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Opella Healthcare, trading as Sanofi Consumer Healthcare, recently signed a dual partnership agreement with Alliance Healthcare and Phoenix Healthcare Distribution for the wholesale supply of its consumer healthcare products to community pharmacies throughout the United Kingdom. The new dual pharmacy wholesale partnership model, which became effective on 1 February 2024, underscores Sanofi's commitment to delivering exceptional customer service to its customers, the company said in a press release. The groundbreaking collaboration is expected to enhance operational efficiency as part of the company's go-to-market model, facilitating improved service levels and stock availability of key products, including Cialis® Together, Allevia®, Buscopan®, Dulcolax®, and Phenergan, to community pharmacies in the UK. Nick Linton, head of UK country operations, Sanofi Consumer Healthcare, said that the company is committed to supporting the "self-care agenda" in the UK. "Making healthcare as simple as it should be to bring health and wellbeing to all is a key priority for us in 2024 and beyond," he commented.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) published a notification regarding the shortage of Guanfacine 2mg and 3mg modified-release tablets has raised concerns within the healthcare community. This critical medicine supply notification, issued on March 28th, projects the unavailability of these tablets until the week commencing May 6, 2024. Guanfacine tablets, commonly prescribed to alleviate symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity while enhancing attention and concentration, play a vital role in managing conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, the scarcity of these specific strengths poses challenges for patients reliant on this medication. Last year, several countries across the globe experienced shortages of medications for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)including the UK, the US and Australia. Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has cautioned that while alternative strengths of Guanfacine remain accessible, they may not adequately meet the heightened demand, potentially resulting in treatment interruptions for patients.

Boots and the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) Union have released a joint statement to confirm that there will be a pay increase for trainee pharmacists in England and Northern Ireland from April 2024. From 1 April 2024, the new hourly pay rate for trainee pharmacists working at Boots pharmacies will be £12.69 for Zone A in England/Northern Ireland, £13.79 for Zone B in England and £14.05 for Zone C in England. "This increase will be applied centrally in the April pay run," said the statement from the Boots and the PDA Union. Team members can see the new rate of pay in the Benefits Box during the annual enrolment window from 20 February 2024, it added. In August 2023, pay for trainee pharmacists at Boots in England and Northern Ireland was increased to £11.64 per hour for Zone A, £12.77 per hour for Zone B and £12.88 per hour for Zone C.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has released findings from its fifth annual workforce wellbeing survey, which was conducted in collaboration with the profession's charity, Pharmacist Support. Exposing the mental health challenges faced by pharmacists, the survey revealed a troubling statistic: 86 per cent of pharmacists are at a high risk of burnout. Inadequate staffing was the main factor contributing to burnout, followed by lack of work-life balance, insufficient protected learning time, absence of colleague or senior support, and long working hours. While pharmacies are encouraged to provide more clinical services, more than 60 per cent of pharmacists surveyed reported that they were not being offered "sufficient protected learning time" to focus on their professional development and learning needs. The survey also exposed a distressing trend of workplace abuse, with over 40 per cent of pharmacists reporting verbal abuse from the public, and 25 per cent from colleagues or managers.

Global logistics company, JAS has received the Wholesale Distribution Authorisation (WDA(H)) license from the UK's Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for its Pharma and Healthcare Division. In a press release issued on Thursday (22 February), the company said that securing the license empowers its UK healthcare division to "seamlessly connect" with its more than 40 GDP (Good Distribution Practice) certified overseas stations, strengthening its capabilities for handling pharmaceutical shipments. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, the company boasts a team of over 7,000 professionals, with operations spanning over 100 countries. Adrian Frodsham, Regional Director for JAS, said that they were granted the WDA(H) license after a "stringent audit process." "JAS UK's pharma and healthcare division prides itself of offering innovative solutions for the international delivery of pharmaceutical products, further enhancing the growth of our pre-established healthcare division," he added.

