The Royal Pharmaceutical Society and Scottish Academy of Medical Royal Colleges co-hosted the NHS Education for Scotland annual virtual conference to discuss
the environmental impact of prescribing.
One of the conclusions drawn from the conference on Thursday (April 28) stressed on environmentally sustainable prescribing should be embedded in undergraduate
and postgraduate health care education.
Delegates at the session said they or their teams needed more education. They also needed more information and resources when prescribing to be able to consider
environmental issues.
Sharon Pfleger, Consultant in Pharmaceutical Public Health at NHS Highland, told the session: "There's a lot of work to be done to reduce carbon emissions. The
NHS has identified the use of metered-dose inhalers as its second biggest cause of carbon emissions as the propellant gases have significant global warming potential.
Pharmacy Supervision Practice Group, an organisations from across the community pharmacy sector, who have come together to look into the future "supervision" in
community pharmacy, have published their final report.
Over the course of nine collaborative and positive workshop-style discussions the Supervision Practice Group aimed to provide recommendations to reframe legislation,
regulation and professional standards and guidance to achieve a new vision for community pharmacy.
The group have produced a report which makes several recommendations on the subjects of:
* the legislation relating to "supervision";
* the temporary absence of the RP from the pharmacy;
* delegation;
* the preparation and assembly of medicines when the RP is not signed in.
The group have provided recommendations on which the Department of and Social Care and the regulators can draft specifically worded revisions to legislation and
regulatory standards. These specific legislative and regulatory changes that are proposed by government and regulators will be subject to a full consultation process.
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National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)'s diagnostic advisory committee has recommended the use of HM-JACKarc or OC-Sensor quantitative faecal
immunochemical tests (FIT) in a draft guidance release for consultation on Wednesday (5 July).
Under existing NICE guidance, FIT was already offered to some people presenting to primary care with symptoms suggestive of colorectal cancer, while others were
immediately referred on the suspected cancer pathway.
The new draft guidance will now see everyone receive a FIT.
A sample is sent in the post to a laboratory where the amount of blood in the faeces is measured. The results are usually available within a week and people with
10 or more micrograms of haemoglobin in their faeces should then be referred for further investigation.
Further assessment using colonoscopy, or CT colonography, is required to diagnose cancer.
The tests cost between £4 and £5 per sample, and can correctly identify about 9 out of 10 people with colorectal cancer.
The committee agreed it is important that GPs can refer people for colonoscopy without a positive FIT result if they think it is necessary and where symptoms persist.
The institute believes that the recommendation of the tests should reduce the number of unnecessary colonoscopies, thus freeing up appointments for more non-urgent
referrals. This should lead to 50% fewer referrals for urgent colonoscopies being made by GPs in primary care settings each year.
Pharmacies lead among the list of 16 'most essential' services required for a neighbourhood, as revealed by the 2023 Community Barometer survey commissioned
by the Association of Convenience Stores.
In June, ACS commissioned Yonder Consulting to conduct a poll surveying the opinions of 1,000 people across the UK. The survey assessed how these individuals value
16 different services in their local area, defined as the region within a 15-minute walk from their homes.
The survey's essential services included pharmacies, post offices, convenience stores, banks, petrol stations, restaurants, coffee shops, pubs, specialist food
shops, non-food shops, fast food shops, vape shops, charity shops, pawnbrokers, hairdressers, and gyms or sports facilities.
The NHS plans to train hundreds of pharmacy staff, expanding their ability to provide advanced clinical services and assume wider roles in dispensing medicines.
With a targeted launch in September, up to 840 pharmacy technicians can join in the training programme. The online modules will cover consultation skills,
therapeutics, clinical decision-making, assessment skills, and service improvement.
"Community pharmacies are pivotal in local communities, and this novel training scheme empowers them to extend their service offerings to a wider patient base,"
said Health Minister Neil O'Brien. "Through our investment in the workforce, we're bolstering the implementation of the Pharmacy First initiative with £645 million,
ensuring patients have access to expert assistance for various common ailments, including urinary tract infections and earaches."
