Tough times for community pharmacies in England are far from over as the industry continues to grapple with major gaps in the workforce.
Even though the latest figures released by the Health Education England (HEE) Community Pharmacy Workforce Survey 2021 showed doubling of pharmacist vacancy rate in England to 8 per cent between 2017 and 2021, it flagged the contractors' difficulty level in filling up these positions.
The survey report showcased changes in the size and make-up of the community pharmacy workforce since the last survey conducted in 2017.
It revealed that 56 per cent of pharmacy contractors reported high difficulty level in recruiting pharmacists, up from 21 per cent in the earlier survey.
Moreover, a greater proportion - 60 per cent of contractors found filling up the pharmacy technician role 'fairly' or 'very' difficult.
Other roles in the sector considered difficult to fill included accuracy checkers and trained dispensing assistants, both at 58 per cent.
Community pharmacy contractors can now submit their December 2021 claims for the Pharmacy Collect service by the end of January 2022.
Considering high demand for Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test kits, the UK Health Security Agency, Department of Health and Social Care, and NHS England and NHS Improvement have agreed to extend the submission deadline "on an exceptional basis."
For December 2021 claims, contractors must make submissions before 11.59pm on January 31, 2022, Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has informed.
Britain on Monday (January 10) put the biggest private health companies on high alert to deliver crucial treatments such as cancer surgery should Omicron
overwhelm National Health Service hospitals in England.
The United Kingdom's death toll from the Covid-19 pandemic stands at 150,154, the world's seventh worst official Covid toll after the United States, Brazil, India, Russia, Mexico and Peru.
Prime minister Boris Johnson has bet on refraining from lockdowns to deal with the Omicron variant which in recent weeks has swept across the UK, albeit with death
rates significantly lower than previous waves.
In a sign of just how stretched the NHS could become, health secretary Sajid Javid ordered England's NHS to strike a three-month deal with private health companies to allow patients to get treatments such as cancer surgery outside.
"Millions of patients have already got their tests and treatment quicker thanks to our existing deal with independent providers," said David Sloman, NHS England chief operating officer and Covid incident director.
Walgreens Boots Alliance, the American owner of Boots UK, could risk losing billions after a private equity firm interested in buying its UK high street
pharmacy chain valued the retailer at a steep discount, The Telegraph reported on Monday (April 11).
"Buyout funds CVC and Bain indicated that they were willing to pay just £4bn for the business," the newspaper said, adding that "the consortium bowed out of the
running" in March.
The US retail giant Walgreens, which acquired Boots in 2014 for £9bn, has put a £7bn price tag on the UK pharmacy retail chain after selling its wholesale arm,
Alliance Healthcare, last year.
Citing city sources, the newspaper said the low valuation of the pharmacy multiple was "significant" because CVC's UK operations were led by Dominic Murphy, a
Walgreens board member involved with Boots for 15 years.
"He (Murphy) knows where the bodies are buried," the newspaper quoted one City source as stating. A spokesperson for Boots confirmed that CVC and Bain never
lodged a formal offer for the company.
As part of efforts to streamline spending and enhance resource allocation within the healthcare system, the NHS has chosen to cease providing the free
vaccinations for all, which were initially introduced in 2020. Approximately 12 million British citizens will not have access to free flu vaccinations and
Covid-19 boosters during the upcoming winter, according to NHS.
Furthermore, the NHS plans to defer flu vaccine distribution to October, aiming to heighten protection for those aged 65 and older and other eligible groups in
the high-risk winter months. However, this has stirred panic among pharmacies, given their advanced planning based on the initial start date of September 1 for
vaccinations.
On Tuesday (Aug. 8), the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) released NHS guidelines indicating that Covid-19 booster shots, starting from autumn,
will not be provided to individuals aged 50 to 64 who are in otherwise good health. Similar guidance had already been released for flu, rendering 12 million
middle-aged Britons ineligible for free jabs, JCVI said.
Prior to the pandemic, influenza vaccinations were available to healthy adults aged over 65, alongside children and younger adults with medical conditions. Amidst
the pandemic, the distribution of flu vaccinations was expanded to include individuals aged 50 to 64, in alignment with the criteria for Covid-19 boosters.
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.
Following a period of prolonged uncertainty, the Competition and Markets Authority has given its approval to Bestway Healthcare's acquisition of Lexon
UK and Asurex. The company expects the transactions to be finalised in the upcoming months.
In April, Bestway, the owner of Well Pharmacy, acquired Asurex Limited and Lexon UK Holdings, along with the 44-community pharmacy chain Norchem Group, known as
Knights Pharmacy. However, in June, the CMA raised competition-related concerns about the transaction, citing worries that the acquisition could lead to a
significant decrease in competition among retail pharmacies across 12 areas in Liverpool and the northeastern region of England.
The CMA had asked undertakings from Bestway Healthcare due to competition concerns affecting specific branches of Knights Pharmacy within the acquisition. In
July, the CMA indicated its readiness to approve the deal, contingent upon Bestway's completion of the required divestments.
