LloydsPharmacy has offered three per cent increase in base pay backdated to 1 April for its store pharmacists, the union of Pharmacists' Defence Association
(PDAU) who represented them has announced.
"We are pleased to announce that following a consultation of its members, the PDAU has informed the company that agreement can be reached on the company's latest
offer, made in July 2022," said the PDAU.
The offer made by the company also includes introduction of an overtime rate of 1.5 times basic pay for each hour worked after contracted hours. This will run for
a trial period and be reviewed as part of the next pay round.
"All pharmacists will receive an initial £1,000 payment under the proposed LTIP scheme, paid in April 2024. This will be to all in the bargaining unit and will not
be dependent on meeting any criteria such as targets," said PDAU.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved a second "bivalent" vaccine as a Covid-19 booster.
The updated booster vaccine made by Pfizer/BioNTech, targeting two coronavirus variants, has been approved for use in individuals aged 12 years and above.
In each dose of the booster vaccine, 'Comirnaty bivalent Original/Omicron', half of the vaccine (15 micrograms) targets the original virus strain and the other
half (15 micrograms) targets Omicron (BA.1).
Dr June Raine, MHRA chief executive said: "I am pleased to announce that we now have a second approved vaccine for the UK Autumn booster programme. The clinical
trial of the Pfizer/BioNTech bivalent vaccine showed a strong immune response against the Omicron BA.1 variant as well as the original strain.
Bivalent vaccines are helping us to meet the challenge of an ever-evolving virus, to help protect people against Covid-19 variants. We have in place a comprehensive
safety surveillance strategy for all UK-approved Covid-19 vaccines, and this will include the updated booster we approved today."
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 Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has announced that it will support its member impacted by the decision to close 300 more Boots pharmacies.
After the announcement of closure of 300 Boots pharmacies over the next year, the association believes this is approximately one out of every eight current
Boots pharmacy locations.
The company has insisted that the objective of this exercise is not to make existing pharmacist employees redundant, and they hope to be able to redeploy
individuals into nearby alternative locations. However, PDA believes that it is unlikely that suitable alternative roles will be available for all and
redundancy is a possibility for some.
The PDA Union will provide pharmacists with information, support, and representation as part of the recognition agreement so that members are aware of and
can exercise their rights at work. PDA officials will be in continued dialogue with the company throughout this closure programme.
Boots is reportedly closing another branch in Watton, Norfolk from January, after shutting its High Street branch in Gorleston last month.
The Boots store would be one of the four pharmacies expected to be closed next year in the county, which saw closures of six pharmacies in recent months,
according to a BBC report.
However, the retailer hasn't made any announcement regarding the Watton closure or commented on its decision to shut its Gorleston branch.
If the Boots' branch in Watton is closed, the town will be left with only one pharmacy to cater to the healthcare needs of a population of about 12,000, and
this is the concern people in the area have expressed.
Conservative councillor Tina Kiddell told BBC: "I do worry how they are going to cope, they're already incredibly overwhelmed now."
As part of its centenary celebrations, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has raised more than eleven thousand pounds for mental health charity Mind.
A total of £11,583 was raised for Mind and the Association continues to encourage members to support the charity.
The NPA marked its 100th birthday in 2021 and partnered with Mind in England and Wales, and equivalent charities in Scotland and Northern Ireland - SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) and Inspire Wellbeing - to raise awareness of pharmacy services for people with mental health problems and to generate funds for the work of these charities.
The NPA held set-piece events, such as sponsored walks, and pharmacists, colleagues and their families and friends were encouraged to organise their own activities.
Chief executive of the NPA, Mark Lyonette, said: "I was delighted to be at our sponsored walk in St Albans, home of our head office, last year. This and other fundraising events all underlined the message that community pharmacies are concerned with the wellbeing of the whole person - mind as well as body."
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 result from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)'s survey showed that pharmacists witnessed 'the cost of living is having an impact on whether people
can afford prescription medicines in England'.
RPS has long campaigned to remove prescription charges for people with long-term conditions in England because they create a financial barrier to patients receiving
the medicines needed to keep them well.
The charge currently stands at £9.35 per item prescrib9ed and an annual rise usually occurs in April. Prescriptions are free for people in Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland.
One in two pharmacists who responded to the survey said they've seen an increase in the last six months in patients asking them which medicines on their prescription
they can 'do without' due to affordability issues.
One in two pharmacists had seen a rise in people not collecting their prescription, whilst two out of three pharmacists reported an increase in being asked if there
was a cheaper, over-the-counter substitute for the medicine they had been prescribed.
In a bid to amplify the role of pharmacists in clinical services and vaccination programs, the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has embarked on a
groundbreaking collaboration with Aston University.
This initiative, funded by Innovate UK Business Connect, aims to explore the feasibility and impact of integrating additional healthcare interventions within
community pharmacies.
"The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) research project represents an exciting opportunity to advance the role of pharmacists in patient care," remarked
Alison Jones, Director of Policy at PDA.
"This project will be an important part of that evolution, supporting individual pharmacists to have more opportunities to practice and so develop more fulfilling
careers."
Led by the PDA and Aston University, the project will commence imminently, focusing on the Priory Community Pharmacy in Dudley.
More than a third of pharmacists who participated in a survey said they have seen an increase in patients declining prescriptions due to the cost in the
last 12 months.
The survey was jointly conducted by the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), extending their support for the
Prescription Charges Coalition (PCC).
Responding to the survey, 90 per cent of pharmacists admitted seeing cases where patients decline all the medicines on a prescription due to cost.
Nearly all respondents said they have seen cases where patients declined some of their prescribed medicines and more than a quarter of them have experienced
such situation often.
