The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has launched a new draft 'Equality Guidance' for pharmacies to tackle discrimination and make sure that everyone can access safe and effective person-centred pharmacy care.
GPhC's consultation is seeking views on "the structure and language of the guidance, if anything is missing and the impacts on patients and members of the public, pharmacy staff, pharmacy owners, and individuals or groups sharing any of the protected characteristics."
The regulator said the draft guidance is designed to support pharmacy owners to:
demonstrate that they are meeting our standards for registered pharmacies
fulfil their legal and regulatory duties in relation to equality
help protect the rights of individuals
advance equal opportunities for staff, patients and the wider public
help improve the experience and healthcare outcomes of patients and members of the public.
There is still a long way to go to achieve gender equality in pharmacy in both academia and profession, Royal Pharmaceutical Society president Claire Anderson
said while addressing a webinar on 'Driving equality for women in pharmacy' today (November 19).
Sharing her personal experience, Anderson, who earlier worked as an academic, said: "I was the first ever female professor in the School of Pharmacy at Nottingham
when I was appointed as professor in 2003, and at that point, only 11 per cent of professors in my university were female."
She acknowledged that the situation has changed since then, but "there's still a very long way to go to achieve gender equity in most of academia, and in pharmacy,
in particular."
She added that the profession has ensured safe spaces for women but noted that is not enough, as gender equity is vital to achieve healthier and safer societies.
"And although our work on equality, diversity and inclusion is progressing very well, I think we're still not there. It's a journey and there's much to be achieved."
Three pharmacy bodies have called on the government to allow pharmacy students access to the NHS learning support fund (LSF) currently available to students
from other healthcare professions.
Calling it "unjust", the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), British Pharmaceutical Students' Association (BPSA), and Pharmacy Schools Council (PSC) have
voiced their disappointment over continual exclusion of pharmacy students on clinical placements and asked that pharmacy students are given equal access to the LSF.
The Department of Health and Social Care recently announced a 50 percent increase in travel and accommodation allowances for students in nursing, midwifery,
allied health professions, medical, and dental courses. However, this initiative notably excluded pharmacy students.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has published new reports on racism and other inequalities in pharmacy, following a series of virtual equality
roundtables.
This council organised its second equality roundtable on 18 September 2023, focussing on the topic of 'Language Barriers and Health Inequalities', and a follow-up
roundtable on 'Racism in Pharmacy: Accountability Counts' on 10 October 2023.
A wide range of pharmacy-related organisations, patient groups, equality groups, providers of translation services and software, individual pharmacists, pharmacy
technicians and wider teams from different sectors and settings attended the events.
GPhC chair, Gisela Abbam thanked speakers and attendees for listening and contributing to the important discussions around racism and language barriers, which she
said are "not purely a pharmacy problem, nor a health problem", but a "much broader" system problem.
"It is important we acknowledge that, and do what we can to tackle racism and barriers wherever we find them," she added.
Pharmacists from BAME backgrounds still face higher levels of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and career obstacles compared to their white
counterparts, the Pharmacy Workforce Race Equality Standard (PWRES) report has revealed. Published by NHSE England, this report underscores the persistent
presence of inequality, emphasising the crucial need for all stakeholders in the pharmacy sector to prioritise addressing these issues.
The PWRES report indicates that pharmacy team members of Black ethnic backgrounds are less likely to perceive equal opportunities for career advancement or
promotion within their trust. Additionally, female pharmacy team members from BAME backgrounds report higher incidents of personal discrimination in the
workplace. The report also highlights an overrepresentation of pharmacy technicians from BAME backgrounds in lower-paid roles.
"It is shocking and unacceptable to see that across all indicators the BME staff experience is worse than their white counterparts," said Tase Oputu, Chair
of RPS in England.
The recent announcement that Royal Mail will be partnering with distance selling pharmacy (DSP) giant pharmacy2U highlights how standards of regulatory
enforcement are being ignored to accommodate the DSP model.
The brunt of these double standards hinges around the levelling down of temperature enforcement standards by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory
Agency (MHRA) which demands mapping must be audited from the point of dispensing to the patient.