According to Bestway Healthcare, This matter has been successfully resolved, as Bestway Healthcare has consented to the sale of seven pharmacies in Liverpool and
the northeastern region of England. "The impacted Well pharmacies are situated in Seaham, Bishop Auckland, Kenton, High Howden, Stockton, Moreton, and Pensby.
Buyers for all seven branches have been identified and contracts have been signed."
Pharmacy chain Superdrug has introduced what it asserts to be the most affordable private flu vaccinations offered on the UK high street. The vaccinations
will be priced at £8.79 for 17.2 million members of its Ghada , and £16.99 for non-members. The 2023-24 vaccination service is set to become available across 150 of
its stores starting from early September.
Superdrug has taken this step in response to a change in NHS England's inclusion criteria, which has rendered the 12 million individuals aged 50-65 ineligible for
the NHS flu vaccination service, the company said. The company is anticipating heightened demand for private flu vaccinations due to the postponed commencement of
the NHS service and alterations in eligibility for free flu jabs.
"Our waiting list for private flu vaccination services has already exceeded last year's figures, indicating a heightened demand this year," said Ghada Beal,
Superdrug's Healthcare Director. "Providing this service at a more accessible price-point is significant, given the eligibility changes that will impact millions.
Our private flu vaccination services provide a convenient means for individuals to safeguard themselves against flu and its potential complications."
In May, the government's annual flu vaccination programme letter indicated that individuals aged 50 to 64 won't receive free flu vaccinations in the 2023/24
season. Moreover, the NHS plans to delay flu vaccine distribution to October, with the goal of enhancing protection for those aged 65 and older and other eligible
groups during the winter months.
Novo Nordisk, the Danish drug manufacturer, has launched Wegovy, a weight-loss drug, in the UK market. This semaglutide injection will be available
through specialist NHS weight management services for those who meet the National Institute for Care and Excellence (NICE) criteria or privately through
registered healthcare professionals.
Novo Nordisk allocated a portion of the available supply of Wegovy for NHS services, while confirming the existing shortage of semaglutide and projecting
continued constraints in the foreseeable future. The drug can be obtained through the NHS and is additionally accessible for private purchase at pharmacies in the UK.
The pricing for a one-month supply varies, ranging from £73.25 to £175.80, depending on the dosage.
"We are committed to expanding treatment options for individuals with obesity and share the Government's goal of improving access to obesity care in areas of high
unmet medical need," the company said in a statement. "We are closely monitoring Wegovy demand and collaborating with regulators and providers to ensure access
to and continuity of treatment for people living with obesity."
The General Pharmaceutical Council's Fitness-to-Practise (FtP) committee has reversed its earlier decision ruling that a London pharmacist's statement,
attributing the Grenfell tragedy to "Zionist supporters of the Tory party," amounted to the propagation of anti-Semitic tropes.
In an initial 2020 hearing, the FtP committee found that a set of remarks delivered by Nazim Hussain Ali, Managing Partner of Chelsea Pharmacy Medical Clinic,
through a megaphone to a crowd assembled at a Palestinian rights rally in central London in 2017 were deemed "grossly offensive," but not classified as anti-Semitic.
Ali admitted his comments were offensive, but he was cleared of accusations of antisemitism and received a first warning on November 5, 2020.
However, the High Court overturned this decision in June 2021 following an appeal by the Professional Standards Authority as the Judge found evidence of
a "serious procedural or other irregularity" in the FtP committee's decision and instructed the GPhC to reopen the case.
The Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) has urged the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to collate the data on actively enrolled on an
approved course or qualification for Pharmacy Technicians of commencement of training.
In a letter from Nicola Stockmann, Vice President APTUK to the GPhC to encourage the collection of data for Pre-Registration Training Pharmacy Technicians,
Stockmann said: "We value the GPHC data for Pharmacy Technician registrants to track the growth and diversity of the Pharmacy Technician profession.
With ongoing inclusive pharmacy practice priorities, APTUK has an organisational pledge to continue this work of all themes through actions. The demographics
of the Pharmacy Technician workforce continue to have a majority of white British registrants and identifying as female; the high-level data collated which is
currently available on the GPHC website does not capture those who are actively enrolled on an approved course or qualification for Pharmacy Technicians."
The government has launched a consultation into radically changing the Statutory Scheme for branded medicines (known as the Statutory Scheme).
The consultation comes as delicate negotiations for replacing the alternative Voluntary Scheme are underway, potentially undermining these talks, while also further
damaging industry confidence in the UK as a viable place to research, launch and supply medicine.
The government proposals seek to hold average revenue clawback rates under the Statutory Scheme at historic highs of between 21-27%, compared to the pre-pandemic
averages of 9.4% for the Statutory Scheme (2019-2021), and 6.88% for the Voluntary Scheme (2014-2021). The accompanying cost-benefit analysis ignores any negative
impact this may have on medicine supply and wrongly claims it will boost investment.
