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The Royal Pharmaceutical Society's (RPS) second roundtable on workforce wellbeing resulted in a series of collaborative actions to address pharmacy professionals' mental health and wellbeing challenges. The roundtable brought together key stakeholders from the pharmacy sector, including organisations like the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), Community Pharmacy England (CPE), the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), and the profession's independent charity Pharmacist Support (PS). A report detailing the outcomes of the meeting was published on Friday, highlighting the key areas of discussion and the agreed-upon actions by the participants. During the roundtable, participants discussed the importance of understanding the workforce demographics, both nationally and locally, and using data to address wellbeing issues effectively. They also emphasised the need for using supportive standards set by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) quality statement to support and empower pharmacists' wellbeing positively.

Your gut, often referred to as your "second brain," plays a crucial role in your overall health and well-being. From digestion to immunity, mood regulation to nutrient absorption, the gut impacts various aspects of our daily lives. With increasing awareness of the gut-brain connection, prioritizing gut health has become a cornerstone of holistic wellness. In this article, we explore effective strategies to support and nurture your gut, empowering you to enhance your quality of life through simple yet impactful practices. Nourish with Probiotic-Rich Foods The gut microbiome, comprised of trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms, is a dynamic ecosystem essential for digestive health and immune function. To maintain a healthy balance of gut flora, incorporating probiotic-rich foods into your diet is paramount. Yogurt, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, and kombucha are excellent sources of beneficial bacteria that promote gut diversity and resilience. These fermented foods not only replenish your gut with probiotics but also provide essential nutrients and enzymes vital for optimal digestion. By regularly including probiotic foods in your meals, you can foster a thriving gut microbiome, fortifying your body's natural defenses against pathogens and inflammation.

A recent study, conducted by CBD experts at Brown's CBD, unveiled Dundee as the UK's leading CBD hotspot, with an average monthly search volume of 530.29 per 100,000 residents, sparking a surge of interest in natural wellness solutions. New research analysed search volume data across UK cities for CBD-related terms, reflecting a staggering 1100% increase in searches for 'what is CBD' over the last decade. Following Dundee, Brighton secures the second spot in the rankings with an average monthly search volume of 530.08 per 100,000 residents for CBD related terms, closely trailed by St. Albans in third place. Other notable cities making the top ranks include Gloucester, Hereford, and Bath, indicating a widespread curiosity about CBD products and their purported health benefits.

The number of people living to be 100 or more increased by 3.7 per cent in England and Wales in 2022, compared to the previous year, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). ONS data also revealed that the number of centenarians in the UK has more than doubled in the last two decades. Wales has more centenarians (27 people per 100,000 aged 100 or over) than England (25 people per 100,000). It's good news that more people are living into their second century, but it also means that we may need to rethink our health plans for a longer future, a leading testing expert has suggested.

With the Pharmacy First services scheduled for launch end of this month, legislators explored the potential of community pharmacies to offer specific diagnostic and treatment services in the second public evidence session of pharmacy inquiry this week (January 16). The new service, which will enable pharmacists to offer advice and prescribe treatment for seven minor ailments, is expected to alleviate the pressure on the NHS, reduce GP workload, and cut waiting lists. But MPs and healthcare leaders also acknowledged that there's hesitancy and the mindset of 'GP first, not Pharmacy First' among members of the public. "We must accept that many patients are used to seeing their GP as their first port of call for many health conditions. Pharmacy First is welcome, but there are going to be some restrictions on how quickly some patients will want to take up some of those services, rather than seeing their GP," said William Pett, Head of Policy, Public Affairs and Research, Healthwatch England.