The MHRA has a well recognised duty to ensure medicines reach patients in a safe condition. The current anomaly appears to turn a blind eye to this step in the
supply chain at the point the wholesaler releases goods to the pharmacy hub.
Equally the training on delivering medicines safely and effectively direct to patients should apply fully to all hubs including DSPs. Why is it that DSPs are being
treated differently to bricks and mortar pharmacies? It's essentially the same patients receiving the same medicines from the same wholesalers.
A further regulatory disparity exists around how parcels must be "tracked and signed for" to be reasonably certain medicines are delivered into the hand of the
intended recipient, as per existing regulations.
Clearly an untracked, unsigned package cannot be guaranteed to finish in the hands of the intended recipient.
There is a very real possibility that such omission could lead to community pharmacy closures which will, in turn, lead to unemployment and a reduction in the
care services. At a time when integrated care systems have just gone live, the removal of vital support services leading to further inequalities is the wrong
message for both providers and patients alike.
NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I), in association with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK),
has published its first inclusive pharmacy practice (IPP) bulletin, with an overarching ambition "to make community pharmacy a more inclusive environment for all
pharmacy professionals".
The IPP programme will take practical steps to improve the awareness and understanding at all levels of different cultural beliefs and attitudes, according to the
Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC).
As a member of the IPP Improving Practice and Engagement Group, PSNC has contributed to this issue of the Bulletin, which focuses on how pharmacy professionals can
help to reduce health inequalities via the detection and prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
The IPP programme, of which the Bulletin forms a part, aims to engage with local communities to help improve their health and reduce inequalities in care -
particularly among those from ethnically diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds.
Fife-based trainee pharmacist and Honorary Secretary of the PDA LGBT+ Network, Soh Xi Ken has won the Scottish Trades Union Congress' (STUC) Equality Award.
One of Scotland's leading LGBT+ campaigners and Honorary Secretary of the PDA's LGBT+ Network has been recognised for his advocacy work for LGBT+ pharmacists
in Scotland.
Soh Xi Ken of the PDA received the Equality Award at the STUC Annual Congress in April 2023 in Dundee. The award praised Xi Ken's tireless advocacy for LGBT+ workers
within pharmacies in Scotland, highlighting his personal experience of homophobia in Scotland and his home country, Malaysia.
In May 2021, Xi Ken became a founding member of the PDA LGBT+ Network's committee and was elected as their first Honorary Secretary. The PDA LGBT+ Network is the
first of its kind in the pharmacy world and has made a significant difference to the profile of LGBT+ people in the profession.
Xi Ken and others within the PDA LGBT+ Network spotted that there was a lack of LGBT+-specific guidance given to pharmacy students and that their unique and specific
health needs were not being addressed as part of the pharmacy education that they received.
The government has unveiled its much awaited 'NHS Long-Term Workforce Plan' to tackle the staff shortage in the pharmacy sector. The plan set out an ambition
to increase the training places for pharmacists to around 5,000 places by 2031/32.
David Webb, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England, in his open letter to pharmacy professionals said: "The NHS LTWP sets out how we can build on changes,
addressing the changing needs of patients over the next 15 years, by closing the current workforce shortfall through funding for increased education and training
places and a comprehensive retention strategy."
The plan commits to expand training places for pharmacists by 29% to around 4,300 by 2028/29 and Grow the number of pharmacy technicians in future years.
"The development of independent prescribing as part of initial education and training is a gamechanger for pharmacists, patients and the NHS, with
approximately 2,800 newly registered pharmacist independent prescribers due to join the workforce every year from September 2026," said Webb.
"This will be transformational for all pharmacy teams, creating improved access and quality of care for patients and, importantly, a more flexible workforce with
skills that are equally applicable in all pharmacy settings, enabling multi-professional clinical teams to work in new ways."
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) recently issued a public apology after they mistakenly referred to pharmacy technicians as 'pharmacist technicians'
in a council paper.
It has also written a letter of apology to the President of the Association of Pharmacy Technicians (APTUK) for the error they made.
Meanwhile, the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has raised concern about an equally worrying trend in which pharmacists are being referred to by the GPhC and
others as 'pharmacy professionals', a term that is also used for pharmacy technicians.
