharmacy before recording a video to promote NI's 'Pharmacy First' service in which she described community pharmacies as "one of the front doors to the health service" with over 500 outlets located across the country. "In our community pharmacies you can always rely on friendly staff, medicines expertise, and walk-in access to face-to-face advice," she said. First launched in Scotland, the NHS Pharmacy First service enables patients to have a consultation with a pharmacist for advice on minor ailments. Ms Harrison also drew attention to community pharmacy's role in cancer awareness and helping people to quit smoking, as well as managing patients with urinary tract infections, in addition to playing their part in delivering Covid-19 and flu vaccinations.

The voter turnout for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) England this year has dropped to 7.3 per cent. Out of a total 18,333 eligible voter only 1,336 voter elected Danny Bartlett to the vacancy on the English Pharmacy Board. This year, four nominations were received for one substantive place on the English Pharmacy Board. One nomination was received for a single vacancy on the Welsh Pharmacy Board. Richard Evans has been elected unopposed to the vacancy on the Welsh Pharmacy Board. There were no vacancies this year on the Scottish Pharmacy Board. Therefore, no election was required for the Welsh Pharmacy Board nor the Scottish Pharmacy Board. Sarwat (Sorbi) Khattak has been elected for a period of one year to fill the casual vacancy.

Pharmacy technicians will soon be recognised as fully regulated healthcare professionals in North Ireland. Work has begun to bring pharmacy technicians under statutory regulation by the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland, health minister Robin Swann has announced. The public consultation was launched in March 2022 on a proposal to introduce statutory regulation of the Pharmacy Technician workforce in Northern Ireland. The minister said: "This will be a key enabler to enhancing the contribution that pharmacy technicians can make to the delivery of healthcare across all settings. It will allow the regulator to strengthen its role in protecting patients and promoting high standards, thereby enhancing the public's confidence and trust in pharmacy practice." He added: "While there are many practical issues to be worked through with stakeholders, and legislative change required, I have now instructed my Department's officials to develop a detailed project plan to bring about the statutory regulation of pharmacy technicians by the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland".

To ease pressure on community pharmacies, the deadline to meet the requirements of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme will be extended, Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) announced today (December 15). This follows an agreement reached between the negotiator and the NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). Recognising the challenges faced by pharmacies and their contribution towards the Covid-19 vaccination programme, following additional changes have been agreed upon: Contractors will not be required to complete the Community Pharmacy Patient Questionnaire for 2021/2022; The requirement for pharmacy teams to complete a national audit (intended to be on valproate) in 2021/22 will be waived; and The requirement for pharmacy teams to complete a contractor-chosen clinical audit in 2021/22 will be waived.

Health secretary Sajid Javid visited Medicine Chest Pharmacy in London on Friday (January 28) and thanked pharmacy teams across England for delivering well over 20 million Covid-19 jabs. According to the latest research conducted by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and PharmData, independent community pharmacies were the biggest deliverers of Covid-19 vaccines during January 2021 to September 2021 as compared to corporate-run pharmacy sites. As of January 2022, pharmacies across the whole sector had delivered 22 million Covid jabs, with the majority of them being independents of whom most are NPA members. In a video message released after the visit, Javid said: "Today I am here at Medicine Chest pharmacy in London to thank them, all pharmacies, the NHS, for the fantastic job they have done particularly over the last few months to get our country boosted. It's because of this phenomenal success that today we are able to return to Plan A as we see Omicron in retreat and we learn to live with Covid."

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) is encouraging community pharmacy contractors and their teams to take part in the negotiator's latest Pharmacy Advice Audit. The audit has been extended but results must be submitted by 23.59 on Friday (March 11). Under the audit, pharmacy teams need to record information about the informal healthcare advice that they give in a single day, which would provide a critical check on how people continue to rely on community pharmacies. The results of the audit will provide key evidence for use in funding discussions with the government and the NHS. Last year's Advice Audit highlighted the scale of the informal consultations that took place in pharmacies during the pandemic, and helped the PSNC to persuade MPs to support the case for Covid-19 costs.

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.