Within 24 hours of the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton's, cancer diagnosis, National Health Service (NHS) England saw a 373% spike in visits to its cancer page, highlighting the growing focus on cancer awareness. Similarly, charities like Macmillan Cancer Support charity experienced increased traffic, with nearly 100,000 visits to their support pages since the announcement. Traffic to the NHS website's cancer symptoms page surged significantly, recording a remarkable 4,172 visits within three hours of the release of the Princess's video message. This sudden increase translated to an average of one visit every three seconds, a substantial rise from the 1,922 visits recorded during the same timeframe a week earlier. Notably, visits to the symptoms page peaked immediately after the announcement, with 1,678 visits recorded between 6 pm and 7 pm on the day of the announcement.

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.

Period problems, women's health research and support for domestic and sexual abuse victims are among the government's priorities for women's health in 2024, which Health Secretary Victoria Atkins announced at the Women's Health Summit on Wednesday. Organised in central London, the event marked the second year of the landmark Women's Health Strategy for England. Victoria joined women's health champions to celebrate successes of strategy's first year and outlined plans for coming year, which also include improving maternity care and support for mothers who suffer birth trauma. Successes achieved over the strategy's first 12 months include reducing the cost of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for nearly half a million women and the rollout of specialist women's health hubs in every local health area. A new dedicated women's health section of the NHS website was also created, providing updated information, advice and practical resources for women's health across the life course.

Consumer healthcare group Haleon on Thursday announced that it has entered into a binding agreement for the sale of the ChapStick brand to Suave Brands Company, a company owned by American private equity firm Yellow Wood Partners. The British consumer healthcare company has agreed to sell its lip balm brand to Suave for about $430 million in cash and a minority interest in the buyer, valued at around $80 million. Haleon, which was spun off from the GSK Group in July 2022, said that cash proceeds from the sale would be used to pay down debt. ChapStick generated £112 million ($142.5 million) in revenue in 2023, said Haleon, adding that the sale is likely to close in the second quarter of 2024. Brian McNamara, Chief Executive Officer, Haleon, said: "Today's announcement is consistent with Haleon being proactive in managing our portfolio, and being rigorous and disciplined where there are opportunities for divestment. "While ChapStick is a great brand, much loved by consumers around the world, it is not a core focus for Haleon.

"Record long NHS waits are forcing huge numbers of people out of work, including doctors and nurses," said Wes Streeting MP, Labour's Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary as Labour announced a new partnership with Nuffield Health today to tackle joint pain issues among NHS staff and reducing waiting lists. Musculoskeletal problems, including back, knee, hip, and neck pain, are the second leading cause of NHS staff absences, surpassed only by mental health issues. In December 2023 alone, NHS workers missed a record 198,000 days due to these issues, marking a 13 per cent increase from the 174,000 days recorded in December 2019. Nurses and health visitors accounted for 52,000 of these days, up from 47,000 pre-pandemic, while doctors took 3,500 days off, a 9 per cent increase from 2019. The partnership with Nuffield Health will provide up to 4,000 extra places for NHS staff in Nuffield Health's Joint Pain Programme at no cost.

Christie & Co, a specialist business property adviser, recently finalised the sale of two pharmacies-one located in Wales and the other in Hampshire. Sylvia Williams Chemist, a well-performing community pharmacy located on the main high street of the Vale of Glamorgan market town of Cowbridge, has been sold after an impressive 50 years of ownership. Dispensing an average of 12,500 items monthly, the business has been owned by Kate Thomas and her family for nearly 50 years. It was put on the market to enable her retirement and allow her to focus on other interests, the broker said. The pharmacy has been purchased by Zaid Salih, making it his second pharmacy acquisition. Jonathan Board, Director - Medical at Christie & Co, who handled the sale, said that Sylvia Williams Chemist attracted a wide range of buyers.

Insect bites and stings typically increase in the summer in England. This year, however, there's been an earlier-than-usual spike in the number of people seeking NHS advice on the condition. According to the NHS England, visits to its insect bites and stings web page have nearly tripled in the last three weeks compared to the same period last year, peaking at an average of one visit every 22 seconds in the past week. Over the span of 21 days, a total of 68,986 visited the page, marking a significant 162 per cent increase compared to the 26,368 visits recorded in the first three weeks of May 2023. Although insect bites or stings are usually not serious and people tend to get better after a few days, the health service has cautioned that they can lead to infection or severe allergic reactions. People are encouraged to refer to the NHS website for advice or visit their local pharmacy to get advice and treatment for common health conditions, including infected insect bites.

