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The Digital Medicines Transformation Portfolio (DMTP) was able to deliver the electronic prescription service (EPS) in Wales - just 20 months after starting the project - with support from key partners in the NHS and industry. Patients in Rhyl were the first to benefit from the new service, which allows GPs to send prescriptions electronically to the patient's choice of community pharmacy, without the need for a paper form. The new EPS service is currently in a live testing phase, with a phased roll out across Wales expected from January 2024. DMTP, which is hosted by Digital Health and Care Wales (DHCW) has worked closely with NHS England, who provided the core EPS platform that has been developed for use in Wales. NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership has also made a major contribution in the project, incorporating digital reimbursement to pharmacies and putting security measures in place.

The World Health Organization said on Sunday (May 29) that monkey pox constitutes a "moderate risk" to overall public health at global level after cases were reported in countries where the disease is not typically found. "The public health risk could become high if this virus exploits the opportunity to establish itself as a human pathogen and spreads to groups at higher risk of severe disease such as young children and immunosuppressed persons," WHO said. As of May 26, a total of 257 confirmed cases and 120 suspected cases have been reported from 23 member states that are not endemic for the virus, the health agency said in a statement. There has been no reported fatalities so far. WHO also said that the sudden appearance of monkeypox at once in several non-endemic countries suggests undetected transmission for some time and recent amplifying events. The agency added that it expects more cases to be reported as surveillance in endemic and non-endemic countries expands. Monkeypox is an infectious disease that is usually mild, and is endemic in parts of west and central Africa. It is spread by close contact, so it can be relatively easily contained through measures such as self-isolation and hygiene.

Two weeks prior to the closing of the hub and spoke consultation, issues around patient safety, costs and competition as well as practicalities such as what to do with uncollected medicines were discussed in a webinar on hub and spoke dispensing on Wednesday (May 26). The webinar was organised by Sigma Pharmaceuticals in association with the National Pharmacy Association (NPA). NPA director of corporate affairs Gareth Jones chaired the event and was joined by Sigma's Hatul Shah and Raj Haria as well as NPA vice chair Nick Kaye and NPA head of advice and support services Jasmine Shah. Kaye said: "There are still many 'unknown unknowns' with hub and spoke and the jury's still out on any potential benefits. I have lots of reservations about cost and it worries me how efficient this is for the business and the long term sustainability for the sector as a whole. Above all we need to think about the patient at the centre of all this and the potential confusion for them." Jasmine Shah felt patient safety was going to be the key in regards to whether the spoke and the hub would hold the ultimate responsibility and "who is going to take the accountability as far as patient care goes". She added: "It is most important that GPhC standards and NHS requirement are both met in identifying all the risks associated with the arrangement with hub and spoke and ensuring that (patient safety) measures are in place. Everything that needs to be looked at is by putting the patient at heart of the arrangement and seeing what is the safest way for them to receive care from both spoke and hub."

People infected with monkeypox can isolate at home if they remain well enough, whilst following measures to limit close contact with others, the UK's health security agency (UKHSA) said on Monday (May 30), part of guidance designed to curb the country's rise in cases of the viral illness. More than 300 suspected and confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported in May, outside of Africa where the virus is endemic. The usually mild illness spreads through close contact and can cause flu-like symptoms and pus-filled skin lesions. An additional 71 cases of monkeypox have been identified in England, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the UK as a whole to 179 since early May. Scientists are looking into what might explain the unusual surge of cases, given most are not linked to travel. The UKHSA indicated community transmission was occurring in the UK and said infected people should avoid contact with others until their lesions have healed and the scabs have dried off.

The European Commission is prepared to rewrite European Union law on medicines to ensure stable supply of generic and life-saving medicines in Northern Ireland. In a press statement issued on Friday (Dec 17), the commission said it put forward a package of measures to ensure the continued long-term supply of medicines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. In the context of the Northern Ireland Protocol, this means that the same medicines will continue to be available at the same time across the United Kingdom. Commenting on the news, policy manager at the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) Helga Mangion said: "We are encouraged by the EU's statement on medicines availability in Northern Ireland, though of course we await the final outcome of the negotiations. We have been talking to the government, the MHRA and other stakeholders about these issues for months, highlighting the concerns of our members in Northern Ireland."

