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Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) have been tasked to evaluate the impact, safety and effectiveness of the Pharmacy First service, which was launched across England in January 2024. They have been awarded £2.4million by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to generate evidence on the new service that allows pharmacies to provide advice and treatment for seven common conditions without the need for a GP appointment. After consultation, if necessary, a community pharmacist can supply some prescription-only medicines to treat earache, sore throat, sinusitis, impetigo, shingles, infected insect bites or uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women. The LSHTM researcher team will be working together with experts at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Universities of Oxford, Manchester and Nottingham on the project. Dr Rebecca Glover, assistant professor in Antimicrobial Resistance at LSHTM, who will lead the three-year project, said they will evaluate "Pharmacy First's impact on GPs and the wider NHS, pharmacy services and patients."

Despite the government's announcement on lifting most Covid-19 related restrictions from next Thursday (January 27), people working in community pharmacies will be required to adhere to the UK Health Security Agency's infection prevention control (IPC) guidance. The ambit the guidance, which aims to protect everyone against the infection, also covers GP practices, dental practices and optometry practices, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee said in an update. The negotiators also urged community pharmacy teams to encourage patients to wear a face covering while vising pharmacy to keep staff and other patients safe. Prime minister Boris Johnson announced on Wednesday (January 19) that Covid-19 restrictions re-imposed in England last month would be lifted by from next Thursday (January 27).

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.

The Health Select Committee Expert Panel has concluded in its report published on Tuesday (25 July) that the funding aspect in the community pharmacy sector 'requires improvement' based on the evidence received. The Expert Panel reviewed nine Government commitments, seven of which were from the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework. It was found that available funding was not sufficient to keep pharmacies open, struggling financially with increased demand for dispensing, workforce pressures and rising costs due to inflation. One of the other commitments requiring improvement covered a scheme intended to protect access to local physical NHS pharmaceutical services in areas where there were fewer pharmacies. Professor Dame Jane Dacre, Chair of the Expert Panel, said: "Pharmacy plays a key role in the delivery of care so it's disappointing that progress overall to deliver on the Government's commitments was rated as 'requires improvement'.

The Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has published a 'pharmacy paradox paper' which outlines how community pharmacy can match the ambition amidst the workforce crisis. The sector is experiencing a workforce crisis, exacerbated by NHS recruitment of community pharmacists into primary care networks. Pharmacies are also facing a significant increase in demand on services. CCA said, "A stretched and reduced pharmacy workforce is having to deliver more and more. This is unsustainable." "Unless the tension between ambition and capacity is addressed, there is a risk that community pharmacies will not only not meet their potential, but the existing offer could be compromised." Therefore, the association has set out solutions to resolve the current paradox between ambition and reality.

The Department of Health has published 'A Guide to Developing the Role of Consultant Pharmacists' in Northern Ireland on Thursday (22 June). The guidance provides direction on supporting a consistent approach to the introduction of senior clinical pharmacy roles within and across HSC organisations. The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Professor Cathy Harrison said: "There is a recognised need for increased clinical pharmacy and medicines focussed leadership across our HSC." "Consultant Pharmacists have an essential role in healthcare as clinicians and as leaders who make a significant impact to medicines optimisation and clinical governance, providing a vital link between clinical practice and service development by generating and disseminating evidence to drive improvements in care. "I am delighted that this guidance has been published to take forward the strategic development and appointment of the consultant pharmacy workforce in both primary and secondary care and to enable pharmacy to be at the forefront of healthcare in NI".

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Pharmacist Support hosted a roundtable on the impact of pharmacy workforce wellbeing on patient safety on Wednesday (17 May). It also released its annual Workforce Wellbeing Survey which showed continued pressures on pharmacy teams. The discussion explored the actions needed to support staff so they can continue providing safe and effective patient care and included representatives from the NHS, professional bodies, employers, trade unions, education and regulators. A report of the roundtable will be published in the summer. Amandeep Doll, RPS Head of Professional Belonging, said: "We know that pharmacy teams go above and beyond for their patients, but are also under enormous pressure. "Now more than ever, we need to strive to make the pharmacy profession more inclusive and ensure that everyone's wellbeing is supported. "It is vital that we do all we can to encourage people into pharmacy and to support them so they can enhance their skills, develop their careers, and continue to deliver high-quality patient care. "This discussion was a welcome step and showed that making a difference for staff wellbeing requires a concerted effort from stakeholders across the whole of pharmacy.