The association said this creates confusion in the minds of the public about the two roles and responsibilities, which are very different, as well as have impact
upon the workplace.
In a move towards greater diversity and inclusivity, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has welcomed three accomplished women to its board of key members.
Aisling O'Brien, Sukhi Basra, and Sehar Shahid-who is the youngest member- have joined the board, marking a significant step in the organisation's commitment
to equality and representation.
The announcement, made on the occasion of the International Women's Day, by chief executive, Paul Rees MBE via X reflects the organisation's dedication to
celebrating and empowering women in the pharmacy profession.
Sukhi Basra, the inaugural female board member since last April, adds a valuable dimension to the NPA. With her role as a Community Pharmacy KCW committee
member and her experience in clinical pharmacy spanning over 25 years, she brings a wealth of knowledge and a distinctive viewpoint.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has initiated the evaluation of its five-year strategy for changing the way it manage concerns about pharmacy
professionals. It has urged people to share their experience of fitness to practice.
The evaluation will look at how the strategy has improved the experience of people involved in fitness to practice (those who raise concerns, professionals,
witnesses etc.); impacted the culture amongst pharmacy professionals and their attitudes to openness and honesty; improved the process and made it fairer and
changed perceptions of fitness to practice.
The first phase of the evaluation process will take place from July to September 2023.
The council said: "We are committed to making our ambitions a reality for the benefit of everyone involved and your contribution will help us to make sure patients
and the public continue to be protected while being fair to pharmacy professionals."
In June 2021, GPhC published its five-year strategy- Managing concerns about pharmacy professionals: Guided by its 2030 vision and commitment to equality, diversity
and inclusion, the strategy outlines a programme for change.
One evening whilst I was watching TV, my phone pinged with an all too familiar WhatsApp alert with a message preview saying "Can you help". I recognised the
name as one of our Titan pharmacy customers who was clearly in a state of panic.
I replied offering my assistance and asked him what was up. What followed over the next 24 hours was an interesting case study of how innovative technology can
genuinely solve real challenges in pharmacies.
Mr P (let's call him that) had booked a locum to cover in his dispensary on the next day so he could focus on his vaccination service. The problem - his locum
had just called to cancel his booking (no reason given) and now he had no cover.
Meanwhile, he was fully booked with back to back appointments and could not cancel them. He had phoned round his usual network of pharmacists and no one was
available at short notice.
He was asking if there was anything that Titan could do to reduce his workload and said he had heard about Titan's artificial intelligence module.
Unfortunately, Titan. X had not been installed at this site and was not an option at this late stage.
Equally, Titan's digital workflow cannot be circumvented so there was no way steps could be taken out of the process.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) England director, Ravi Sharma, has resigned after four years on the job.
He will be leaving the RPS in October to join Luton and Dunstable University Hospital, part of the Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust group, as head of
pharmacy.
RPS will be commencing the recruitment of a new director for England shortly and in the interim Ravi will be working with Paul Bennett, the RPS CEO, to help in
delivery of key objectives and in the appointment of his successor.
Paul commented: "Ravi has made a significant contribution to the organisation during his time with us. His drive and enthusiasm for advancing the recognition of
the role of the Society itself and of pharmacists and professional practice is probably best reflected by his desire to ensure a real focus on personalised medicines
and his work on equality and diversity, workforce wellbeing, and most recently the development of a new vision for pharmacy in England.
The Welsh chapter of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, along with ten other royal colleges and professional bodies, have renewed calls for the urgent
transformation of mental health services to address increasing demands on the NHS in Wales.
Representatives of the Royal College Mental Health Expert Advisory Group joined members of the Senedd in Cardiff to outline the work of the group over the past
year and to explain why a well-trained, fully supported and equipped multi-disciplinary workforce is critical for the development of care for people with mental
health conditions.
To make sustainable change happen, the group is calling for a greater focus by the Welsh government and NHS Wales on the following:
The critical changes needed to improve the delivery and structure of mental health services across Wales in community, hospital and specialist secure settings.
Parity of access to mental health services for the most vulnerable patients, ensuring they have equal access opportunities that vulnerable patients would receive for
physical health conditions.