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has reiterated its call for all pharmacists working at Boots to join the PDA Union to support the collective voice of the profession within the company. It said this would enable PDA to send direct communications to pharmacists working at Boots and keep them up to date with key matters impacting their work life. Currently, the association uses the company communication channels to cascade key information to the non-member pharmacists, however, it fears such measures can be disrupted by management. Besides, having more member pharmacists at Boots would strengthen their "negotiating power", PDA said.

The Scottish government has announced funding to help community pharmacy contractors purchase air extraction equipment for their premises. The funding will be available to pharmacies that have fitted or committed to fit air extraction equipment on or after 1 April 2020. The funding is aimed at supporting both staff and patient safety, as pharmacists in Scotland provide face to face healthcare services to people every day. The investment is seen as an important protection measure against respiratory infections, including Covid-19 transmission, as Scotland begins to open-up again following the pandemic.

More pharmacies should do NHS Health Checks to improve access, a new study that focuses on ways to improve the lives of people living with obesity, recommends. The report, Levelling Up Obesity Care, by pharma giant Novo Nordisk follows a series of roundtables with patient advocates, healthcare professionals and academics to generate understanding on the future of obesity care in England. Amongst its recommendations, the report says that 'to widen access and alleviate pressure on GP services, consideration should be given to expanding NHS Health Checks in community pharmacy'. NHS Health Checks include a measurement of Body Mass Index (BMI). Those most likely to benefit from a Health Check include people who live in more deprived areas, and are more likely to be living with obesity, says the report.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has launched a partnership with the charity Marie Curie to develop professional standards in end of life care for community pharmacy. Available for pharmacy teams across the UK, the standards will provide a free, evidence-based framework to help community pharmacies self-assess and continuously improve their end of life and bereavement care for patients and carers. They will enable community pharmacy teams to work together to develop their own practice. RPS is setting up a professional standard steering group which will have community pharmacy experts, experts within the field of palliative and end of life care, lay members, and healthcare professionals who interact with community pharmacy. Elen Jones, director lead for palliative care work at RPS, said: "RPS has a long-term commitment, striving to ensure that people living with life-limiting conditions who are approaching the end of life have timely access to medicines and clinical support from a skilled pharmacy team. "The development of these standards, in partnership with Marie Curie, is a crucial step to support community pharmacy teams to undertake simple quality improvement measures and build upon the care they already provide to this group of patients and carers."

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has advised self-isolation for people diagnosed with monkeypox to reduce the risk of spreading the infection. Household members are at the highest risk of becoming infected from a case within their house. The new guidance advises people with monkeypox infection to take steps to try and limit transmission within the household. "Monkeypox infection mainly spreads between people through direct, skin-to-skin contact, including sexual contact. Infection can also be spread via contaminated objects such as linen and soft furnishings," said UKHSA. The guidance advises that, where possible, cases are encouraged to sleep and eat in a separate room and use a separate bathroom to their household if possible. Good hygiene measures, to follow at all times, have also been set out. It suggests, "Where the use of a separate room isn't possible, cases should avoid physical contact and keep at least three steps (one metre) away from all household members. It is particularly important that they avoid close contact with young children, pregnant women and immunosuppressed people as they may be at higher risk of serious illness."

Pfizer has recalled all stocks of Accupro - including 5mg, 10mg, 20mg, 40mg film-coated tablets - as a precautionary measure due to the identification of a nitrosamine above the acceptable limit. "Following testing, N-nitroso-quinapril, has been observed at a level above the acceptable limit. Nitrosamines may increase the risk of cancer if people are exposed to them above acceptable levels and over long periods of time. The recall is at pharmacy and wholesaler level," the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committees (PSNC) reported. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said: "All strengths of quinapril (Accupro) tablets have been recalled with a resupply date to be confirmed. Pfizer are the sole supplier of quinapril tablets in the UK. Alternative ACE inhibitors remain available and can support an uplift in demand."