They have warned of the impact of prescription charges as patients are denying vital medicines, including those for blood pressure and mental health, inhalers,
antibiotics, pain relief, and statins, which can have potential consequences for the individual's health.
A recent report from Healthwatch England has highlighted that while people highly value the accessibility of community pharmacies, both in terms of
location and prompt service, they also encounter challenges in getting the most out of their pharmacy care experience.
The report titled 'Pharmacy: What People' is based on the research conducted by the organisation in November last year, involving 1,650 people who shared their
experiences of pharmacy services in England.
It showed the country's notable dependence on community pharmacies, with 72 per cent of respondents saying they have used a community pharmacy in the past three
months.
Usage of online pharmacies is considerably lower than community pharmacies, with only 18 per cent of individuals having used an online pharmacy in the past three
months, according to the report published on Tuesday (30 April).
People in the UK have a high level of trust in pharmacies and many are keen on seeing the Pharmacy First initiative expanded, according to the 2024 STADA
Health Report published today (24 June).
The 10th annual health report by global healthcare leader STADA Arzneimittel AG, the parent company of Thornton & Ross, involved a survey of over 46,000
respondents across 23 countries, including 2,000 participants from the UK.
The UK data showed an overwhelming trust in UK pharmacies, with 94 per cent of those surveyed (more than nine out of 10 Brits) saying they have only ever had
good advice from a pharmacist.
The report also indicated a strong desire for the Pharmacy First scheme to be expanded, with 44 per cent of respondents advocating for an increase in pharmacists'
scope of responsibilities to support doctors.
Amid the rapid rise in semaglutide usage, a study has suggested a potential risk of a rare eye condition associated with the weight loss drug.
Semaglutide, a glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA), is available under the brand name Ozempic (by Novo Nordisk) in a lower-dose form for managing
type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and as Wegovy (also by Novo Nordisk) in a higher-dose form for weight management in patients with high body mass indexes.
Anecdotal evidence has indicated that semaglutide might be linked to nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION).
To investigate this potential connection, researchers in the United States analysed data over a six-year period from nearly 17,000 neuro-ophthalmology patients at
Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, all of whom had no prior history of NAION.
"Raise awareness of pharmacies as places of primary health care provision," advocates the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), emphasising the
need for universal recognition of pharmacists as essential healthcare professionals.
Despite significant advancements in pharmacy practice, many policymakers and members of the public still view pharmacies primarily as commercial enterprises
rather than essential providers of healthcare services.
The FIP is leading a campaign to change this perception, advocating for pharmacies to be recognised as vital components of primary health care.
Primary health care is crucial for achieving "health for all."
In 2018, the Declaration of Astana saw governments recommit to strengthening primary health care to achieve universal health coverage.
FIP, a signatory to this declaration, has since been dedicated to enhancing the role and impact of pharmacies in primary health care.
There is a state of "emergency" across the community pharmacy sector, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has warned.
The organisation is holding a day of protest action, called 'One Day to #SaveOurPharmacies', on 20 June to draw attention to the sector's growing crisis.
During the protest, pharmacy teams across the UK are expected to take a range of symbolic actions - such as turning the lights out for a period, asking their
staff to wear black, blacking out windows, using the day to engage with patients, inviting parliamentary candidates and using #saveourpharmacies on social
media - signifying dark times for the beleaguered community pharmacy sector, the NPA said.
The organisation decided to choose 20 June for the protest as it marks the day from which the average pharmacy across the four nations will be "lossmaking
overall."
A snap survey conducted by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) revealed that over half of community pharmacy teams have felt unsafe in the past week
due to ongoing riots across the country.
The survey, which included responses from approximately 350 community pharmacies, also found that one in three pharmacies had considered closing because of
safety concerns, while 13 per cent of pharmacy teams reported experiencing racist comments during this period.
According to the NPA, over 40 per cent of pharmacists are of South Asian, Black, or other ethnic minority backgrounds, with the majority of independent community
pharmacy owners believed to be of South Asian heritage.
The association reports that businesses had been vandalised during the riots, leading some pharmacies to reduce their opening hours or close entirely, following
advice from the police and local authorities.
Despite a recent decline in disorder over the last few days, police have been advised to remain on high alert over the weekend.
As the general election campaign continues, Labour is set to introduce a series of policies aimed at supporting small businesses.
On Saturday, Sir Keir Starmer, alongside shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves and other shadow cabinet ministers, is expected to unveil the party's plans for the sector.
Key proposals include an overhaul of the business rates system to enable high street shops to compete with online giants and ensure access to high street
banking services by accelerating the establishment of banking hubs.
Labour will also commit to addressing the issue of late payment of invoices by requiring large businesses to disclose their payment practices and "revitalise" high
streets by tackling antisocial behaviour.
Sir Keir described small businesses as "the beating heart of driving growth and creating jobs for local people."
A recent analysis conducted by the Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has revealed stark disparities in patient engagement with the Pharmacy First
service across the country, likening the pattern to a 'patchwork quilt'.
It indicated that patients in the highest-performing Integrated Care System (ICS) received seven times more Pharmacy First consultations than those in the
lowest-performing regions.
As of April 21, more than 3,000 CCA member pharmacies had delivered 126,484 Pharmacy First consultations since the programme's launch.
However, the analysis found significant regional variations, with nearly 13,000 consultations completed in the North East and North Cumbria ICS, while only
948 were completed in Gloucestershire ICS.
The CCA calculated that if every ICS had as many consultations as the highest-performing ICS, there would have been an additional 600,000 Pharmacy First
consultations nationwide.