"If we stand still, we will die. We have to keep moving, and we have to keep changing" said Patrick Gompels, co-owner of Gompels Limited, while emphasising the need for innovation in community pharmacy services, during the recent Pharmacy Business Conference 2024. Centered on the theme 'Pharmacy of Tomorrow,' the conference, held at the Hilton Wembley on April 28, focused on adopting and adapting innovative technology as well as new ways of working and thinking to enhance patient services. Patrick was joined by Mayank Patel of Pearl Chemist Group and Michael Lennox, CEO of Community Pharmacy Somerset (LPC), during the panel discussion on innovation in community pharmacy services, moderated by Reena Barai, pharmacist and owner of S G Barai Pharmacy. On the changes he made at Gompels, Patrick said: "The first thing we did was a complete overhaul of all of our systems. Pretty much everything was stripped down." He shared that Gompels has embraced innovation by partnering with forward-thinking companies like Titan PMR, Drug Comparison, and Real World Analytics to enhance their processes and data analysis capabilities.

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.

The trade bodies and four largest pharmacy chains in England, have jointly written to the Secretary of State for Health, Steve Barclay, warning that the sector needs urgent investment for sustainability. The letter from AIMp, CCA, NPA, PSNC, Boots UK, Lloyds Pharmacy, Well, and Phoenix UK, warned that the 30 per cent real terms funding cuts that pharmacies have faced over the past seven years have left many businesses in a cashflow crisis. The letter said that the government is facing a choice over the future of the country's 11,000+ community pharmacies, with permanent closures likely and medicines supply at risk if no urgent action is taken. "If the funding situation is not addressed, the sector is likely to move rapidly towards many permanent closures of pharmacies." The organisations say that once these closures start, they will be hard to stop, as the sector is now so fragile other pharmacies would struggle to pick up the slack.

The 21st edition of the Pharmacy Business Awards have been postponed due to a dramatic rise in the number of Omicron cases nationwide in recent months. The in-person event - initially scheduled to be held on February 3 - will now be held on Wednesday March 23 in central London. The awards dinner hosted by the Asian Media Group - owners of Pharmacy Business - was initially scheduled to be held on February 3. "Given the uncertainties around Omicron and the impact it could have on our community, we have taken the difficult decision to postpone the twenty-first edition of the Pharmacy Business Awards," an AMG spokesperson said, adding: "We feel this is the best and safest decision for our award winners, guests and partners."

A pharmacy in Derby is to reopen a year after its closure sparked more than 600 worried residents to sign a petition demanding it stayed open. An old LloydsPharmacy store on Main Drive in Chaddesden is to be the new home for Vision Pharmacy which currently has a branch at nearby Nottingham Road. Vision Pharmacy, which has been based in Chaddesden for nine years, is to move to Main Drive from the beginning of December. It means that Chaddesden will once again have a pharmacy right next to The Park Medical Practice - one of the main GP surgeries in the area - making it ideal for patients as they will simply have to just visit next door to collect prescriptions and medicines. Huge banner signs can be seen on both the existing Vision Pharmacy store and its new Main Drive premises saying the move will take place from December 1.

In his maiden speech delivered to community pharmacy since becoming new minister with responsibility for the sector, Will Quince MP said he's determined to be "your champion" and "voice in government". Addressing delegates on Wednesday (Oct 12) as chief guest at the 22nd Pharmacy Business Awards in central London, he praised community pharmacy for delivering 25 million Covid-19 vaccines, five million flu jabs, 200 million lateral flow testing kits and millions of medicines throughout the pandemic. "These local efforts became the national success story," he told over 600 attendees at a gala dinner held at the iconic Park Plaza Westminster Bridge hotel overlooking the Houses of Parliament. 'We need you now' Quince, who was appointed minister of state at the Department of Health and Social Care on 7 September 2022, added: "Just as we needed you in the pandemic, we need you now," highlighting the vital role of community pharmacy in realising the secretary of state (Thérèse Coffey)'s vision, particularly in regard to her much talked about 'Plan for Patients'.