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved Anastrozole in a new use to prevent the disease. The off-patent drug has been used as a breast cancer treatment for many years. Clinical trials have shown that it can reduce the incidence of breast cancer in post-menopausal women with increased risk by almost 50 per cent. Health Minister Will Quince expressed his happiness on the approval of the drug that can help to prevent this "cruel disease". He said: "We've already seen the positive effect Anastrozole can have in treating the disease when it has been detected in post-menopausal women and now we can use it to stop it developing at all in some women.

Alitam Group, the 100-plus pharmacy store consolidation, has appointed Bharti Patel, the former group executive director of Avicenna to its executive board. Patel, who was part of the leadership team at Avicenna until late 2021, brings with her a wealth of experience covering pharmaceuticals, multiple retail and independent pharmacy, homecare and NHS primary and secondary care. In her early career, she worked at Lloyds Pharmacy, where she rose from a prescription medicines buyer to director of procurement over a period of eight years. She is known in the industry for her strong leadership, commercial acumen and ability to create opportunities for innovation and strategic partnerships. Alitam founder and CEO Feisal Nahaboo said in a statement that Patel's appointment will further strengthen the group's ability to deliver its transformative multi-billion-pound 'Pharmacy of the Future' concept.

The Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has responded positively to the Labour Party's manifesto, which outlines plans to bolster community pharmacy services and shift the NHS towards a more localized, prevention-focused model. Key proposals include the creation of a Community Pharmacist Prescribing Service and the enhancement of care delivery in local communities. Malcolm Harrison, Chief Executive of the CCA, expressed strong support for these initiatives and said: "We welcome the Labour Party Manifesto's clear focus on moving to a 'Neighbourhood Health Service', prevention, and the return of the 'family doctor'." "Harnessing community pharmacy is crucial to delivering each of these," Harrison added.

Britain on Tuesday (January 4) faced warnings of an impending hospital crisis due to staff shortages caused by a wave of Omicron infections, as the country returned to work after Christmas. However, Britain's vaccine minister said hospitalised Covid-19 patients were showing less severe symptoms than before, adding that there was no need for further restrictions at this stage. Prime minister Boris Johnson resisted imposing stringent lockdown measures in England ahead of New Year as Omicron fuelled a spike in cases to record highs. While hospitalisations are rising they have not tracked the trajectory of daily cases, possibly reflecting the impact of vaccines and booster shots, the likely lower severity of Omicron and the time lag in people going into hospital. "At the moment, if you look at the people who have been hospitalised, they are going in with less severe conditions than before," minister for Vaccines and Public Health Maggie Throup told Sky News, adding that the "Plan B" Johnson brought in in December was working. "The numbers that are in hospital beds is about half what it was a year ago - and that just shows the power of the vaccine."

The price concession for Atorvastatin 80mg has been increased to £3.91 from the previously set £3.45 for prescriptions dispensed in July, the Community Pharmacy England has said. The Department of Health and Social Care additionally introduced a concession price of £3.38 for Atorvastatin 20mg. "In July, our Dispensing and Supply Team experienced an unusually high influx of reports from pharmacies struggling to acquire Atorvastatin 80mg tablets at the listed Drug Tariff price," said CPE. CPE requested a price concession early in the month. However, after extended discussions, an agreement on the price wasn't reached. Consequently, on July 31st, the DHSC imposed a concession of £3.45. Addressing enduring pharmacy concerns over the pricing, CPE intensified advocacy with DHSC. This endeavour resulted in the revision of the Atorvastatin 80mg tablet concession price to £3.91 for prescriptions submitted and dispensed in July. According to CPE, this adjusted price sufficiently covers costs as reported by the majority of pharmacy owners. However, DHSC has refrained from modifying concessionary prices for the other two requested lines by CPE. DHSC communicated that their team's data collection for July, employing real-time sales and volume data, was incongruent with the adjustment of these prices, CPE further said.