The UK government on Wednesday (7 February) announced a new plan to ensure faster, simpler and fairer access to NHS dental care across England. Supported by £200m of funding, the plan aims to deliver more than 1.5 million additional NHS dentistry treatments or up to 2.5 million NHS dental appointments for patients over the next 12 months NHS dentists will be offered a 'new patient' payment of between £15-£50, depending on treatment need, to treat new patients who have not seen a dentist in two years or more. Additionally, one-off payments of up to £20,000 will be given to around 240 dentists for working in under-served areas for up to three years. This is to "attract new NHS dentists and improve access to dental care in areas with the highest demand," NHS England said in a statement released on Wednesday.

The STADA Health Report 2024, published today, has revealed a significant decline in satisfaction with national healthcare systems across Europe, with a notable drop seen in the UK, Germany, and Kazakhstan. According to the report, satisfaction with the UK's healthcare system dropped sharply by 11 percentage points in just one year, falling from 67 percent in 2023 to 56 percent in 2024, likely fuelled by "post-pandemic pressure on the National Health Service (NHS)." In 2020, satisfaction stood at 85 percent before declining to its current level. In terms of discontentment over healthcare, Britain is followed closely by Kazakhstan and Germany, where satisfaction fell by 10 and 8 percent respectively in one year. The 10th annual health report released by global healthcare leader STADA Arzneimittel AG, the parent company of Thornton & Ross, is based on a survey of over 46,000 respondents aged 18 to 99 across 32 countries, with around 2,000 respondents in each country. A continuous decline in satisfaction levels has been observed since 2021. Overall satisfaction with healthcare systems in Europe was recorded at 74 percent in 2020, just before the pandemic. This figure dropped to 71 percent in 2021, 64 percent in 2022, and 61 percent in 2023.

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 World Health Organization (WHO) reiterated its concerns about tobacco companies' continued targeting of young people through various channels such as social media, sports, and music festivals, as well as the introduction of flavored products. In a joint report with industry watchdog STOP released on Thursday, the WHO accused these companies of attempting to ensnare a new generation in nicotine addiction. While facing stricter regulations on traditional cigarettes, major tobacco firms and newcomers have turned to alternatives like vapes, arguing they are intended for adult smokers. However, the WHO and STOP highlighted in their report that these products often appeal to youth, with their attractive designs and fruity flavors making them more appealing to children than to adults in many countries.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has alerted pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy owners via email regarding new emergency legislation governing the prescribing and supply of puberty-suppressing hormones, commonly known as 'puberty blockers', for children and young people under 18 in England, Wales, and Scotland. The regulations apply to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues, used to suppress puberty as part of treating gender incongruence or gender dysphoria in individuals under 18. Effective from 3 June 2024, new private prescriptions for GnRH analogues from prescribers in the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland who are not UK registered are banned from being dispensed in Great Britain for patients under 18. The emergency ban on these medicines will remain in effect until September 3, 2024, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced on 29 May, stating that the action has been taken to address risks to "patient safety."

Released on Monday morning, the election manifesto shared by the Liberal Democrats pledges to "strengthen patients' rights" by tackling public health inequalities and providing early access to community services. The Liberal Democrats Party's manifesto promises to address the issues at both the "front and back doors" of the National Health Service (NHS), which the party claims has been plunged into crisis by the Conservatives. Pledging to invest in public health and early access to community services, the party aims to "work towards a fairer and more sustainable long-term funding model for pharmacies and build on the Pharmacy First approach to give patients more accessible routine services and ease the pressure on GPs." The pledge also includes making prescriptions for people with chronic mental health conditions free on the NHS, as part of a wider commitment to review the entire schedule of exemptions for prescription charges.

As the general election campaign heats up, major political parties - including Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats - have released their manifestos, detailing their plans and visions for the future of community pharmacy. While the Conservative Party promises to expand Pharmacy First initiative, Labour pledges support for small businesses, with plans to overhaul the business rates system. The Liberal Democrats' election manifesto commits to developing a fairer and more sustainable long-term funding model for pharmacies. Announcing their plans recently, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that they are investing in community care services to secure the future of the NHS and make healthcare more accessible. The Conservatives plan to fund these initiatives by cutting NHS managerial positions back to pre-pandemic levels and halving the government's management consultancy expenditure.

