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The Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has published a 'pharmacy paradox paper' which outlines how community pharmacy can match the ambition amidst the workforce crisis. The sector is experiencing a workforce crisis, exacerbated by NHS recruitment of community pharmacists into primary care networks. Pharmacies are also facing a significant increase in demand on services. CCA said, "A stretched and reduced pharmacy workforce is having to deliver more and more. This is unsustainable." "Unless the tension between ambition and capacity is addressed, there is a risk that community pharmacies will not only not meet their potential, but the existing offer could be compromised." Therefore, the association has set out solutions to resolve the current paradox between ambition and reality.

A married couple who are investing in a pharmacy for the first time have bought Paydens branch in Peterborough for an undisclosed price. A standard hour community pharmacy with a substantial home delivery service, West Town Pharmacy is located on the outskirts of the city centre and sits on a predominantly residential street, within half a mile of three GP surgeries. The pharmacy has been operating from a sizeable premises with a large, open plan sales area and has excellent potential to improve its over-the-counter sales, in addition to its strong travel vaccine customer base. West Town Pharmacy was purchased by Paydens in 2016 as part of a group acquisition and was brought to market because the company realised that geographically it "did not fit" with the group's, mainly Kent-based, portfolio.

Lo's Pharmacy, a Yorkshire-based pharmacy chain is adopting a new approach to hub and spoke in a first of a kind model to be used in the UK. The pharmacy will centralise its repeat prescription dispensing service for original packs with the support of its medication wholesaler. The independent group, which has 25 NHS community pharmacies across Yorkshire, will install Centred Solution's Automated FLOWRx Hub product at its central dispensing facility in Wath-Upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire. But unlike other FLOWRx customers, who pick packs from a robotic dispensing system or internal warehouse, Lo's Pharmacy will receive patient-specific flow totes directly from their wholesaler which can then be processed by their hub. This workflow has not been used anywhere else in the country until now and it is a revolutionary approach to hub and spoke dispensing, showing what can be achieved when key players decide to collaborate. It further demonstrates that there are range of variations of hub and spoke models available and accessible to independent and multiple community pharmacies across the UK.

"Discussions must involve the government on behalf of NHS Scotland, CPS on behalf of the owners, and the PDA as the pharmacists' representative," it said. The association believes that there is a need for discussion and decision-making that listens to and balances the rights and responsibilities of both employers and workers, to generate benefits for individuals, organisations, and society. It added: "Even though Scotland provides the most generous community pharmacy settlement in the UK, recent reports suggest it is not enough for pharmacy owners with CPS's rejection of the latest funding proposal in May. Though the Scottish government found an extra £20M to ease pressures related to medicines price increases, an overall agreement has still not been reached." "The UK-wide chains may be doing less well in the parts of their networks covered by the Westminster government's contract, but the taxpayers and government of Scotland need to be given reassurance that they are in no way subsidising funding shortfalls in England's pharmacy contract." Recently, when LloydsPharmacy's Scotland branches recently came on the market, they appear to have been sold exclusively to existing contractors, including the UK-wide multiple, Rowlands Pharmacy, who have acquired 30 of them. Other small and medium-sized Scottish pharmacy chains have apparently been able to double in size overnight by acquiring branches.

The proposed increase in the national living wage (NLW) is expected to impose an implementation cost of £150 million to £195 million on the community pharmacy sector, Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has warned. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt recently announced a 9.8 per cent increase in the national living wage, raising it from £10.42 to £11.44. "The Autumn Statement overlooks the knock-on effects these measures will have on small businesses like community pharmacies," CPE Chief Executive Janet Morrison said in a statement. "The majority of pharmacies employ staff on or around the NLW, which has increased nearly 40 per cent since the start of the current contractual framework." "This is at a time when pharmacies have faced a 30 per cent real terms reduction in funding since 2015," Morrison added. "No viable business can absorb these cost increases without significant support. This is just another cost pressure that pharmacies cannot control and must be addressed through a sustainable, long-term funding arrangement."

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has launched a four point plan at its parliamentary drop-in event for MPs and peers hosted on Tuesday (15 November). The event lasted for two hours, during which MPs had the opportunity to drop-in and have their blood pressure measured by pharmacists with experience of working on the front-line and were briefed on the urgent need for action to address the pressures on the sector. Outline of the four-point plan: Resolve the funding squeeze: Community pharmacy needs an immediate funding uplift to prevent large-scale pharmacy closures, as well as emergency business relief to get through this winter. Tackle regulatory and other burdens: Pharmacies must be protected from medicines market shocks, supported to help them weather the workforce crisis, helped to free up capacity and freed from red tape that does not enhance patient care. Help pharmacies to expand their role in primary care: Pharmacies could do more to support the delivery of primary care for example through offering clinical services for long-term conditions - like hypertension, diabetes and respiratory disease, supporting people to adopt healthier lifestyles and prevent the development of long-term conditions, medicines optimisation, and a much wider variety of NHS vaccinations.