The government has announced a freeze to the NHS prescription charges, first time in 12 years, to help people ease with the cost of living and ensure prescription medication remains accessible. Charges for prescriptions will remain at £9.35 for a single charge or £30.25 for a 3-month prescription prepayment certificate (PPC), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said, adding that the measure will help save £17 million. The 12-month PPCs will remain at £108.10 and can be paid for in instalments, meaning people can get all the medicines they need for just over £2 a week, it added. The NHS low income scheme will also help with prescription payments, with free prescriptions for eligible people in certain groups such as pensioners, students, and those who receive state benefits or live in care homes. "The rise in the cost of living has been unavoidable as we face global challenges and the repercussions of Putin's illegal war in Ukraine. While we cannot completely prevent these rises, where we can help, we absolutely will," Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said. "This is why I am freezing prescription charges to help ease some of these pressures and put money back in people's pockets."

Violent and abusive behaviour against pharmacists is impacting on recruitment and retention of staff in the sector, according to the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA). The trade union for pharmacists told BBC Breakfast TV on Wednesday (May 8) that its members have continuously raised workplace safety concerns due to an alarming rise in the incidents of abuse and violence against pharmacy staff. The PDA union has been calling for adequate risk assessments and preventative safety measures to be put in place in pharmacies whist adopting a zero-tolerance approach to violence and abuse. With several significant and worrying incidents involving PDA members, including a pharmacist being threatened with a knife recently, further research was conducted in April 2022 to establish the extent and impact of such behaviour on pharmacists. Forty-four per cent of the respondents in the survey reported that they or someone that they worked with had experienced physical or violent abuse in the last month.

PCCA Limited has issued a recall for its Ketamine 50mg/5ml and 100mg/5ml oral solutions after a small number of bottles have been observed to contain crystalline material. The company said it is recalling impacted batches from patients, pharmacies and hospitals as a precautionary measure. "This recall is being issued as a company-led medicines recall, as this product is only supplied to a small number of customers and the company has traceability of the onward distribution by their customers to patients directly," the MHRA said in an alert. Check the website.

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has proposed a Voluntary Scheme for Pricing, Access and Growth (VPAG) that aims to deliver a sustainable approach to medicines provision and maximise the growth potential of the UK life sciences industry. It has published the industry's vision for a new agreement with the government which will deliver for patients, the NHS and the economy. VPAG also includes measures to ensure rapid patient access and adoption of new medicines, as well as opportunities to improve health outcomes and productivity for the whole country. The association's proposals consist of four key areas: restoring an internationally competitive commercial environment for life sciences; supporting UK clinical research and R&D; ensuring rapid patient access and uptake of new medicines; and improving population health and productivity through health innovation. The proposal would deliver over £1bn a year to the NHS - around £300m more than the average delivered under the old scheme before 2023, and comfortably more than the highest contributions ever made before the pandemic.

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has raised concerns over the NHS ad campaign highlighting how community pharmacies can support patients with non-health advice amidst the growing pressure on pharmacies. It believes the campaign will only 'worsen' the pressure on pharmacies. "It is always deeply concerning to see campaigns directing people to pharmacies without any regard for the pressures they are under: it is irresponsible and extremely unhelpful," said PSNC Chief Executive Janet Morrison. She called the campaign 'particularly irritating' just weeks after the committee rejected a series of proposals from NHS England and DHSC on relief measures to ease pressure on pharmacies as being totally inadequate. "NHS England Board Members have noted the pressure on pharmacies - so why are their teams so often acting to make these pressures worse? We need to see a radical change in how NHS England treats pharmacies and we're continuing to press for that via our influencing and campaigning work," she added. The NHS launched the new campaign on Monday (27 February) to highlight how high-street pharmacies can support patients with non-urgent health advice for minor conditions including coughs, aches and colds.

