"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.
Community Pharmacy England (CPE) is gearing up to conduct a vital Pharmacy Advice Audit, calling on pharmacy owners and their teams to help measure the
increasing reliance on pharmacies within communities.
With years of financial strains impacting the sector, despite the much-needed £645 million recovery plan funding, the sector finds itself on the edge.
The launch of Pharmacy First sparked a notable surge in people seeking advice from community pharmacies, both within and beyond the funded service, as revealed
by recent sector polling.
To accurately assess this trend and advocate for sustainable funding, CPE is initiating an audit to gather data crucial for showcasing the extent of unfunded
care provided by community pharmacies.
Scheduled to commence this week, the Pharmacy Advice Audit will entail pharmacy teams documenting informal healthcare advice dispensed over a single day.
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.
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).
Pharmacy Business will be hosting their annual awards event in the pharmacy calendar with a glittering ceremony to celebrate the very best of community pharmacy.
The 23rd edition of the Pharmacy Business Awards will be on Wednesday 4 October 2023 in central London.
The awards attract the biggest names in pharmacy, with heads of pharmacy organisations, CEOs of leading manufacturers and wholesalers, health officials and
government ministers in attendance.
We look forward to bringing together the shining lights of community pharmacy, who show the nation the unique services they continue to provide.
REASONS TO ATTEND
Understand what the ambitions of the NHS and PSNC are for the future of community pharmacy
Understand why its important to develop a wider range of health services
Learn how others are achieving this and what the benefits can be
Learn what the benefits of embracing technological innovations are
Hear what others are doing and what the benefits are to their business
Network with and learn from your peers in community pharmacy
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
Pharmacy owners
Pharmacy managers
Other pharmacy stakeholders
Exciting news! Pharmacy Business Awards 2023 are just around the corner!
Any prescription for Promethazine hydrochloride 10mg tablets x 56 submitted for payment to the NHSBSA for July 2022 will be reimbursed at the new price of
£17.77 not as per the price concession of £13.45 announced in the 4th concessions update published on 29 July 2022, said the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating
Committee (PSNC).
In July 2022, PSNC received several reports from contractors unable to obtain Promethazine hydrochloride 10mg tablets (56) at the published Drug Tariff price of
£4.24.
Therefore, it submitted a request for a price concession, which was granted and subsequently published but this was later withdrawn after confirmation from the
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) that due to the price change mechanism, the reimbursement price for Promethazine hydrochloride 10mg tablets has
increased from £4.24 to £17.77 for July 2022.
PSNC said, "Following the price change mechanism rules, for generic drugs (excluding drugs in Category M), a price change up to and including the 8th of the month
takes effect for prescriptions dispensed in that same month. Any price change after the 8th takes place in the following month."
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has developed a webtool to help community pharmacy contractors estimate the impact on their payments
under the new discount deduction system.
The calculator aims to illustrate the changes to discount deduction that a pharmacy could experience during the transition to the new arrangements from October 2022
to January 2024, when the new system will be fully in place.
PSNC's calculator requires contractors to input information about their individual pharmacy dispensing mix (i.e. split of reimbursement by appliances, brands and
generics) to provide an estimate for the level of impact the new discount deduction system will have.
"The impact on individual pharmacies cannot be estimated without using dispensing mix data, meaning that any estimates which do not take this into account will not
be reliable," said PSNC.
For years many contractors have been frustrated by how discount is applied to their accounts and have often raised concerns about the blanket nature of its
application to PSNC.
Drug addiction poses a serious challenge since it impacts one's physical and mental health. However, the good news is that individuals who complete a drug
rehabilitation program can overcome this problem. If you are interested in providing rehab services, there are a couple of things you should know. Read on to
learn how to operate a rehabilitation clinic flawlessly.
KNOW THE NEEDS OF YOUR CLIENTS
The main purpose of drug rehab is to help different people overcome addictions. It is designed to heal the body and mind from the negative effects of addiction.
It also teaches the affected individuals to learn to live without using substances. Therefore, your first step is to conduct a comprehensive assessment of each
client to formulate a personalized treatment plan. Everyone has unique needs in their recovery journey.