A second day of action has been announced by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) to support the cross-sector #SaveOurPharmacies campaign. This campaign aims to bring attention to the severe financial challenges facing community pharmacies due to ongoing cuts. Scheduled for September 19, the day of action coincides with the political party conference season, aiming to emphasise the urgent need for government intervention to ensure continued patient access to pharmacies. The NPA's initiative follows the successful One Day to #SaveOurPharmacies event in June. Approximately 6,000 pharmacies participated by dimming their lights, wearing black, and engaging on social media to spotlight the issues facing the sector.

A recently published report on medicines optimisation highlights the urgent need for transformative changes across all pharmacies to unlock their full potential in delivering integrated care. The report by Public Policy Projects (PPP) is first of the four in the series that emphasises the significant benefits that medicines optimisation can bring to integrated care systems (ICSs). This includes reducing health inequalities and improving population health. Pointing to the "untapped opportunity" that medicines optimisation presents for ICSs facing financial challenges, the report underscores the vital role of pharmacies in enhancing patient outcomes. The launch of the Pharmacy First services has already demonstrated the essential contribution of pharmacies to the health and care system. With "medicines being the second highest cost to the NHS," the report recommends ways "to achieve better value for money while improving patient outcomes".

Researchers from King's College London and the University of Helsinki have identified a link between periodontitis (gum disease) and cryptogenic ischemic stroke, which causes a blockage in the blood vessel supplying blood to a region of the brain. The findings, recently published in the Journal of Dental Research, emphasise severe gum disease as a risk factor for young-onset stroke, particularly in patients with no other identifiable risk factors. Dr. Susanna Paju, Periodontology Specialist from the University of Helsinki, led the study in collaboration with Dr. Svetislav Zaric, Clinical Lecturer in Periodontology from King's College London. Dr. Zaric explains the implications of their research: "Stroke remains the second leading cause of death globally. Strikingly, the incidence and prevalence of ischemic stroke have been increasing in the younger population during past decades," she said. "Periodontitis, which involves deep inflammation of the gums due to bacteria under the gumline, can lead to systemic effects as bacteria enter the bloodstream and affect other parts of the body," she added.

Online pharmacy delivery partner Gophr has released new data showing a further drop in pharmacy numbers in England, resulting in a phenomenon they call 'Pharmacy Deserts'. Gophr highlighted that a significant portion of the population now lives in 'pharmacy deserts,' referring to the situation where an increasing number of urban residents struggle to access a shrinking number of pharmacies. For the second consecutive year, Gophr has analysed the data for its 'Prescription For Pressure' initiative. The analysis showed that in 2023, pharmacists dispensed 1.18 billion prescriptions across England, marking an increase of 137 million compared to 2022. The average number of prescriptions per pharmacy stands at 103,380, which equates to 283 a day. As calculated by Gophr's data experts, pharmacy numbers decreased from 11,522 in 2022 to 11,414 in 2023, reflecting a decline of 108 compared to the previous year's 'Prescription For Pressure'. Gophr's data also showed that pharmacy deserts are most prominent in the South East (6,024 people per pharmacy), the East of England (5,327), the South West (5,284), and the Midlands (4,975). London, which ranked high last year, fell out of the top four, with 4,759 people per pharmacy.

This is the second part of our series of articles "How to Improve the Health of the Shoulder Joint". In this part, we have explained shoulder friendly variations of overhead press, the right way of performing single-joint shoulder exercises and upright rows.

Now you can decode food labels and uncover dangerous ingredients in your favorite foods in just 10 seconds or less.