NHS said the training will offer flexibility to align with the working schedules and prior experience of community pharmacy technicians. It will combine independent
online e-course study, educational supervision, and clinical skills training. Facilitated workshops will concentrate on enhancing clinical assessment skills and
applying knowledge and skills through case studies, practice activities, and group discussions.
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The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has begun conciliation with 86 pharmacy companies to safeguard the interests of former LloydsPharmacy pharmacists.
The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas), a government agency, serves as a mediator between companies and employees to resolve disputes. If the
ongoing mediation prove unsuccessful, individual employees retain the option to file claims in the employment tribunal, the PDA has said.
The ongoing dispute centres around employers potentially failing to conduct the required consultation under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment)
regulations (TUPE) with employees and their representatives during employee transfers, the PDA said.
The TUPE legislation, known for its complexity and technical nature, applies when a section of the company, like a pharmacy sold as an asset using standard disposal,
undergoes a transfer.
According to NHS England's recent pharmaceutical list, LloydsPharmacy has either sold or shuttered 461 branches since September 2022. According to NHSE data, as of
June 30, the pharmacy chain operates approximately 512 pharmacies in England. This positions it as the third-largest chain after Boots UK and Well Pharmacy.
The NHS has launched plans to expand pioneering subscription-style drug contracts to develop lifesaving antibiotics of the future.
It is building on its world-first pilot to incentivise the pharmaceutical industry to develop new antibiotics that could be offered to NHS patients when they
need them the most.
The consultation has launched almost a year to the day that contracts for two superbug-busting drugs were rolled out as part of a world-first pilot.
Cefiderocol and ceftazidime-avibactam, new antibiotics manufactured by Shionogi and Pfizer respectively, were awarded world-first subscription contracts which
provided the companies with a fixed annual fee based primarily on the availability of the drugs and their value to the NHS, as opposed to the volumes used.
By breaking the link between the payments companies receive and the number of their antibiotics prescribed, the NHS is removing any incentive to overuse antibiotics,
decreasing the risk of life-threatening infections, such as sepsis and pneumonia, becoming resistant to treatment.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a class 2 medicines recall for Sabril 500 mg film-coated tablets & Sabril 500 mg
granules for oral solution.
Sanofi UK has recalled the batches of Sabril tablets and Sabril granules as a precautionary measure due to the detection of traces of tiapride in the batches of the
source material of the manufacturer for vigabatrin.
Sabril (vigabatrin) is indicated for adjunctive treatment of focal seizures with or without secondary generalisation not satisfactorily controlled with other
antiepileptics (under expert supervision) and monotherapy in the treatment of infantile spasms (West's syndrome).
All patients are advised not to discontinue Sabril tablets or Sabril granules without consulting with their prescriber. The risks of suddenly stopping medication
for seizures/epilepsy is higher than the potential risk presented by the presence of tiapride.
Sanofi UK have confirmed to DHSC that no other batches are impacted, and other stock remains available.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) is refreshing its Professional Standards for Homecare Services and will be shared for consultation in August to allow
comment and input on the updated content.
The final version is expected to be completed in the autumn.
The standards were originally published in 2013 and are a framework to support teams providing and commissioning homecare services. Homecare medicines services
deliver medication, and any necessary associated care, direct to the patient's home with their consent.
The standards help patients experience a consistent quality of homecare services, irrespective of provider, will protect them from avoidable incidents and help them
get the best outcomes from their medicines.
Jennifer Allen, The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer's Clinical Fellow leading the refresh at RPS said: "It has been 10 years since the first set of Homecare Standards
were published, so it is important that they are reviewed and brought up to date to reflect current service design, medicine pathways and delivery models to ensure
patients receive safe and effective medication supply and associated care."
Achieving the community pharmacy vision necessitates legal adjustments and additional funding beyond recent boosts, the pharmacy vision document published
by Nuffield Trust and The King's Fund has revealed. It says community pharmacies in England must adapt to changing population needs amidst unprecedented health
and care challenges.
