Numark Pharmacy is hosting an event today (December 4) to mark the takeover of one of the former Lloyds Pharmacy stores in Cumnock, Scotland.
It has renamed the acquired pharmacy on Tanyard as Rowlands Pharmacy Cumnock HC, which will be reopened to the community on Monday.
Rowlands Pharmacy Cumnock HC, which is the latest to reopen in Scotland, will be run by Pharmacy manager Meghan Mcewan, supported by a team of colleagues from the
local community.
At the new branch, the team will oversee prescription dispensary, vaccination services, over-the-counter medications, emergency contraception, and medication review.
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.
Community pharmacy chain Jardines Pharmacy has partnered with patient relationship management platform Charac to launch a new app designed to digitalise
its services, enhance operational efficiency, and elevate customer satisfaction.
The app allows patients to order repeat prescriptions, access medicine home delivery and book consultations with their pharmacist all in one place, enabling
faster pharmacist-to-patient care.
By incorporating Charac's platform into its business, Jardines is able to boost prescription dispensing efficiency, helping reducing wait times for patients.
Additionally, its delivery feature enables patients to track their orders directly through the app, thereby streamlining the overall patient experience.
The app also minimises administrative and manual tasks for pharmacists, giving them more time to focus on helping patients and delivering the outstanding
customer service.
Patients of Jardines can also use the app to book appointments digitally for Pharmacy First consultations, blood pressure checks, earwax removal, travel
vaccinations, and emergency contraception services.
Santosh Sahu, Founder and CEO of Charac, said: "We are pleased to support Jardines Pharmacy and its patients across England. Our mission is to ensure that
community pharmacies are empowered to digitalise, making care easier and more accessible for patients.
Veoza, a non-hormonal treatment for menopause, has been made available on the high street for the first time in the UK.
British pharmacy chain Superdrug on Thursday (1st February) announced the launch of the newly approved menopause medication, expanding its comprehensive
portfolio of products and services to support menopausal women.
Veoza is a prescription medication that is used to manage vasomotor symptoms, specifically hot flushes and night sweats, which affect up to 80 per cent of women
during menopause, as estimated by experts.
It is recommended for women who prefer not to or are unable to take hormone replacement.
Perimenopausal, menopausal and postmenopausal women, aged 45-65 who are not on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) or hormonal contraception, and are suffering
from moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms, are eligible to take the medication, the retailer said in a release.
In a stirring address at the recent conference on Pharmacy at the Westminster Health Forum, Director of NHS Services at Community Pharmacy England (CPE),
Alastair Buxton presented a stark assessment of the community pharmacy sector's challenges.
Highlighting years of financial constraints imposed by the NHS and government, Buxton warned of a sector teetering on the edge of survival.
"There have been no years of financial and operational squeezes applied by the NHS and
government to the community pharmacy sector, so as a consequence, there are a lot of pharmacies that are on the on the brink of survival -battling for survival,"
he said.
Buxton underscored the critical and indispensable role of community pharmacies in delivering essential NHS services, from dispensing medications to innovative
initiatives like the Discharge Medicine Service and Contraception Service.
Community Pharmacy England (CPE) CEO, Janet Morrison said that the negotiations for the £645 million investment pledged to community pharmacies in 2023-25
have concluded.
The government's primary care recovery plan is to be announced in a "few weeks" and negotiations for the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) from April
2024 will begin.
She said: "We have finished the substantive discussions on the recovery plan but detailed discussions about implementation are ongoing and we are awaiting final
clearance from the Government and the NHS.
"We hope that we will be in a position to make an announcement in the next few weeks and that negotiations on the CPCF from April 2024 will commence soon after
that."
Morrison reminded attendees that the Primary Care Recovery Plan is "to improve access to primary care by investing £645 million over the remainder of the year".
Victoria Atkins MP, the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, visited NPA board member Sukhi Basra (L) at CliniChem pharmacy in Central London
on Thursday (16 November).
Basra was accompanied by NPA Chief Executive Mark Lyonette.
This was among Atkins' first appointments following her recent promotion in the recent Cabinet reshuffle.
Atkins met with staff and patients to explore clinical services and discuss the evolving role of the community pharmacy sector.
"Welcoming politicians and officials to my pharmacy is always a pleasure," Basra said.
Basra highlighted the opportunity to brief the Health Secretary on the latest developments, including Pharmacy First.
