The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has raised concern over the Health Education England (HEE)'s decision on cutting funding to independent prescribing
training.
The HEE has reportedly decided that no funding will be available to back-fill trainees undertaking the pharmacist independent prescribing (PIP) qualification, or
for the supervision of trainees by DPPs and DMPs.
The PDA noted that, whilst all successful trainee pharmacists will be entering the GPhC register as independent prescribers from 2026, the existing pharmacist
workforce is reliant on opportunities to undertake prescriber training through release from their employment, and the ability to secure a Designated Medical
Practitioner (DMP) or Designated Prescribing Practitioner (DPP) to support the 90 days of supervised practice required.
The association said it has already heard examples of potential DMPs or DPPs requesting a significant fee from trainees before they will provide supervision,
adding that meeting that request is not an option for many.
"This latest decision threatens to undermine the availability of the large numbers of pharmacists seeing supervisors as more IP training becomes available," it
said in a statement.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) made a recent announcement that the Incubator for Artificial Intelligence (i.AI) and NHS England (NHSE) have
joined forces in a groundbreaking move by signing a Collaboration Charter on AI.
This pivotal partnership aims to equip the NHS workforce with the tools and resources to leverage AI technology for enhancing patient care, improving staff
experience, and driving operational efficiency.
The Charter, endorsed by Minister Burghart, Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office, and Lord Markham, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the DHSC,
signifies an important step towards integrating AI into the fabric of the NHS.
Under this collaboration, the i.AI team, comprising elite technical experts within the government, will identify opportunities where AI technology can be deployed
responsibly to support the NHS.
This initiative is expected to streamline processes, optimize resource allocation, and ultimately enhance patient outcomes.
In a significant move to enhance the working conditions of over 50,000 postgraduate doctors in the National Health Service, NHS England has unveiled a
series of measures aimed at providing greater choice and opportunities to the new entrants in the medical profession.
With flexible rotas, reducing payroll errors, and easing the financial burden of course fees, the NHS has taken steps to address the issues faced by junior
doctors in order to support their well-being.
In recent announcement, 83 per cent of senior doctors and dentists accepted the government's pay offer.
Alongside the junior doctors who still fighting for fair pay and recognition, the senior medical professionals demanded that the authorities help them tackle
issues pertaining underfunding and overworking in the NHS.
Junior doctors in training also often face challenges with frequent moves between trusts, leading to short notice changes in work schedules and duplicated
inductions when transitioning to new hospitals.
As a measure taken by the health serivces, the committee aims to review the minimum legal requirements for statutory and mandatory training, potentially halving
the time burden for such training and allowing doctors to spend more time caring for patients as part of the long-term workforce plan.
In a groundbreaking move, the Department of Education has initiated the first phase of its ambitious childcare expansion plan, offering a lifeline to
thousands of working parents of two-year-olds nationwide.
Effective from April 1, working parents now have access to 15 hours a week of government-funded childcare, marking the onset of the largest-ever childcare
provision expansion in the country's history.
This milestone initiative aims to alleviate the financial strain on families and promote workforce participation, with over 150,000 children projected to benefit
from government-funded places.
By September 2025, the expansion will culminate in working parents gaining access to 30 hours of free childcare, offering substantial annual savings and enabling
parents to navigate the delicate balance between work and family commitments.
Acknowledging the pivotal role of childcare in supporting families and driving economic growth, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak emphasized the government's commitment
to delivering on its promise of expanded childcare provision.
The UK government will lay legislation today (13 December 2023) to allow the General Medical Council (GMC) to begin the process of regulating medical
associates to expand their roles in the NHS.
This will support plans to reduce pressure on doctors and GPs and improve access for patients, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said.
Physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) will have the same levels of regulatory oversight and accountability as doctors and other regulated
healthcare professionals once the regulations come into force, which is expected at the end of 2024.
The GMC will design and deliver detailed regulatory processes for registration, education, standards and fitness to practise for both professions.
The results of a national NHS staff survey, published recently, revealed that frontline healthcare workers are facing record levels of discrimination at
work, with 58,000 respondents reporting that they experienced "unacceptable" levels of unwanted sexual behaviour from the public last year.
Concerningly, 8.67 per cent of 675,140 NHS workers who responded to the poll said they suffered sexual harassment from patients, patients' relatives, or other
members of the public in 2023.
Particularly, ambulance staff were affected, with nearly 25 per cent of staff reporting unwanted sexual behaviour from the public last year.
According to the survey findings, 3.84 per cent of staff also encountered unwanted sexual behaviour from their colleagues.
Dr Navina Evans, Chief Workforce, Training and Education Officer, described the survey results as "very distressing" and said that "such conduct should not be
tolerated in the NHS."
On the positive side, more NHS workers reported being happier at work and experiencing less burnout than before. Over half of the participants stated they look
forward to coming to work, the highest number since 2020, as per the NHS.
Dr Evans attributed this improvement to initiatives such as flexible working hours, clinical support squads to help menopausal women at work, and human resources
stay advocates.
The government has earmarked £200 million to enhance NHS resilience and expedite patient care during the upcoming winter season. This extra amount will
bolster the health service during its busiest period, while protecting elective care so we can keep cutting waiting lists, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said.
On August 13, the Prime Minister and Health and Social Care Secretary met with clinical leaders and NHS Chiefs to strategise and refine planning for urgent and
emergency care, while prioritising the preservation of waiting list targets for the upcoming winter season.
"Patients can be reassured that I will always back the NHS, so that those who most need help and support will get the care they need," Sunak said. "Winter is
the most challenging time for the health service, which is why we've been planning for it all year - with huge government investment to fund new ambulances, beds
and virtual wards."
"This £200 million investment, assured by the Department of Health and Social Care as new and additional funding, should aid NHS leaders in their preparations and
mitigation for what will be a seriously difficult winter period," said Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of NHS Confederation. "The priority now is swift allocation
of funding to local systems for optimal utilisation."