As the Easter holiday draws near, pharmacies across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are readying themselves to provide essential healthcare services to residents. Operational throughout Good Friday (March 29), Easter Sunday (March 31), and Easter Monday (April 1), these pharmacies stand poised to offer vital support to those in need. NHS England has raised awareness by releasing a comprehensive list of pharmacies scheduled to operate during the holiday period. Hampshire residents, including those in Southampton and Portsmouth, can access detailed information about open pharmacies on the NHS England website, along with separate listings for the Isle of Wight. However, it's important to note that opening times may vary, prompting individuals to confirm details before visiting, as schedules are subject to change. Beyond merely dispensing prescriptions, pharmacies are equipped to provide expert advice on minor illnesses and administer treatments for common conditions. This includes addressing issues such as shingles, sore throats, infected insect bites, earaches, sinusitis, impetigo, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTI) under the Pharmacy First scheme.

Health secretary Sajid Javid vouches support for a "pharmacy first" model of care for minor illnesses, to help clear the backlog of NHS care arising due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Speaking at the National Pharmacy Association's (NPA) centenary dinner in central London on Wednesday (November 24), Javid said he wanted to "go further" than existing services like the NHS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service, to make it "quicker and easier" for people to access primary care. He said: "I want to see how much further we can go. That's one of the reasons why we're working up plans for a pharmacy first model in England that will direct more patients directly to pharmacies without having to go to see their GPs. This will help us to beat the backlog and make sure that even more people can benefit from (pharmacists') brilliant advice and care." Expressing his commitment to transform every aspect of health and care in the country he said that community pharmacies should be "at the very heart of primary care - not just treating people but preventing people from becoming patients in the first place."

Acknowledging the ongoing challenges in delivering the required IT systems for the scheduled launch of the Pharmacy First service on January 31, NHS England reported progress in fulfilling 'many' commitments outlined in its plan to enhance primary care access during a board meeting on Thursday. However, it noted that the digital infrastructure supporting Pharmacy First, included in the £645 million fresh funding for community pharmacy, will require additional time for implementation. "Delivery remains challenging due to changes needed in digital infrastructure, and we are working with suppliers to support January implementation," NHSE said. "A public campaign is planned for 2024." The Pharmacy First service allows pharmacists to supply prescription-only medicines for seven common health conditions (sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women), eliminating the need for a GP visit. Meanwhile, NHSE is leveraging the widespread accessibility of pharmacies by expanding blood pressure monitoring and introducing direct prescribing of clinically safe oral contraceptives-an initiative that has been well-received.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has urged the NHS to take urgent action to prevent faults in the IT system underpinning the government's flagship programme. The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) recently confirmed that the issue in the Manage Your Service (MYS) portal had been resolved, and consequently, the deadline for submission of claims for February Pharmacy First consultations was extended until 15 March 2024. However, NPA members said that they are still facing problems, with the portal recording fewer consultations than entered by pharmacies, potentially leaving them out of pocket by thousands of pounds. Paul Rees, chief executive of the NPA, highlighted the significant achievement of pharmacies in delivering tens of thousands of consultations in the first month of the Pharmacy First programme, stating that this accomplishment is "a testament to their skill and dedication."

A Company Chemists' Association (CCA) analysis has shown that 'Pharmacy First' service in England could free up 30m+ GP appointments each year. It has urged the Government and NHS to be even 'bolder in their ambition and go further and faster'. The recent 'Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care' announced a 'Pharmacy First' service for England, mirroring similar approaches in Scotland and Wales. The association has estimated that with the added capability to supply non-prescription medicines and prescribe additional prescription-only medicines, an ambitious 'Pharmacy First' service could free up 30m+ GP appointments annually. Harnessing community pharmacies to deliver care for minor health conditions will effectively create 11,000 urgent care centres in England.

NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I), in association with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK), has published its first inclusive pharmacy practice (IPP) bulletin, with an overarching ambition "to make community pharmacy a more inclusive environment for all pharmacy professionals". The IPP programme will take practical steps to improve the awareness and understanding at all levels of different cultural beliefs and attitudes, according to the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC). As a member of the IPP Improving Practice and Engagement Group, PSNC has contributed to this issue of the Bulletin, which focuses on how pharmacy professionals can help to reduce health inequalities via the detection and prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The IPP programme, of which the Bulletin forms a part, aims to engage with local communities to help improve their health and reduce inequalities in care - particularly among those from ethnically diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Pharmacy First service, set for launch in England at the end of January, is expected to help reduce some of the pressure on the National Health Service (NHS). But the question is - Are pharmacists ready to take the extra workload amidst many issues community pharmacies are currently facing? Nearly 50 per cent of pharmacy workers surveyed by ITV News said they do not feel confident they can provide the new services. Pharmacy leaders told the British news channel that the industry is already in crisis, and they are facing a "potentially fatal cocktail" of rising prices, major supply problems and a lack of funding.