The Equality Act (which replaced the Disability Discrimination Act in 2010) is often cited as a reason for supplying medicines in a compliance aid. This is a complex piece of legislation, but, in essence, provides a statutory duty on businesses to make "reasonable adjustments" in relation to the service that they provide to take into account any relevant disability of a service-users.
This statutory obligation might include the provision of a compliance aid where a patient would be at a "substantial disadvantage" without. However, the need to provide medicines in a compliance aid under the Equality Act needs careful consideration and is a balancing exercise.
The NHS Terms of Service for community pharmacies in England state that medicines should be provided in original packs save in certain circumstances, which include because of patient needs.
The Pharmaceutical Society NI (PSNI) has announced that Michaela McAleer will be replacing Trevor Patterson as Chief Executive of PSNI.
After 15 years at the helm, Patterson announced his intention to retire. Jonathan Patton, Vice President of the Society said, "Joining the Society from the
construction sector Trevor brought fresh thinking and vigour to the Society and quickly established his credibility with pharmacists, Council, stakeholders and
fellow regulatory bodies."
"Trevor has presided over tremendous change and development through his tenure with equal measures of professionalism and passion on creating safer protections
for the public and ensuring pharmacists achieved world class standards in their profession. We are saddened to see him depart but on behalf of Council I wish him a
long and healthy retirement and wish him well in the next chapter of life. We are indebted to him for his dedication to the Pharmaceutical Society NI."
"Losing the constant and continuity of our 15 year serving Chief Executive ushers in a time of change and evolution for us as the Pharmacy Regulator. We are in the
midst of a fast moving and changing environment as we implement continuous improvement.
Drug testing is a crucial part of many people's lives. Whether you're applying for a job in the law enforcement field, military, or pharmacy industry, it can
be difficult to find out what drugs are on your application. Luckily, there are new ways to test yourself at home to see if you have any traces of drugs inside of
you.
WHERE TO FIND DRUG TESTS
There are a variety of at-home drug tests available on the market. Drug tests can be found at most pharmacies and online retailers, like Drug Test City. Some of
these sites are free, while others charge a fee. Here are some tips to help you choose the right site for your needs:
Make sure the site is reputable. There are many scam sites out there that will take your money and not deliver on their promises. Do some research to make sure the
site you're considering is legitimate.
Consider the cost. Some sites charge a fee for their services, while others are free. Decide what you're willing to spend before you start your search.
Compare features. Not all drug testing sites are created equal. Some offer more comprehensive services than others. Take a look at what each site has to offer and
choose the one that best meets your needs.
The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has supported the Department of Health and Social Care's recommendation to 'aggressively expedite and roll out new medicines' that have gone through trials.
The ABPI welcomes government report on cancer services in England and the opportunity it provides to refocus how the pharmaceutical industry, NHS and government can improve the lives of cancer patients.
David Watson, executive director, Patient Access at the ABPI, said: "Despite progress, UK patients still have much worse five-year survival rates for many cancers than those in similar nations. Early diagnosis and fast and equal access to the latest treatments for all patients is key to reversing poor trends in NHS cancer care.
"We are pleased that the report reflects concerns about variable access to cancer medicines. We support the Committee's recommendations to 'aggressively expedite
and roll out new medicines' that have gone through trials and to ensure regulatory innovation results in swift uptake in the UK.
The NHS Confederation and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has published a report that demonstrated the importance of the
collaboration between industry and the NHS to improve patient outcomes across the UK.
Analysis from the report has shown a significant variation in access to innovative medicines for patients across the UK and showed that uptake of new treatments
in these areas continues to be below the average of similar countries in Europe.
The report, 'Transforming Lives, Improving Health Outcomes', has highlighted four initiatives where effective partnerships between the NHS, patient organisations
and industry have helped to tackle unwarranted variation in the uptake of innovative medicines.
Transforming Lives, Improving Health Outcomes also called for a systemwide secondary prevention strategy covering all parts of the health system creating a barrier
to wider and consistent uptake of innovative medicine. It also noted that newly created Integrated Care Systems have the potential to improve preventative treatment.
The report data also showed a 51% variation of uptake of three types of medicines related to diabetes between NHS Trusts in England.