Your rehab program can start with detox which is designed to rid the body of substances, although it does not treat addiction. The person affected undergoes
different therapies during treatment. Therapy helps them deal with the issues that cause substance abuse and teach them healthier ways of life. Various therapies
will be applied throughout the entire treatment process. Therefore, you must choose a suitable therapy for each individual. For instance, motivational interviewing
and cognitive behavioral therapy are the most common.
Addiction is a complex disease that can be difficult to overcome. Many people don't realize how serious addiction is and often don't seek treatment until
it's too late. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, it's important to learn as much as you can about the treatment process. This blog post
will discuss six vital things that you should know about addiction treatment.
RESEARCH THE VARIOUS TYPES OF TREATMENTS AVAILABLE
One of the first things you should do when considering addiction treatment is to research the different types of treatments available. There are many different
approaches to treating addiction, and it's important to find one that will work best for you or your loved one. Some common types of addiction treatments include
12-step programs, cognitive-behavioral therapy, detoxification, and medication-assisted treatment. The addiction treatment service providers behind Safe Harbor
Treatment Center suggest that you should also consider the length of treatment, as some programs are more intensive than others. It's important to remember that
no two people are the same, so what works for one person may not work for another. It's important to find a treatment that will address the underlying causes of
addiction and help the individual to develop healthy coping mechanisms.
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has warned of multi-million financial hit for community pharmacies, while the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating
Committee (PSNC) has renewed its calls for urgent financial support amid a looming energy bill crisis.
NPA board member, Olivier Picard, this week shared a screenshot of his estimated electricity bill on WhatsApp groups. Upon expiration of his current arrangements,
in October, his electricity bill could rise from its current £1,821 for one pharmacy to an estimated £6,914 - a near fourfold increase.
Piccard said: "This is an eye-watering rise in costs for my own pharmacies and adds to the intense financial pressure we're already under. My standing charges will
multiply by 10 and the overall cost to each pharmacy amounts to about £5,000."
His comments come just ahead of an NPA-commissioned report into pharmacy inflation which will provide an analysis of inflationary costs pressing on the community
pharmacy sector, from utilities and workforce to medicines purchasing.
Numark Pharmacy is hosting an event today (December 4) to mark the takeover of one of the former Lloyds Pharmacy stores in Cumnock, Scotland.
It has renamed the acquired pharmacy on Tanyard as Rowlands Pharmacy Cumnock HC, which will be reopened to the community on Monday.
Rowlands Pharmacy Cumnock HC, which is the latest to reopen in Scotland, will be run by Pharmacy manager Meghan Mcewan, supported by a team of colleagues from the
local community.
At the new branch, the team will oversee prescription dispensary, vaccination services, over-the-counter medications, emergency contraception, and medication review.
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."
Department of Health of Social Care (DHSC) has confirmed that the Dexcom One Transmitter will be added to Part IXA of the March 2023 Drug Tariff.
"Previously, patients were advised to obtain the free-of-charge Dexcom One transmitters directly from the pharmacies, without a prescription, as the original
Drug Tariff application for the transmitter was unsuccessful," said the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC)
It has raised concerns with DHSC and Dexcom that these distribution arrangements for transmitters are unacceptable because they result in extra unfunded activity
for community pharmacies.
Both, DHSC and Dexcom acted upon these concerns by agreeing to add the Dexcom One transmitter to the Drug Tariff from March 2023. At the same time, Dexcom One CGM
System (containing 1 sensor, 1 sensor applicator, 1 transmitter) will also be added to the March Drug Tariff.
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.
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."
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 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.
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 Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has finally published its response to the 2022 consultation on hub and spoke dispensing.
Considering the consultation evidence and further discussions, the government has expressed its intention to progress the proposals for enabling hub and spoke models
across different legal entities as soon as possible.
This will be achieved by using the enabling powers outlined in Part 2 of the Medicines and Medical Devices Act 2021 (MMDA) to amend the Medicines Act 1968 and the
HMRs.
Furthermore, the DHSC has decided to proceed with the implementation of the two models of hub and spoke dispensing that it consulted on.
The government response to the consultation reads: "Having considered the responses, the government intend to proceed to implement the necessary changes to medicines
legislation to remove the current restrictions that prevent the hub and spoke dispensing models from operating across different legal entities found in section 10 of
the Medicines Act 1968.