Despite the challenges confronting pharmacy owners and their teams today, many in the industry hold the belief that the future for community pharmacy is promising. In a poll conducted at the beginning of the Pharmacy Business Conference 2024, 58 per cent of participants agreed that the future of community pharmacy is positive, with 13 per cent expressing strong agreement. However, 27 per cent expressed disagreement, with 3 per cent strongly disagreeing that the sector's future is optimistic. By the end of the conference, a higher percentage of individuals (67 per cent) showed a positive outlook for community pharmacy, with over half indicating strong agreement with its positivity. The number of participants who disagreed with it decreased to 11 percent.

Community Pharmacy Wales and the Welsh government have entered an agreement on Thursday (December 16), enabling all pharmacies to deliver provision of contraception, treatment for common minor ailments, and access to repeat medicines in an emergency. Expansion of clinical community pharmacy service will be supported with an increased funding of £20 million a year by April 2024 from the current level of £11.4m. The two bodies have been negotiating the terms of agreement, which also includes plans to roll out a Wales-wide pharmacy prescribing service, allowing trained pharmacists to treat an extended range of conditions that currently require GP visits. The agreement will allow patients to access NHS services closer to home which in turn would free up GP and other NHS services for patients with more complex needs. Eluned Morgan MS, minister for Health and Social Services said: "I welcome the positive approach to negotiations taken by Community Pharmacy Wales, embracing our ambition for a reimagined community pharmacy service, which is an integral part of a strong primary care landscape."

The Local Pharmaceutical Committees (LPCs) has rebranded to be known as Community Pharmacy to present a strengthened and unified identity to the local NHS, local government and other stakeholders, as the local voice of community pharmacy. "There are now 58 LPCs in England. The number of LPCs has reduced from 69, with further consolidation expected by April 2024 to a network of 48 local organisations," said Community Pharmacy England. "The changes mean there will be better alignment between LPCs and the 42 NHS Integrated Care Systems in England, who have taken on the responsibility for commissioning pharmaceutical services delegated by NHS England." "This marks a significant milestone, as similar to Community Pharmacy England, LPCs have been undergoing changes to respond to the Review Steering Group (RSG) recommendations on pharmacy representation. The sector voted in favour of the RSG proposals in the summer of 2022, and since then progress has been made on many of the changes at both local and national level as part of the Transforming Pharmacy Representation (TAPR) Programme."

Pharmacy Supervision Practice Group, an organisations from across the community pharmacy sector, who have come together to look into the future "supervision" in community pharmacy, have published their final report. Over the course of nine collaborative and positive workshop-style discussions the Supervision Practice Group aimed to provide recommendations to reframe legislation, regulation and professional standards and guidance to achieve a new vision for community pharmacy. The group have produced a report which makes several recommendations on the subjects of: * the legislation relating to "supervision"; * the temporary absence of the RP from the pharmacy; * delegation; * the preparation and assembly of medicines when the RP is not signed in. The group have provided recommendations on which the Department of and Social Care and the regulators can draft specifically worded revisions to legislation and regulatory standards. These specific legislative and regulatory changes that are proposed by government and regulators will be subject to a full consultation process.

The full-time equivalent community pharmacy workforce saw a 6 per cent decline in a year, while the overall number of pharmacists remains nearly constant, according to NHS England's Community Pharmacy Workforce Survey 2022. However, vacancy rates among pharmacists rose 16 percent, suggesting an increased reliance on locum pharmacists who, on average, work fewer hours, the data revealed. According to NHSE, the mandated survey released (Aug. 3) achieved a 95 per cent completion rate among pharmacy contractors, marking a substantial increase compared to only 47 per cent in the previous year. The survey results indicate a shift in working patterns within community pharmacy, with locum pharmacists being utilised more frequently as part of the staffing model. The survey revealed a 6 per cent decrease in the community pharmacy workforce across all roles combined. The number of full-time equivalent pharmacists working in community pharmacy decreased by 2,411, from 20,255 in 2021 to 17,844 in 2022, the survey found. The employed pharmacists decreased by 16 per cent from 12,774 in 2021 to 10,943 in 2022, while locum pharmacists increased by 26 per cent from 4,297 in 2021 to 5,477 in 2022, NHSE said.