The new board of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has adopted 10 principles for transforming the contractual framework in England.
The board met for the first time in April, believes that the current Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework is failing NPA members, the wider sector, the NHS,
Government and patients.
The association's new vice chair, Jay Badenhorst, said: "We can't wait until the current framework limps to its finish line in 2024 before giving serious thought
to the new race we must all run in the future."
"Before negotiations for a new contract begin in earnest, we want to make our position clear to all of those who will be involved in its development. Years more
of the same would be totally unacceptable. Tinkering at the edges of the current arrangements as the basis for a new deal could not achieve the transformation
that is needed."
Former chair of the NPA, Andrew Lane, listed some of the principles in a speech to industry leaders in January, but this is the first time the approach has been
agreed in its entirety, following months of testing with NPA members.
harmacists in the town of Barnoldswick in Lancashire are reportedly suffering from various problems including a lack of medicines and the movement or loss
of pharmacy staff.
Problems, including delays with supply of insulin, were reported at a recent Pendle Council West Craven meeting.
And this week the head of one pharmacy chain, Whitworth, highlighted a range of issues faced by his teams including supply chains, costs, loss of staff and NHS
reimbursement for contractors.
In Barnoldswick, queues have formed inside and outside pharmacies as people attempt to get prescriptions. Some said they had to wait for days to get what they
needed, had made repeat-visits to pharmacies and were unsure when medicines might arrive.
They also said the number of pharmacies in the area have fallen over the years.
Two town centre pharmacies, Whitworth and Well, are located opposite each other, close to a doctors' surgery. Standing in one queue outside Whitworth was Marilyn
King.
She said: "I have been waiting seven days to get my prescription for blood pressure and some other medicines. This week, I've come back time after time. But the
staff say sorry, they have not got it in because nobody has delivered it.
"I came here on Saturday, when there was a queue. But the pharmacist was not here. I came again on Tuesday and then Wednesday. Then finally, just when I reached
the front of the queue, they asked me to come back in an hour…
Whether it's the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and those suffering with long Covid, or the financial pressures of rising living costs, these hard times
can affect absolutely anyone's mental health.
Mental health problems have worsened across all age-groups in the last few years, from lack of social interaction, unexpected bereavements or the significant impact
of a physical injury or long-term illness taking its toll on mental wellbeing - these challenging experiences and situations that we face throughout life leave a
big strain on the population.
Ultimately, there is an urgent need to reduce rising levels of mental ill-health in our society. As a pharmacist with 25 years' experience in healthcare, I feel I
have an obligation to my patients to support them with their healthcare needs, and mental health should be treated just the same as physical health.
Despite efforts to improve NHS mental health services, patients may still not be receiving the appropriate immediate care as they are often provided with online
counselling or an App for long-term support (online support introduced since the pandemic).
Community pharmacists are in a unique position to be advocates for patients with mental illness as they are the healthcare professionals' patients see most often.
This is a good opportunity for pharmacists to speak to patients face-to-face and give them advice in a more practical way rather than potentially waiting weeks for
an GP appointment.
Former chancellor Rishi Sunak, one of two candidates vying to be Britain's next premier, criticised the way outgoing prime minister Boris Johnson handled the
Covid-19 pandemic, saying it had been a mistake to "empower" scientists and that the downsides of lockdowns were suppressed.
The Tories are choosing a new leader after Johnson was forced to quit when dozens of ministers resigned in protest at a series of scandals and missteps. Party members
are voting to select either Sunak or foreign secretary Liz Truss, who will take over next month.
Opinion polls show Sunak is behind in race. The handling of the pandemic has become an issue, with Truss saying this month she would never again approve another
lockdown and also asserting that as trade minister at the time she was not involved in taking the key decisions about how to respond.
Sunak said the government had been "wrong to scare people" about coronavirus. He said he was banned by officials in Johnson's office from discussing the "trade-offs"
of imposing coronavirus-related restrictions, such as the impact on missed doctor's appointments and lengthening waiting lists for healthcare in the NHS.
With GP waiting times on the rise and the secondary NHS care system under pressure, there is a further opportunity for pharmacy to support the general public
with self-care.
The men's health category is one category where pharmacists can play a leading role - specifically Erection Problems (EPs) where pharmacists can be key to building
awareness, destigmatising the condition, and providing support and solutions for the patient.
Training for pharmacists is essential - helping them to understand how they can assist those looking for treatment whilst also breaking down barriers and normalising
the conversation around EPs.
EPs are when a man regularly cannot get and keep an erection. EPs can happen to any adult man, not limited to the older generation, though they are particularly
common in men over the age of 40.
EPs may happen in some situations over others and so it is increasingly important for men to speak about and identify the cause of their symptoms, particularly
because EPs can often be an indication of other serious health conditions like cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure or diabetes.
If pharmacies can encourage men to seek help with their EPs, they may also be able to identify additional serious and undiagnosed conditions earlier, thereby
supporting men's health more widely.
Rowlands Pharmacy has joined hands with healthcare software company HasHealth for an enhanced digital proposition to facilitate seamless delivery of a raft of
clinical services including flu and travel vaccinations.
The new system is now available across 400 Rowlands pharmacies across the UK.
The partnership comes as Rowlands Pharmacy strives to provide patients with a seamless booking experience whilst minimising time-consuming administration for pharmacy
staff, with its waiting list, medical pre-screen questionnaires and resource management capabilities, the company said in a statement.
HasHealth offers a virtual healthcare software solution that allows community pharmacies to schedule, manage, and communicate with patients easily online. It combines
its cutting-edge video technology with booking and management software, which can be adapted to any clinical service.
Nigel Swift, managing director at Rowlands Pharmacy, commented: "We pride ourselves on listening to our staff, based on feedback we knew we could do better with our
digital proposition for clinical services and flu vaccinations in particular.