Commissioned by Community Pharmacy England, the report titled 'A Vision for Community Pharmacy', published on Sept. 19, is a result of almost a year of research
and extensive consultation with the sector and wider stakeholders, advocating for community pharmacy. The think tanks detail a shift in the community pharmacy
sector, highlighting how pharmacies can contribute to crucial policy objectives regarding population health, prevention, and the increasing demand in primary care.
"The health and care needs of the population are evolving, and pharmacies in England, like all components of the health and care system, must adjust to address
these changes," said Helen Buckingham, Director of Strategy at Nuffield Trust.
Preet Kaur Gill, Shadow Minister for Primary Care and Public Health, has paid a recent visit to a community pharmacy in Staffordshire to personally experience
the services it provides to patients, while staying updated on the latest sector developments.
Her visit to Eason's Pharmacy in Tamworth on September 22nd marked her first since assuming new responsibilities for pharmacy policy matters within Labour's health
team. Gill was also joined by a member of the National Pharmacy Association staff.
The Minister received a comprehensive briefing on Eason's Pharmacy from its third-generation owner, Kieran Eason (R). He outlined the NHS services, which include
the New Medicines Service and blood pressure monitoring, and showcased two consultation rooms and an operational dispensary.
"It's great that Preet came to learn firsthand about the challenges we face and the substantial potential of community pharmacies nationwide," Eason said. "As an
independent prescriber, I have the expertise to provide even more convenient care, but the current funding levels severely limit our contribution."
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Director for Scotland, Clare Morrison will be joining NHS Scotland in January.
Morrison has been appointed Director of Community Engagement at Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
Paul Bennett, RPS CEO said: "Many people, particularly in Scotland, will know of Clare's passion for quality improvement and patient involvement in the co-design
of services. This was demonstrated through her previous work on the development of Near Me, NHS Scotland's video consulting service, and its co-design with the
public, patients, clinicians and NHS staff which gained international recognition from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
"Therefore, this is an exciting opportunity for Clare to join Healthcare Improvement Scotland to take on a strategic leadership role in supporting effective community
engagement across health and social care in Scotland. It also enables Clare to make even greater use of her training as an NHS Scotland Scottish Quality & Safety
Fellow and we wish her every success in her new role.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has launched a new revised RPS Professional Standards for Hospital Pharmacy Services at its annual conference held on
Friday (11 November).
RPS developed the standards through an extensive consultation with the profession, multidisciplinary teams and patients. They are relevant for providers of pharmacy
services in acute, mental health, private, community service, prison, hospice and ambulance settings.
The revised Standards contain two brand new descriptors - research, audit and quality improvement, and inclusion and wellbeing. Updates have been made to the
supporting statements to ensure they reflect current practice and are fit for the future. A new assessment tool has been developed to support organisations either
self-assess or peer-assess against the Standards.
"For the first time the Standards apply UK wide, having gained support from Pharmacy Forum NI, alongside endorsement from The Association of Pharmacy Technicians
UK and other professional groups," RPS said.
The Council of the Pharmaceutical Society NI (PSNI) to remove the two-year requirement as a registered pharmacist to have an Independent Prescriber (IP)
annotation on the pharmacy register in Northern Ireland.
It has further endorsed that the two-year requirement for entry onto stand-alone pharmacist independent prescribing courses be removed and replaced with an
assessment before admission, by course providers, based upon guidance provided by the regulator.
In conjunction with the Department of Health, the PSNI will now work towards a further public consultation on the necessary legislative changes.
Dr Jim Livingstone, president of the PSNI, said: "The Department of Health has set a clear direction which will see pharmacist independent prescribers becoming
increasingly important in the delivery of pharmacy services in Northern Ireland. Our role is to protect the public, but we are clear that our regulatory objective
should not be an unnecessary barrier to the development of the profession and enhanced services being provided to the public."