Since its launch on January 31st, the Pharmacy First service by the Company Chemists Association (CCA) has achieved a significant milestone, completing over 200,000 consultations to date. This milestone underscores the service's vital role in providing same-day NHS care through community pharmacies across England. Recent analysis by the CCA has revealed a pressing need to bolster GP referrals, with disparities observed between different Integrated Care System (ICS) areas, resulting in what's described as a 'postcode lottery' for patients. CCA Chief Executive, Malcolm Harrison, emphasised the importance of sustained funding for Pharmacy First beyond 2025, ensuring its availability for patients, community pharmacies, and the wider NHS.

The much-awaited Pharmacy First service has been launched in England, enabling patients to get treatment for seven common conditions from their community pharmacists without needing to see a GP. According to NHS England, a total of 10,265 community pharmacies, which is equivalent to more than nine in ten community pharmacies in the country, will be offering the ground-breaking initiative. The new scheme allows highly trained pharmacists to give advice and prescription-only medicines for minor ailments including sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (under the age of 65). With this major expansion of pharmacy services, the NHS is aiming to free up 10 million GP appointments a year while giving the public more choice in where and how they access care.

More than 1000 pharmacies in England, including Boots stores, are now delivering the newly launched NHS Pharmacy First Service. Launched on Wednesday (31 January), the new service enables pharmacists to provide advice and treatment, if appropriate, for seven common conditions, which include sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, or an uncomplicated urinary tract infection in women. Instead of going to a GP surgery, patients can go to their community pharmacists to get treatment for these common conditions, without the need for an appointment. Patients who may need additional support will be referred to a GP or another healthcare provider by the pharmacist. Seb James, managing director of Boots UK and ROI, has described their launch of Pharmacy First service as "one of the most significant changes in how we can serve our customers and patients in our 175-year history."

HubRx has appointed Dr Sarah Passmore as superintendent pharmacist ahead of launching what the company called "the UK's first state-of-the-art automated pharmacy hub". Dr Passmore brings more than 20 years of pharmacy experience - having held key regulatory roles with Rowlands Pharmacy over a 11-year tenure, which also saw her involved in a number of pharmacy automation projects. Commenting on her appointment, Dr Passmore said: "As a pharmacist, who has spent more than 10 years working within community pharmacy, I'm excited by what a hub and spoke model for prescription dispensing can bring. "Pharmacists are highly trained in delivering clinical services to patients - and like me - it's often a part of their job that they thoroughly enjoy. The option of using hub and spoke to support dispensing prescriptions will give community pharmacists the gift of more time that can be spent helping patients. "I'm excited to join HubRx and for it to become the first state-of-the-art automated pharmacy hub designed for independent community pharmacists to launch in the UK."

Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has backed pharmacists to play a greater clinical role in the health and well-being of the nation, describing them as "valuable and trusted" members of the community. Pharmacists have faced a difficult year with 222 community pharmacies closing in just the first six months. Boots alone will be closing 300 branches over the next 12 months. Sunak, however, insisted that his government knows the "hard work of pharmacy teams", and that he wants to "enable them to do more to support the NHS." Speaking at the annual Sigma Conference in London on Sunday (5 November), the prime minister reiterated that community pharmacy is in line for a much-needed boost in funding. "Earlier this year, the government announced plans for further investment of up to £645 million over the next few years to support the Pharmacy First service for patients," Sunak said in a letter read out at the conference by Lord Dolar Popat. "This means that community pharmacies will be able to assess patients and provide some options to protect them without a GP appointment."

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has launched its third annual Pressures Survey to uncover the various challenges encountered by individuals owning or working in a community pharmacy. The Committee expressed concern that community pharmacies in England are now in a critical situation, significantly affecting workload, stress levels, patients, and businesses. The 2024 Pharmacy Pressures Survey is aimed at finding out more about these issues and other areas such as medicines supply problems and workforce challenges as well as the recently launched Pharmacy First service, it said. CPE chief executive Janet Morrison said that they were able to receive a huge number of responses in previous surveys and they are expecting to achieve a similar level of engagement this year too.

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) is organising a series of webinars to help pharmacy owners and their teams to prepare for the implementation of new Pharmacy First service, and changes to the Contraception and Hypertension Case-Finding Services. Beginning from 5th December, the webinars would be conducted throughout December and January, with support from NHS England and the Centre for Postgraduate Education (CPPE), the organisation announced on Thursday (30 November). During the online seminars, pharmacy teams will be explained about the individual services announced, and things to consider before they start providing, or expand their offering of, these services. Each webinar will have CPE's Services Team, who would be leading the team, and policy experts from NHS England and CPPE as speakers.