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Reena Mehta, consultant pharmacist in the Critical Care team at NHS King's College Hospital, has been announced as chair of the Learning Division for the Intensive Care Society. Mehta took up the post with effect from 8th April, and is the first pharmacist to hold the role of Chair of the Learning Division within the Society. "It is a privilege to be part of the Society and support its life-saving work to enhance our understanding of critical illness and deliver better care to patients," "The intensive care community is made up of multiple professions, each playing a vital role within the critical care team, and I am extremely proud to be the first pharmacist appointed to this important role." In her role as chair of the Learning Division, Mehta will oversee the content of the Society's study days and be responsible for exploring new opportunities for the Intensive Care Society to provide training for our multi professional intensive care community.

Darren Jones MP, the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, visited Sigma Pharmaceuticals plc's new Watford facility on Thursday (6 June) as part of the imminent Labour Party campaign trail. Jones was joined by Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for Watford, Matt Turmaine, and a team of campaign workers. During their visit, the Labour delegation met with the directors and founding member of Sigma, Dr Bharat Shah CBE, and discussed the importance of investment and support for growing businesses and the pharmaceutical sector both in the region and across the country. Sigma Pharmaceuticals, which is believed to be Watford's largest employer, noted that the pharmaceutical sector contributes a significant value to the East of England, accounting for 12.3 per cent of the region's manufacturing gross value added (GVA).

Despite being more connected than ever, the majority of Europeans are experiencing feelings of loneliness. The STADA Health Report 2024, released on Monday, revealed that over half (52 per cent) of Europeans "always, often or occasionally" feel lonely. Although the younger generation reports the highest levels of overall happiness, they are the ones most affected by this current loneliness epidemic. Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of Europeans aged 18 to 35 reported feeling lonely, compared to 41 percent of those aged 55 and older - according to the report, based on a survey of over 46,000 respondents aged 18 to 99 across 32 countries. Extensive screen time is contributing to increased loneliness among younger people. Europeans under the age of 34 are much more likely to spend long hours on their devices (41 per cent) than those aged 35-54 (22 per cent) and those over 55 (13 per cent). The survey found that people who spend a "long" or "fair" amount of time on social media were significantly more prone to feelings of loneliness compared to those who restrict their screen time. Moreover, extensive screen time was also associated with more intense feelings of loneliness.

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.

The British Generic Manufacturers Association has backed the UK government's proposed changes to the Statutory Scheme for branded medicines, which includes a 'Life Cycle Adjustment' (LCA) mechanism to permit a lower rebate rate for medicines sold in competitive markets. The association underscored the necessity for crucial amendments to forestall unintended consequences and ensure a practical alignment with market operations. A precisely tailored approach is crucial in ensuring sustainability and growth in this sector, the BGMA said in a statement on Oct. 11. The Department of Health and Social Care is currently working on the successor to the 2019 voluntary scheme for branded medicines and pricing access (VPAS) agreement, slated to end in 2023. Negotiations for this successor, scheduled to begin on January 1, 2024, are already underway. "We are pleased that the Statutory Scheme consultation recognises that branded generic and biosimilar medicines are subject to different market dynamics and competitive pressures," said Mark Samuels, Chief Executive of BGMA. "As such, a one-size-fits-all approach across all branded products is not suitable for the next five years. It is crucial to adopt a precisely tailored approach to this sector, ensuring both sustainability and growth."

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has published the results of the common registration assessment for aspiring pharmacists held on 2 November, 2023. An overall pass rate of 66 per cent was recorded this year, as compared to 56 per cent in 2022 and 61 per cent in 2021. A total of 1,067 candidates took the registration assessment, held jointly by the GPhC and Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI), of which 700 candidates cleared the assessment In 2022, 937 candidates sat the registration assessment of which 525 passed the assessment. Commenting on the results, GPhC Director of Education and Standards, Mark Voce, said: "I would like to congratulate all those who passed the November registration assessment and I look forward to them joining our register to continue to the next stage of their career. "There will be candidates who unfortunately did not pass the assessment. If this is the case, the information on our website outlines all the possible options of what to do next.

The NHS England has developed and published a new vaccination strategy with an aim to increase national uptake of lifesaving vaccinations, and protect people against a range of diseases. Getting vaccinations will become easier than ever before, as the NHS App is being expanded with more additional features. Improved booking features such as new in-App bookings, invitation alerts and appointment notifications will make "booking a jab as easy as booking a cab," NHS leaders said. The NHS App overhaul will also include improved access to medical records, meaning users will be able to see their routine vaccination status over the coming months and years, making it easier for them to identify any missed vaccinations in their history.

Dementia is an extremely deceptive disease that develops slowly and may go unnoticed in people, said NHS mental health director Claire Murdoch, while urging people to look out for the vital warning signs of this condition among family and friends over Christmas. Common early symptoms of dementia may include emotional change, forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word, being confused about time and place, the health service has cautioned. An increasing number of people have been diagnosed with dementia in England since the start of the pandemic, following a drive by the NHS England to increase diagnosis rates. In November 2023, NHS staff diagnosed 463,797 people aged over 65 with dementia, up more than 41,000 compared to the same period last year, according to the figures revealed by the health service.

A recent survey conducted by the British Society Attitudes (BSA) and published by the King's Fund and the Nuffield Trust highlighted people's satisfaction with the National Health Services (NHS) to be a new record low since the survey's inception in 1983. The latest findings that are based on the public satisfaction and opinion with the NHS and social care, and funding in the context of prominent national debate about taxation and healthcare spending reveal the satisfaction with the NHS to have dwindled across all services and demographics in 2023. Public contentment has sharply declined, with only 24 per cent expressing satisfaction in 2023, a significant drop from 2020. Factors contributing to this dissatisfaction include prolonged waiting times for GP and hospital appointments, staffing shortages, and perceived inadequate government spending.

Bristol-based Invatech Health has announced that it is fully funding the development of a new medical centre for families displaced by war and disaster in Northern Syria. The company has donated £54,000 to Action for Humanity for the medical centre, which would be part of a new village being constructed by the NGO, which provides clean water food, shelter, healthcare and education for millions of Syrians. According to the technology company, their donation is one of the charity's largest ever single donor contributions. The new village is set to accommodate 750 families, offering newly constructed homes, each featuring two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom.

To combat 14 years of Tory neglect, Labour Party under the leadership of Keir Starmer has revealed plan to create "healthiest generation of children", ahead of the general elections. The broader mission includes shifting NHS focus towards prevention to improve healthy life expectancy and reduce regional health disparities within a decade. Proposing a Child Health Action Plan aimed at fostering the healthiest generation of children ever, the party has plans to ban the sale of highly caffeinated energy drinks to under-16s. Addressing concerns from health and education experts about inadequate labeling, drinks with more than 150mg of caffeine per liter will be restricted from retail and online sales to minors, with enforcement through trading standards. Labour leader underscores the significance of children's health as a national wellbeing indicator. He criticises the current government for its short-term approach, which he claims has led to deteriorating health among the nation's children.

A new survey by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has made a concerning revelation about the rise in nursing students contemplating quitting. Nearly half of nursing students in England are contemplating quitting their courses before completion. This alarming trend threatens the NHS England Long Term Workforce Plan, published a year ago, which aims to significantly expand the nursing workforce by 2036/37. The survey also highlights a dramatic 20 per cent decrease in the number of students enrolling in nursing degree apprenticeships over the past two academic years. This decline underscores the urgency of addressing the challenges faced by nursing students, including increasing financial pressures due to the cost of living, insufficient teaching and supervision, and mental health issues as the primary reasons for consifdering quitting.