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The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has called on the NHS England to uplift funding for pharmacy contractors to enable them to cover higher staffing costs along with a range of other cost-inflating factors. This follows latest data released by the recruitment platform Locate a Locum, which showed a huge increase in locum rates for pharmacists in 2021 and predicted the trend to continue. The report noted a 71 per cent surge in the cost of employing locum pharmacists in England, from the 2020 average to the second half of 2021. NPA chief executive Mark Lyonette said: "There is a heavy reliance on locums in community pharmacy to maintain continuity of services with the average pharmacy operating 50 hours per week. Consequently, increases in locum rates have a big effect on the cost base. "Pharmacies face a range of general cost pressures beyond locum rates, including much higher energy costs. We hear a lot about the cost of living crisis; our members are facing a cost of doing business crisis and it's every bit as real. "The underlying underfunding, significant general inflationary pressures and specific cost increases relating to the locum workforce together make a powerful and urgent case for new funding."

Atorvastatin, a medicine to treat high blood cholesterol, is the most dispensed drug with 59 million items in England in 2022/23, revealed the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) on Thursday (8 June). While Apixaban (an anticoagulant) was the drug with the highest costs of £430 million. Apixaban 5mg tablets had the largest increase in cost between 2021/22 and 2022/23 in England, with an increase of £280 million. NHSBSA's annual statistics report 'Prescription Cost Analysis-England 2022/23' published also has revealed an eight per cent rise in the prescription items that were dispensed in the community in England. The report highlighted that in 2022/23, 1.18 billion prescription items were dispensed at a cost of £10.4 billion in the community in England, witnessing an increase of eight per cent from £9.69 billion in 2021/22.

The cost of valve replacement surgery India is actually one of the biggest reasons why hundreds of people travel from abroad for it. Valve replacement surgery cost in India is less than two-thirds of what it costs in the western countries and even less than what it costs in other medial tourist hotspots

Community pharmacists across the UK are looking for ways to reduce operational costs and find new sources of revenue. This is a pressing issue for the sector: reversing a decade of cuts to pharmacy funding will be a mammoth task, while pharmacists have taken on new primary care responsibilities under Pharmacy First. This means that fresh sources of revenue and lower costs will overwhelmingly come from new technology and the efficiencies they can bring. As Britain's 11,500 community pharmacies assume a larger role on the frontlines of primary care, pharmacists should rapidly implement cost-effective tech solutions that provide pharmacies with a one-stop-shop to drive down costs and increase revenue. Opportunity in PGD reform New technology will be key for community pharmacists to benefit fully from reforms to PGDs. The scope of PGDs is now significantly expanding: as of June 26, pharmacy technicians are now on the list of registered healthcare professionals who can make use of PGDs. These reforms can benefit community pharmacies in several ways. For one, they will allow more pharmacy staff to administer 'frontline services' such as vaccinations - reducing costs and generating revenue. Further, the wider range of services that pharmacies can offer under Pharmacy First will make these procedures, as well as other kinds of preventative care, more accessible and convenient - increasing footfall. With international travel and tourism now growing apace, increased demand for travel vaccinations means that, according to research from Charac, the average UK community pharmacy can expect to generate £46,800 a year through travel health services.

Scottish Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr has slammed the SNP government for making taxpayers cover the cost of 'free' prescriptions for basic painkillers like paracetamol and ibuprofen on the NHS. An analysis conducted by Kerr, first reported in The Telegraph, revealed that the NHS Scotland pays as much as £8.53 per pack of paracetamol under its free prescription policy. Public Health Scotland data shows that nearly 2.5 million prescriptions for the common painkiller were issued in 2023-24, costing more than £14 million. Including an estimated £7 million to cover the pharmacy "dispensing fee", the total cost equates to £8.53 per prescription. In contrast, paracetamol can be purchased for as little as 37p in supermarkets. Similarly, Kerr's analysis found that ibuprofen-available over the counter for just 39p-cost the NHS £6.87 per prescription. Kerr condemned the costs as "beyond absurd," accusing the SNP of financial mismanagement.