Community pharmacies must be involved in future planning for public health emergencies, especially in cases where a quick response is needed such as the Covid-19 pandemic, a European-wide research has recommended. The project, co-led by the University of Huddersfield professor Zaheer-Ud-Din Babar in medicines and healthcare, focuses on how community pharmacies dealt with the pandemic, covering 31 pharmacy interventions on Covid-19 in 32 countries in Europe. The interventions include prevention, response, and recovery measures. It also covers improved access to medicines, expanded powers granted to pharmacies, rapid antigen testing, along with Covid-19 vaccination. Community pharmacists in the US, Canada, and Australia have been engaged in pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response strategic guidance after the 2009 flu pandemic. The aim of the research is to map the current reported practice and trends and review the pharmacies' intervention in Europe.

Working conditions in pharmacies have worsened in 2021, the annual Safer Pharmacies Survey conducted by the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) revealed, highlighting the challenging and unsafe environments that some pharmacists are working in. The survey asks pharmacists across all areas of practice about their experiences of key safety measures in the workplace. Since the launch of the Safer Pharmacies Charter in 2017, PDA's annual surveys have monitored their feedback against the Charter's commitments, which covers seven basic areas as standard practice for pharmacy work. The commitments are No Self-Checking, Safe Staffing, Access to a Pharmacist, Adequate Rest, Respect for Professional Judgment, Raising Concerns and Physical Safety. The survey revealed that eight out of 10 feel unsafe at work as violence and abuse still remain areas of concerns in pharmacy.

The 'SaveOurPharmacies' roundtable held on Tuesday (21 March) to discuss severe challenges faced by the community pharmacies in England witnessed the support of 15 MPs. Janet Morrison, Chief Executive, Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC); Andrew Lane, independent pharmacy owner and Chairman, National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and Ian Strachan, independent pharmacy owner and Board Member, Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies (AIM) attended the summit, which was chaired by Stephen Hammond MP, to brief MPs on the severe challenges facing the sector. MPs in attendance were Stephen Hammond, Sally-Ann Hart, Peter Aldous, Anna Firth, Taiwo Owatemi, Bob Seely, Derek Thomas, David Rutley, Lilian Greenwood, Tulip Siddiq, Hillary Benn, Sarah Olney, Christian Wakeford, Daisy Cooper (researcher) and Victoria Atkins (researcher) The title of the event 'Community pharmacy's role in the Primary Care Recovery Plan' which is expected imminently, is set to include a variety of measures aimed at helping primary care to recover from the impact of the pandemic. PSNC has been pressing for the plan to include a fully-funded national Pharmacy First service as this is the best chance for getting significant additional funds into community pharmacies.

Boots UK to offer a free health MOT for over 40s in England between 1st April until 30th June to help eligible patients identify and take the right steps to address high blood pressure and the potential for increased risk of other health conditions. The Free Health MOT will give over 40s the information needed for them to take actions to support their overall health. It consists of a 15-minute appointment with a Boots pharmacist, during which they will receive- the NHS Blood Pressure Check Service, with GP referral if needed; optional BMI (Body Mass Index) and waist circumference measurement; lifestyle guidance on exercise, nutrition, sleep, mental wellbeing and stopping smoking; and personalised advice and recommendations . At the end of their appointment, patients will receive a booklet containing information about how to lead a healthy lifestyle and a section with the results of their MOT recorded. Claire Nevinson, Superintendent Pharmacist at Boots, said: "The Free Health MOT at Boots is intended to help people gain greater insight into their health and take the steps they need to improve it. As we get older, we become more vulnerable to conditions like high blood pressure, so it's important that we take steps to help stay healthy. The checks done during the MOT and the advice provided not only helps individual patients lead healthier lives but also reduces pressure on the NHS by offering accessible care in pharmacies at the heart of communities." The availability of appointments for a Free Health MOT at Boots comes at a time when new research indicates people want to lead healthier lives.