An ever-increasing emphasis is being placed on getting and staying fit and mobile, whatever your age, with good reason. Regular aerobic exercise (physical
activity which gets the heart beating faster) helps patients to:
Reduce or maintain body weight
Reduce the risk of heart disease, strokes and diabetes
Control blood sugar (helpful for diabetics)
Maintain mobility and muscle strength, allowing daily activities to be undertaken more easily
Improve mood, physical activity can be beneficial for everyone.
However, injuries sometimes happen during exercise or everyday life. Collectively, injuries to tendons, ligaments and/or skeletal muscle, are referred to as
musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries. Post pandemic pharmacists are now the first port of call for many seeking to self-treat so it is important that information,
advice and a wide range of treatment options are available.
While the precise incidence and prevalence of such disorders are difficult to define, they are known to be the most common rheumatic causes of sickness absences
from work. Indeed, soft tissue complaints account for up to 59 per cent of new patient referrals to rheumatology practice and up to 15 per cent of consultations in
primary care.
Ankle injuries are very common with an estimated incidence of one per 100,000 population per day. They account for about one in five of all sports related injuries.
The majority of ankle injuries are moderate ligament sprains. With appropriate treatment the majority of patients should be able to return to normal activities
within a few weeks.
Your body is constantly working hard to keep you healthy and moving. From time to time, you may experience aches and pains that can interfere with your
daily activities. While over-the-counter medication can help to relieve some of the discomforts, there are also a number of natural ways to ease your body aches.
Here are a few simple tips to help relieve your body aches:
KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR FEET
Your feet are the foundation of your body and support you throughout the day. It's important to take care of your feet and keep an eye on any changes that may occur.
If you experience any pain or discomfort in your feet, be sure to see a doctor to have them checked out. You can also help relieve foot pain by consulting a
Chiropodist for regular foot care. Besides seeing professionals for care, you can also take some simple steps at home to keep your feet healthy.
These include wearing comfortable shoes that fit properly, stretching your feet regularly, and resting them when you feel tired or sore. By taking care of your feet,
you can help prevent pain and discomfort in other parts of your body.
The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has urged its member - employed pharmacists and locum pharmacists to share their view on UK Commission on Pharmacy
Professional Leadership report.
The four government Chief Pharmacists have published their commission's proposal for how pharmacy leadership may develop in the UK.
The association 'strongly' believes that just as it was the members of the profession that established their previous pharmacist professional leadership bodies, so
it is for pharmacists to determine if they agree with these proposals and to decide what arrangements they want in future.
"As an organisation that has exclusively in its membership the employed and locum pharmacists in the UK, the PDA wants to ensure that it can reflect the views of
frontline pharmacists in any future discussions and decisions that could impact upon their careers.
Pharmacists are encouraged to read the report, to consider its content and then ensure they respond to the forthcoming communication from the PDA."
The commission report says that existing leadership bodies have "relatively low levels of membership" but does not provide details. It has also stated that it has
received submissions to its consultation from many pharmacy organisations.
Three batches of Mexiletine hydrochloride 50mg, 100mg and 200 mg hard capsules manufactured by Clinigen Healthcare has been recalled.
Pharmacists are urged to quarantine the said batches and return it to the supplier by or before 12 August.
Clinigen Healthcare Ltd has initiated a recall of three batches of Mexiletine hydrochloride hard capsules due to a potential risk of under dose or overdose, which
could have consequences for the safety of patients.
The manufacturer has confirmed that no alternative batches of Mexiletine hydrochloride 50mg, 100mg or 200mg hard capsules will be available until later in the year,
therefore the recall of these batches from patients should only be considered where patients have access to appropriate alternative products. See below for more
information on resupplying patients with alternative products.
"Patients should be advised not to stop any treatments without consulting their relevant healthcare professional. The risks of suddenly stopping medication for
ventricular arrhythmias is higher than the potential risk presented by too much or too little of the active ingredient in the capsule."