In the parliamentary drop-in-event hosted by Community Pharmacy England last week, Members of Parliament (MPs) questioned the Health Secretary on the rising issue of medicines supply. "Eighteen community pharmacists in my constituency are reporting challenges on medicine supplies. What more is the Minister going to do to get a grip of this situation?", Mike Amesbury MP for Weaver Vale, who was present at the event last week, asked the Health Secretary. In his response, the Health Secretary, Steve Barclay MP said: "We have a long-standing team in the Department focused on medical supplies, which are a continual issue; as a matter of routine business, there are often challenges in that area." The Shadow Pharmacy Minister, Karin Smyth MP, also asked: "People across the country rely on local, accessible pharmacies, but whether it is high street closures or supply problems leading to the absurd situation where women are phoning or visiting multiple pharmacies for a prescribed dose of hormone replacement therapy and other drugs…They have repeatedly announced plans to expand the role of community pharmacies but have failed to update legislation that could possibly help. … Why will they not do so?

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."

Margaret MacRury has stepped down from her role as superintendent director for the Rowlands Pharmacy, which has a community pharmacy network in England,Scotland and Wales with more than 450 branches. MacRury, who served the role for a decade, will step down next month to focus on the pharmacy contract developments taking place in Scotland, Rowlands said in a statement. She will start her new role in February 2022. With MacRury leaving the position, Stephen Thomas, currently her deputy, will take up the role of superintendent for Rowlands. He has been with the multiple for nearly 18 years and has worked side-by-side with MacRury for the last decade. MacRury stated: "I know Stephen will continue that commitment to protecting patients and promoting the pharmacy sector.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) is distributing new campaign materials to pharmacies across England this week to empower them to advocate for fair funding in the forthcoming general election. These include campaign posters, stickers, postcards for patients to send to MPs and petition materials. By supplying these resources, the NPA aims to boost its cross-sector #SaveOurPharmacies campaign and help pharmacies raise local and national awareness of the funding crisis that is forcing pharmacies to close at the rate of 10 a week. NPA chief executive Paul Rees said: "Pharmacies are under crushing financial pressure. We want to help them join our efforts to raise the profile of the funding crisis and make the public and politicians fully aware of the threat to our much-loved pharmacy network.

Ensuring comprehensive healthcare services for the community necessitates collaboration between pharmacies and GP surgeries. However, several pharmacists have voiced concerns about a lack of cooperation from their local GPs in implementing the Pharmacy First (PF) service. In a survey conducted by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) covering 470 pharmacies across England, three-quarters of pharmacists (77 per cent) indicated that local GP practices are not appropriately referring patients to the new service. The survey highlighted instances of patients either not being referred or being referred but found ineligible for support through Pharmacy First. Additionally, one in five NPA members (19 per cent) felt that their local GP practices were not engaging with the initiative at all. Commenting on the issue, NPA chair Nick Kaye said: "Feedback from across our network suggests that the rollout of Pharmacy First varies considerably from area to area.

Darren Jones MP, the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, visited Sigma Pharmaceuticals plc's new Watford facility on Thursday (6 June) as part of the imminent Labour Party campaign trail. Jones was joined by Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate for Watford, Matt Turmaine, and a team of campaign workers. During their visit, the Labour delegation met with the directors and founding member of Sigma, Dr Bharat Shah CBE, and discussed the importance of investment and support for growing businesses and the pharmaceutical sector both in the region and across the country. Sigma Pharmaceuticals, which is believed to be Watford's largest employer, noted that the pharmaceutical sector contributes a significant value to the East of England, accounting for 12.3 per cent of the region's manufacturing gross value added (GVA).

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."

Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) members working for Boots have raised concerns over possible reduction in their pay following the multiple's proposed changes to some pharmacies' opening hours. Member pharmacists have expressed concerns as "despite verbal assurances that the company aim to minimise pharmacist job losses, they are being told that proposed changes will reduce their income if they remain with the company," PDA has stated. PDA added that several pharmacists have been told that the proposed reduction to their hours will be more than 10 per cent, which could result in reduction in pay every month. Salary cuts could render future employment unsuitable and might force pharmacists to leave the company with redundancy, the association said.