Tricycle FOr Disabled People People with disabilities have often been excluded from mobility and access opportunities. Certainly, our public transport system has some way to go before it is even close to being accessible to everyone. With cycling for people with disabilities becoming one of the fastest-growing areas of interest in the cycling world, it is likely that cycling with its versatile simplicity and low running costs will succeed in providing access where other forms of transport have failed. Small-scale manufacturers are combining innovation with positive attitude and designing cycles that meet abilities. "Most of the people who depend on these tricycles are daily wage workers who have to travel long distances every day. The regular tricycles have no suspension and the riders are prone to spinal injuries. Most of them also cannot afford good medical care, and driving these tricycles for a long time affects their back," he added. We have several bicycles for people who have a problem with cycling. We produce special bicycles, tricycles, tricycles for children, adult tricycles, tandems, side by side bikes, wheelchair bikes, wheelchair transport bikes, a walking aid and a bicycle for the transport of 8 children. Benefits Lower extremity strengthening Reciprocal leg motion patterning Balancing skills Using visual, spatial perception for steering Social interaction with peers and neighbors Specifications 1.good quality and useful tricycle 2.for reasonable price Tricycle FOr Handicapped Children The most important requirements were: Stability The stability of the tricycle is very important for the safety of the user. This can be achieved by making the wheelbase wide enough and the center of gravity as low as possible but limited by the space needed for the legs of the user. Driving comfort The correct position of the propulsion handles is necessary for easy and comfortable driving. Weight Many existing tr

When it comes time to choose a Medicare plan, it can be difficult to know where to start. There are so many factors to consider, from the cost of coverage to the quality of care you'll receive. How do you know which plan is right for you? This article will discuss some of the most important things to keep in mind when choosing a Medicare plan. It will cover everything from drug coverage to hospital and doctor networks. By the end of this article, you'll be able to confidently choose the right Medicare plan for your needs! COST Of course, for most of us, the cost of our healthcare is a major consideration. When you're choosing a Medicare plan, you'll want to make sure that you're getting good value for your money. Be sure to compare the monthly premiums, deductibles, and copayments of each plan you're considering. You may also want to look at the total annual out-of-pocket costs for each plan. This will give you a good idea of how much your healthcare will actually cost you on a yearly basis. If you plan to be using Medicare for insurance, it's important to do your research before enrolling. This way, you can be sure that you're getting the best possible coverage for your needs and budget.

Almost nine in ten community pharmacists in England say they have patients who sometimes go without prescription medicines because they cannot afford the prescription charge levied by the government. Sixty-eight per cent of pharmacists in a National Pharmacy Association (NPA) survey, conducted via email in June 2022, said this has become more frequent in the past year - suggesting that the rising cost of living could be leading more people to miss out on vital medicines. While prescription charge does not apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, in England an NHS patients needs to pay £9.35 per item. For patients who need multiples medicines the cost could be exponential and virtually unaffordable amid rising inflation and higher cost of living. The survey found that 89 per cent of pharmacies in England have patients who sometimes go without prescription medicines due to cost. For most pharmacists (74 per cent) this happens one to five times a week. Fifteen per cent said they see such patients from six to 20 times a week.

Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS), along with 47 public and voluntary sector organisations, has endorsed a letter to UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves, seeking funding support for employer national insurance contributions ahead of the planned increases from the 1st of April 2025. The letter, co-signed by first minister John Swinney and COSLA president Shona Morrison, raises concerns over the impact of the impending increase, which is estimated to cost public service providers in Scotland over £700 million. The Scottish Government calculated that the policy's cost for the directly employed public sector could be around £550 million, with councils accounting for about £265 million of that total. If contractors and commissioned services are included, the total costs could exceed £700 million. The letter also underscores the significant impact on charitable organisations, stating that "there is a real risk that these costs will see employers unable to award meaningful pay rises, retain staff or even continue to operate." The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations has estimated that the Third Sector, comprising charities, social enterprises and grassroot community groups, will face additional costs of £75 million per year, plus wider inflation.

Shopping for a wheelchair is just not easy. People who shop for a wheelchair for the first time period are sometimes shocked by the variety of choices. When you are not capable of get the correct wheelchair, your disability will appear to get worse instead of getting better. Wheelchair tyres also needs to be selected based mostly on your driving conditions. The price that you pay to your wheelchair will rely upon the cost of the wheelchair itself, the price of adding options, and cost of wheelchair accessories, cost of coaching on tips on how to use the wheelchair, replacement parts, repair costs and potential wheelchair upgrades among others.

