The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has announced that the new Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) for this year will officially begin on October
10.
From previous scheme £75m funding is also available and contractors will be able to claim an 'Aspiration payment' if they wish to, later this year.
PSNC, the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England have agreed the arrangements for the 2022/23 PQS, as well as those for the 2023/24 PQS, with a focus
on supporting recovery from Covid-19 and wider national health priorities.
The committee said: "In our negotiations on the scheme, PSNC has managed to reduce the scope of this year's PQS so that the estimated contractor costs and time
required to complete the criteria will be below those associated with the original NHS proposals for the scheme."
"A further reduction in scope has also been agreed due to the delayed start of the 2022/23 PQS. PSNC hopes that this, along with arguing for more realistic targets
across the scheme, will help reduce the impact on contractor workload, at what continues to be a very busy and pressured period for the sector."
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.
In a bid to revolutionise healthcare in the UK, the Reform Party has announced ambitious plans to offer tax incentives to pharmacies.
This move comes despite record extra funding in recent years, which has failed to halt a decline in NHS healthcare outcomes.
The party argues that while healthcare remains free at the point of delivery, significant reforms are essential to enhance results and eliminate waiting lists.
Central to the Reform Party's strategy is a set of critical reforms aimed at addressing NHS challenges within the first 100 days.
The implementation of tax breaks for pharmacies is intended to enhance accessibility and alleviate pressure on NHS resources.
The Pharmacists Defence Association (PDA) has expressed its keenness to work with the NHS nationally and at the ICB level to discuss how the pharmacist
workforce can most effectively be part of the multidisciplinary team, after the publication of Long-awaited NHS England workforce plan.
Welcoming its publication Alison Jones, PDA Director of Policy said: "It gives greater clarity around the future direction and strategy for professional development,
training, and opportunities for those currently working in the health service or considering their future career. There is a strong emphasis on further development
of the clinical role of pharmacists to support better patient care.
"However, this is a plan that will take years, indeed decades to come to fruition and its success will need to be underpinned by significant funding for its entire
life course.
Workplace pressures, reductions in support staff, and a lack of protected learning time are matters of immediate concern for many PDA members, issues which are
regularly highlighted through activities, such as the safer pharmacies survey.
Trust leaders involved in the New Hospital Programme (NHP) have warned that further delays in the government scheme will lead to more patient harm,
disappointment among staff, and higher costs for taxpayers.
According to NHS Providers, delays in the government scheme that promised 40 new hospitals in England by 2030 are draining millions of pounds from scarce NHS
funds every month.
Some trusts are compelled to spend over £1 million a month from their under-pressure budgets due to spiraling cost pressures, on-hold building projects, and the
bill for having to patch up deteriorating sites.
While there has been some progress over the past year, trust leaders remain apprehensive that "uncertainty over funding and shifting timetables risks putting
their promised buildings further out of reach."
The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust (LTCT) has announced the launch of a new scheme to support pharmacists and their families during the back-to-school period.
Opening at 9 am on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, the 'School Essentials Grant' is designed to alleviate financial pressure for people working in community pharmacies
with young children during one of the most costly times of the year.
The scheme will see the charity provide up to £100,000 of support to pharmacists in need of financial aid.
Eligible families can apply online to receive £150 per school-age child, up to a maximum of three children per household. This grant can be used for essential
expenses such as new school uniforms, stationery, or travel passes.
The application window will remain open until September 1 or until the fund has been depleted. Hence, families are encouraged to apply as soon as they can.
At their recent online briefing, DAUK's GP committee outlined a comprehensive 10-point plan designed to relieve pressure on GPs, improve access, reduce
mortality rates, lower hospital admissions, and enhance patient satisfaction.
DAUK's manifesto advocates reallocating resources, including the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS), currently directed towards Pharmacy First and
acute care hub pilots, amounting to £2 billion.
This strategic reallocation aims to enhance primary care capacity and reduce reliance on acute services.
Dr Lizzie Toberty, DAUK's GP lead, emphasised the critical need for patients to have timely access to GPs who understand their needs, stating, "We need patients
to be able to see a GP who knows them and understands their needs in a timely way wherever possible."
She highlighted DAUK's vision to restore general practice as the cornerstone of the NHS through practical, achievable solutions.
Being able to access high-quality healthcare at the times you need it most is vital. Regardless of whether this is a simple check-up, a medical review or
complex surgery, having a suitable healthcare package designed according to your medical needs will be beneficial in the long run.
The NHS has recently come under significant strain. Factors such as an increase in the number of patients, reduced funding and increased life expectancy have led to
long waiting times and limited treatments.
As a result, more individuals are now seeking private healthcare which, while it may be more expensive, offers faster and more effective treatment. Here we'll discuss
some of the main benefits of private healthcare and why it is becoming the ideal choice for healthcare in 2023.
Reduced waiting times
One of the main issues faced by the NHS is waiting times, with some patients being made to wait up to a year for routine hospital care. Currently, ambulance services
and A&E units are under unprecedented pressure and it is estimated that hundreds of deaths each week are associated with admission delays.
Understaffing has been a chronic issue in recent years in the NHS and is a major threat to the welfare of patients. This has been one of the major concerns that has
led to nurses and ambulance staff taking strike action. As nurses and hospital workers are put under higher strain, they are more likely to make mistakes, which
could well lead to patients coming into harm and making a claim.
Opting for private healthcare guarantees that you are able to access your appointments, surgeries and treatments much quicker, with some flexibility offered to align
with your lifestyle. The capacity to bypass the painfully long waiting times ensures you receive the necessary medical attention much sooner and could prevent the
emergence of other health complications.
The Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay has proposed a new £30 million fund to speed up the adoption of innovative medical technology in the NHS.
He confirmed the plan today at the Conservative Party Conference 2023 in Manchester.
Mr Barclay said that virtual wards will help healthcare professionals embrace new technology to improve patient care.
He said: "It is vital that clinicians have access to the latest technology to save staff time, deliver high-quality care and help cut waiting lists - one of the
government's top five priorities.
"This investment will see the latest tech innovations rolled out across the NHS. From virtual ward beds to wearable medical devices, patients will be better
supported, and we will ease pressures on hospitals this winter.
"We're preparing for this winter earlier than ever before including delivering thousands more hospital beds and hundreds of new ambulances."
Poverty not only takes a significant toll on people's health but also leads to additional costs for the National Health Service (NHS). Rise in deep poverty,
cost-of-living crisis, and high pressure on NHS services have worsened the situation, according to a study published by The King's Fund this week.
The report underscored that poverty and deprivation contribute to a greater prevalence of diseases, difficulties in accessing health care, late or delayed
treatment, and worse health outcomes. These challenges could be seen across various NHS services, spanning from emergency care to dental services
Additionally, it revealed that 30 per cent of people living in the most deprived areas have turned to 999, 111, A&E or a walk-in centre because they could not
access a GP appointment.
In 2016, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) estimated the cost of poverty on health care at £29 billion (£34 billion in current prices). As the proportion of
people living in deep poverty has risen, the situation has worsened. In 2021/22, six million people were living in very deep poverty, up from 4.5 million two
decades ago. Currently, more than one in five people in the UK are estimated to be living in poverty, the report noted.
Deprivation is linked to a range of diet-related health problems, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as mental illness. According to the
report, the depression rate is two times higher among people living in the most deprived areas, compared to the least deprived areas.