The number of people in England identified as at risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has increased by over half a million within a year, according to NHS figures. Data released by the National Diabetes Audit on June 12 showed that 3.6 million people registered with a GP were found to have non-diabetic hyperglycaemia (also known as pre-diabetes) in 2023, compared with 3.1 million people in 2022 - a notable 18 per cent increase or nearly 550,000 people. Among those under 40 years old, the figures showed an increase of almost 25 per cent from 173,166 in 2022 to 216,440 in 2023. People with non-diabetic hyperglycaemia have higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, and they are at greater risk for developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Typically, this condition is detected through routine blood tests at GP surgeries.

Online pharmacy delivery partner Gophr has released new data showing a further drop in pharmacy numbers in England, resulting in a phenomenon they call 'Pharmacy Deserts'. Gophr highlighted that a significant portion of the population now lives in 'pharmacy deserts,' referring to the situation where an increasing number of urban residents struggle to access a shrinking number of pharmacies. For the second consecutive year, Gophr has analysed the data for its 'Prescription For Pressure' initiative. The analysis showed that in 2023, pharmacists dispensed 1.18 billion prescriptions across England, marking an increase of 137 million compared to 2022. The average number of prescriptions per pharmacy stands at 103,380, which equates to 283 a day. As calculated by Gophr's data experts, pharmacy numbers decreased from 11,522 in 2022 to 11,414 in 2023, reflecting a decline of 108 compared to the previous year's 'Prescription For Pressure'. Gophr's data also showed that pharmacy deserts are most prominent in the South East (6,024 people per pharmacy), the East of England (5,327), the South West (5,284), and the Midlands (4,975). London, which ranked high last year, fell out of the top four, with 4,759 people per pharmacy.

Pharmacist Support has released its 2023 Impact Report, revealing significant growth in digital access and well-being initiatives. The report shows a 49 per cent increase in website visits and a corresponding 47 per cent rise in pages viewed compared to the previous year. These improvements reflect the charity's investment in digital infrastructure to enhance access to critical services for pharmacists nationwide. Additionally, calls to the peer support scheme, Listening Friends, increased by 74 per cent , aided by the introduction of an online referral form. The charity also reported a 23 per cent rise in financial grants awarded, amounting to £193,528, through a new online grants portal.

A total of 7,599 whooping cough cases have been recorded in England from January to May 2024, according to new data released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). In January 2024, there were 555 cases, followed by 920 in February, 1,427 in March, 2,106 in April, and 2,591 in May. While the majority of cases (over 53 per cent) occurred in individuals aged 15 years or older, who typically experience milder symptoms, a significant number (262) were reported in babies under 3 months old, who are at the highest risk of severe complications and death from whooping cough. Since the outbreak began in November last year, there have been nine infant deaths (one in December 2023 and eight between January and May 2024). Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a bacterial infection affecting the lungs. This cyclical disease peaks every 3 to 5 years, with the last increase seen in 2016.

What causes nausea and how can you avoid/treat it at home? You feel nauseous when your stomach either stops contracting or... Ever wonder why you feel so uneasy while driving across a rough, bumpy road? How does nervousness lead to nausea? Patients with nausea make up 6.7% of all cases treated...

Today was an exceptionally bright day. At least the morning. The rest of the day was marred by Kate throwing up on me nonstop. She felt a strong sensation of nausea and dizziness. But why does she eat at that weird Mexican place when she knows it makes her stomach sick? Every time she goes there, she feels a gut-wrenching, stomach-turning urge to release all that her belly holds. I mean, the stomach is an elastic bag made of muscular walls containing acid. We read that in science once. But why does Kate's stomach hold a serious grudge against Mexican food?

P3 Healthcare Solutions is been offering professional medical billing services for quite some time now. The process starts from the consultation session where providers are informed about every detail from coding, billing to the latest strategies for smoothly running the revenue cycle. We aim to empower physicians with transparent and accurate billing practices.

CMS released a report about 2020 payment adjustments for participants in MIPS 2018, which reflect a high number of successful clinicians because of the lower performance threshold.

AMA recently released the new CPT codes for COVID-19 vaccines. Medical billing services can take notes of them to better accommodate the billing requirements.