The loss of a foot or limb due to landmine explosions or any disease is a major tragedy for any human being and to come to terms with this loss of a part of the body is not only a very traumatic experience but also fraught with dire economic consequences. A financially independent person suddenly realizes that he or she is totally at the mercy of relatives and friends and unable to indulge in any income generating activity. Prospects of poverty loom large over the horizon and this mental anguish coupled with the physical injury can wreck many a life.Buy online Handicapped Tricycle and disabled at lowest price and cheap cost in india from wheelchair india online shopping store of Tricycle manufacturer, distributor, dealer and supplier of variety of Tricycles at low price in india for handicapped Rehabilitation of such individuals is of prime importance and it is here that Help Handicapped International (HHI) plays a pivotal role especially in conflict areas where the number of landmine amputees is large. HHI is a registered charity working for the welfare of the physically handicapped and an NGO in special consultative status with ECOSOC. HHI specializes in fitting the Jaipur Foot prosthetic-an artificial limb developed in India and the most preferred in Asia and Africa because of the following factors: (i) It is light in weight (ii) It is fast and easy to fabricate. Since its manufacturing takes only a few hours the patient who comes to the centre in the morning can walk out on his own artificial limb by evening. (iii) It is very cost effective. (iv) It facilitates cycling, walking bare foot and squatting-all tasks essential to lead a near normal life in these continents. Post fitment the patient undergoes physiotherapy sessions to become accustomed to the artificial limb. He or she is also explained about some simple exercises that could be carried out at home as well as some tips on the proper use and maintenance of the prosthetic. HHI has b

Leaders from across the pharmacy sector and trade bodies dwelled on the challenges faced by the pharmacists at the Sigma Conference held on Sunday (2 October). "If the cost of carrying out regulation is higher than the benefits, it's time for all the bodies to sit together and talk on what can be adjusted accordingly," said Salim Jetha, Chairman, Avicenna. Jetha highlighted the challenges faced by the independent pharmacy and also raised the concern about the 'level playing field' for pharmacists compared to GPs. He said: "GPs get paid for energy cost, premises cost, the staffing cost. We don't get paid for that. So don't be misled by saying we are being exactly the same. Yes, on paper we are, but in reality we are not. I think also the rules of engagement are different." He called for better collaboration with GPs, and urged PSNC and other trade bodies to ensure a level playing field. Janet Morrison, CEO, Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee(PSNC), warned that the pressure in the sector is building up to a 'breaking point'.

The proposed increase in the national living wage (NLW) is expected to impose an implementation cost of £150 million to £195 million on the community pharmacy sector, Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has warned. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt recently announced a 9.8 per cent increase in the national living wage, raising it from £10.42 to £11.44. "The Autumn Statement overlooks the knock-on effects these measures will have on small businesses like community pharmacies," CPE Chief Executive Janet Morrison said in a statement. "The majority of pharmacies employ staff on or around the NLW, which has increased nearly 40 per cent since the start of the current contractual framework." "This is at a time when pharmacies have faced a 30 per cent real terms reduction in funding since 2015," Morrison added. "No viable business can absorb these cost increases without significant support. This is just another cost pressure that pharmacies cannot control and must be addressed through a sustainable, long-term funding arrangement."

Atorvastatin was the most dispensed drug in England in 2021/22 with 53.4 million items, revealed the annual Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) published by NHS Business Services Authority. According to the official statistics, Apixaban (an anticoagulant) was the drug with the highest cost of £401 million. The statistics revealed that the cost of prescription items dispensed in the community in England was £9.69 billion, a 0.87 per cent increase of £83.7 million from £9.61 billion in 2020/21. "The number of prescription items dispensed in the community in England was 1.14 billion, a 2.58 per cent increase of 28.7 million items from 1.11 billion in 2020/21." FreeStyle Libre 2 Sensor kit (a glucose monitoring system) was the presentation with the largest absolute increase in cost between 2020/21 and 2021/22 of £69.8 million, from £2.84 million to £72.6 million.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has introduced a new prescription pre-payment certificate (PPC) for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) which is said to benefit around 400,000 women who suffer from negative symptoms of the menopause in England. PPC will be rolled-out from 1 April and it reduce the HRT costs to less than £20 a year. Women prescribed HRT - the main treatment for menopause symptoms - will have access to a new scheme enabling access to a year's worth of menopause prescription items for the cost of two single prescription charges (currently £18.70). As part of commitments to reduce the cost of HRT for menopausal women, the prescription PPC will be valid for 12 months. It can be used against a list of HRT prescription items, and a patient can use this against an unlimited number of HRT items, such as patches, tablets and topical preparations. There will be no limit to how many times the certificate can be used while it is valid. "The introduction of the certificate delivers one of our year one priorities for the Women's Health Strategy for England. Published last summer, the strategy sets out an ambitious new agenda for improving the health and wellbeing of women and girls and to improve how the health and care system listens to women. Menopause was announced as a priority area within the strategy," said DHSC.