The consultation comes on the heels of government data last week showing UK life sciences foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 47% between 2021 and 2022, down
by £900m year on year. This large fall in investment coincided with a rise in the main UK clawback rate under the Voluntary Scheme from 5% to 15%, and led to the
UK falling from 2nd to 9th out of 18 comparator countries for life sciences FDI in 2022. The Voluntary Scheme clawback rate now sits at a record 26.5% in 2023.
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The NHS claims that it's been able to save taxpayers £1.2 billion in just three years by procuring hundreds of hospital medicines at a better price.
The adoption of cheaper versions of a single drug - adalimumab - which is used to treat more than 45,000 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel
disease and psoriasis, has accounted for about one third of the savings.
After the exclusive patent on the drug - originally known as its brand name Humira - expired in 2018, the NHS struck cost-saving deals to bulk-buy generic versions,
which have the same quality, safety and efficacy of a branded one.
Since then, tens of millions of pounds have been saved by buying cheaper generic versions of other medicines for conditions ranging from severe skin infections to
aggressive blood cancers.
Four in five medicines prescribed in the NHS are now non-branded, helping the NHS to achieve significant savings while ensuring the continuity of high-quality
patient care.
NHS chief executive Amanda Pritchard said: "Smart deals by the NHS mean patients are getting the best medicines and taxpayers are getting best value.
Walgreens Boots Alliance on Tuesday (June 28) scrapped the plan to sell its UK high street pharmacy chain saying no third party was able to make an adequate
offer due to the turmoil in global financial markets.
Walgreens' move to call off the sale comes as private equity bidders Apollo Global and TDR faced headwinds in raising financing for the deal, as banks were wary
of underwriting large chunks of the financing due to tough market conditions.
Boots was initially valued at as much as £8bn with the auction process being led by Goldman Sachs.
Global economic uncertainty and rising inflation have triggered a spike in interest rates as central banks have rushed to take action in the most widespread
tightening of monetary policy for more than two decades, making deal financing costlier and harder to access.
Walgreens had put its Boots UK business up for sale after announcing a strategic review in January as the second-largest US pharmacy chain renewed its focus on
domestic healthcare.
The company said the decision to retain Boots and No7 Beauty Company was also underpinned by their ongoing strong performance.
Britain's competition watchdog has fined pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Flynn £63 million and £6.7 million respectively for allegedly breaking competition
law and illegally profiting from the sale of an anti-epilepsy drug.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that the two companies colluded to sell phenytoin sodium capsules, previously known as Epanutin, at "unfairly high
prices" for over four over years between 2012 and 2016.
The annual costs of the capsules for the NHS increased from £2 million in 2012 to approximately £50 million the following year.
CMA has accused Pfizer of charging, over four years, prices between 780 per cent and 1,600 per cent higher than what was fixed previously for the medicine used to
prevent life-threatening epileptic seizures.
Pfizer supplied the drug to Flynn, which then sold the capsules on to wholesalers and pharmacies at a price between 2,300 per cent and 2,600 per cent higher than
the prices previously charged by Pfizer.
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."
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reminded healthcare professionals prescribing aripiprazole to alert patients about its
possible side effects, following a rise in the number of reports of gambling disorder associated with the drug.
Patients taking aripiprazole, which is used for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, are at risk of developing unusual urges or cravings that they
cannot resist, including behaviours such as addictive gambling, excessive eating or spending, or an abnormally high sex drive.
The regulator has received 69 reports of gambling or gambling disorder suspected to be caused by aripiprazole in the last 14 years via the Yellow Card Scheme, out
of which 32 were received between 1 January and 31 August this year.
Alison Cave, MHRA Chief Safety Officer, said: "The number of reports for suspected gambling and other impulsive behaviours associated with aripiprazole are small
in comparison to the frequency with which it is prescribed, but the consequences for any patient developing these conditions can be significant."
A total of 37 more cases of monkeypox have been detected in England and Scotland, public health officials said on Monday, taking the total to 57.
Thirty-six confirmed cases were found in England, and one north of the border, the UK Health Security Agency and Public Health Scotland said.
The UKHSA said it was now advising high-risk contact cases of confirmed cases who have not tested positive or developed symptoms to isolate for up to 21 days.
It has also bought supplies of smallpox vaccine, which is being offered to close contacts to reduce the risk of symptomatic infection and severe illness.
Chief medical adviser Susan Hopkins said contact tracing was helping to limit the close-contact spread of the virus, which causes a chickenpox-like rash.
"Because the virus spreads through close contact, we are urging everyone to be aware of any unusual rashes or lesions and to contact a sexual health service if they have any symptoms," she added in a statement.
A fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccine is not needed at present, as latest data shows first booster provides high levels of protection against Omicron variant among older adults, says the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
After analysing latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), JCVI said: "There is no immediate need to introduce a second booster dose, or fourth jab,
to the most vulnerable".
Data from UKSHA revealed that single booster dose provides around 90 per cent protection against hospitalisation to those aged 65 and over, even after three months of jab.
However, protection against mild symptomatic infection is short-lived and drops to around 30 per cent by about three months.
The study, which looked at booster doses in those aged over 65, showed that with two vaccine doses, protection against the infection drops to around 70 per cent after three months and to 50 per cent after six months.
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