A survey of over six thousands pharmacies has revealed that the community pharmacy sector is buckling under growing cost and capacity pressures. The survey conducted by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, which also involved two thousand community pharmacy confirms, rising costs, patient demand and medicine supply issues continue to grip the sector. PSNC's 2023 Pharmacy Pressures Survey, run as a follow up to the 2022 pressures survey, provides clear comparative data showing the worsening situation across the sector. Govt must act now The result of the survey indeed paints a bleak picture for community pharmacies and it is clear that without urgent action from government and the NHS this will only get worse: more community pharmacies will either be forced to reduce the number of services they provide or, in the worst-case scenario, will be left with no option but to close their doors for good. The PSNC has urged the government to act now "to save our pharmacies, before it is too late for patients, the public, and the rest of the NHS". "This year's survey clearly shows that community pharmacies are buckling under growing cost and capacity pressures," said PSNC Chief Executive Janet Morrison.

Stem cell therapy is gaining traction as an innovative treatment option for stroke rehabilitation in India. The cost of stem cell therapy for stroke in India is significantly more affordable compared to Western countries.

The UK incurs substantial healthcare costs for managing dental caries (tooth decay), with per-person expenses estimated at £18,000, a new study has revealed. This figure is notably higher than those reported in countries such as Brazil, France, Germany, Indonesia, and Italy. Published in BMC Public Health and commissioned by the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP), the study also found that the economic impact of tooth decay is disproportionately higher in the most deprived groups. Researchers, including Professors Moritz Kebschull and Iain Chapple from the University of Birmingham's School of Dentistry, suggested that targeted preventative measures could help reduce this financial burden dramatically. "Our study highlights the critical need for early and sustained preventive measures to address the economic and health disparities associated with dental caries," said Professor Chapple. "By focusing on the most vulnerable populations, we can achieve substantial cost savings and improve overall oral health outcomes."

We know remuneration influences behaviour. If I have a construction company and I pay a bricklayer a fee per brick to supply and fit, I suspect he will source them from the cheapest supplier and lay as many bricks as he possibly can. If one day, I reduce the fee such that it barely covers the cost of the brick, at a time when bricks are in short supply and labour costs have gone up, oh and I take some money off him for the profit he made on bricks he supplied the previous year, I suspect he will tell me to stick my job where the sun doesn't shine. It may be a crude analogy, but it is pretty much what's happened in community pharmacy over the last 20 years. The remuneration we get for dispensing does not cover the cost of providing the service. The reimbursement for the drugs does not cover the cost of the drugs. In fact, we make a loss on many items given all the clawbacks and supply shortages. Wages have gone up. And then each year the government claws back profit they say we've made, apparently! Yet, despite all this, we continue providing the service under this archaic system, allowing our paymaster to repeat the injustice because they know they can and, unlike the bricklayer, we will just suck it up and take it. So, what makes us carry on like this? Is it our conscience towards patient care? Is it that we don't know what else to do and the fear of the unknown? Or is it like the boiling frog story, where the temperature has increased gradually around us that we haven't noticed the government heat slowly killing community pharmacy. I suspect the answer is a mixture of all these factors. The pain is somewhat masked when we see fee paying services

Valve replacement surgery cost in India and high level of statistics have made India a chief destination for heart treatment. One of the essential reasons for this is the valve replacement surgery cost in India and the rather knowledgeable doctors with a rich level of experience in.