Group items tagged

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has raised concerns over the upcoming increase in the National Living Wage, saying it will make things even worse for local pharmacies already facing nearly a decade of cuts in real terms. Scheduled to go up from £10.42 to £11.44 per hour starting April, the National Living Wage rise is expected to put a lot of financial pressure on many pharmacies. The NPA says "it will cost them over £10,000 in salary bills, and for some, even more, without getting more from the NHS funds. and has asked the government to deal with the ongoing problem of underfunding for community pharmacies. The association has warned that without additional funds, pharmacies could face staff layoffs or reduced services to cover the increased wages, calling for a "comprehensive new funding deal to prevent further closures of vital local services, which have been shutting at the rate of eight a week."

In what could be the longest consecutive strike action ever taken in the history of the National Health Service (NHS), junior doctors are set to begin their six-day walkout from tomorrow (Wednesday 3 January) at 7am, until 7am on Tuesday 9 January. As the record industrial action has come in the middle of growing winter pressures, the NHS England has warned that this week could be one of "the most difficult starts to the year" for health services across the country. With consultant busy covering urgent and emergency cases, the strikes could have a significant impact on almost all routine care. NHS National Medical Director, Professor Stephen Powis said: "This January could be one of the most difficult starts to the year the NHS has ever faced.

Derriford Hospital is set to move its outpatient pharmacy to a bigger unit, which will be twice as big as the current size. The new pharmacy, due to open in Spring 2024, is located adjacent to the hospital's on-site Costa Coffee shop in the multistorey car park building. University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust said work is ongoing on the new 155 square metres pharmacy, but measures such as covered seating has been implemented. Additionally, the pharmacy's opening times would be extended during the weekends to benefit patients who are unable to attend during the week, the Trust said, noting that demand for its services has grown by 25 per cent. Kandarp Thakkar, Chief Pharmacist & Clinical Director of Medicines Optimisation, said the pharmacy serves thousands of outpatient appointments each week.

Join the battle against pain! Worldwide, 93% experience it annually, with 1 in 3 enduring daily agony. But our approach needs refinement. Introducing our Pain Management Webinar! In just 60 minutes, equip yourself with strategies to combat pain effectively. Here's what's covered: Pharmacists' Evolving Role: Moving beyond medication. Perfecting Pain Assessment: Quantifying patient discomfort. #ListenToPain: Enhancing patient communication. Tailored for British pharmacists addressing acute and chronic pain. Seize this opportunity to make a tangible difference. Reserve your spot now for invaluable insights!

The implementation of the 2017 standards for the initial education and training of pharmacy technicians (IETPT) has improved the performance and preparedness for practice among recently registered pharmacy technicians and the wider workforce, according to a new study. Results of the 2023 research study commissioned by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) showed that 72 per cent of pharmacy technicians felt "well prepared" for practice after training. More number of pharmacy technicians in the community pharmacy expressed readiness for practice (82 per cent) than their peers in the hospital pharmacy (64 peer cent). Led by the Centre for Pharmacy Workforce Studies (CPWS) at the University of Manchester and the consultancy service, ICF, the study involved 142 recently registered pharmacy technicians and 21 employers and supervisors of trainees. Overall, 96 per cent of the surveyed respondents believed that the course effectively covered person-centred care, professionalism and professional knowledge and skills.

Join the fight against pain! Globally, 93% of people experience it annually, with 1 in 3 enduring daily suffering. However, our approach requires improvement. Introducing our Pain Management Webinar! In just 60 minutes, equip yourself with strategies to effectively combat pain. Here's what we'll cover: Pharmacists' Evolving Role: Moving beyond mere medication. Refining Pain Assessment: Quantifying patient discomfort accurately. #ListenToPain: Improving patient communication. Tailored for British pharmacists dealing with both acute and chronic pain. Seize this opportunity to make a real difference. Reserve your spot now for invaluable insights!

There exists a diverse range of surgical procedures designed to repair vision and enhance eyesight, covering refractive correction and strategies that address various vision issues. In fact, some of these procedures rank among the most commonly performed surgeries in modern medicine.

NHS England has agreed to offer an additional payment of £2.50 per jab if pharmacies would be willing to extend the duration of their COVID-19 vaccination contract until 31st August 2024. Pharmacies currently providing the autumn vaccination are asked to let their local commissioner know, by 22nd February 2024, if they can provide cover for a potential Spring booster programme, if the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises in their guidance expected to be published soon. NHS figures showed that more than 3,500 community pharmacies signed the contract to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations between 1 September 2023 and 31 March 2024, as part of the autumn booster programme. The health service is hoping that most of these pharmacies will be able to continue to support the Spring campaign, which will run from 1 April 2024 to 31st August 2024, to help protect the nation's most vulnerable populations. For the Spring campaign only, pharmacies would be offered an extra £2.50 per jab in addition to the existing item of service fee of £7.54, NHS England said.

In a decisive move highlighting the financial strain faced by community pharmacies, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) submitted a £108 million invoice to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) today (16 May). According to the NPA, this substantial sum represents the amount that pharmacies in England personally covered for the dispensing of NHS medicines last month, as a result of inadequate funding. "The £108m figure is an average monthly figure based on the loss to pharmacy incomes over the past decade," it said. The association believes that mass closures can be prevented only when the government stops expecting pharmacies to subsidise the cost of delivering NHS care. NPA chief executive Paul Rees, said: "The soaring costs of dispensing medicine coupled with declining real terms funding has led to community pharmacies in England having to subsidise the dispensing of drugs to the tune of £108m a month.

As whooping cough cases rise sharply across the UK, the NHS has reactivated the serious shortage protocols (SSPs) for clarithromycin - a commonly prescribed antibiotic to treat this bacterial infection. Pharmacy bodies had recently warned that community pharmacies were struggling to obtain source clarithromycin for patients. Two SSPs, covering clarithromycin 125mg/5mL and 250mg/5mL oral suspensions, were reactivated on 22 May 2024, and extended until 21 June 2024. These protocols state that for every 5mL of clarithromycin 125mg/5mL oral suspension, pharmacy contractors must supply 2.5mL of clarithromycin 250mg/5mL oral suspension; and for every 5mL of clarithromycin 250mg/5mL oral suspension, one clarithromycin 250mg tablet must be supplied. The SSPs apply to cross-border prescriptions, both NHS and private.

Munira Wilson, the Liberal Democrat MP for Twickenham, highlighted the impact of the community pharmacy closures in the Hampton area, and the severe financial challenges facing community pharmacies across England during an adjournment debate in the House of Commons on Friday. She also raised concerns about the impenetrable bureaucratic processes surrounding new pharmacy license applications and closures. Wilson highlighted the closure of two Boots pharmacies in Hampton last autumn, including one in the deprived ward of Hampton North. The Tangley Park pharmacy closure left the entire ward, which lacks adequate public transport, without a pharmacy, severely affecting elderly and vulnerable residents. "The nearest pharmacy is now a mile away on foot, a distance which is difficult to cover for the elderly and those with mobility issues, certainly more than a 20-minute walk, the measure that previous ministers like to use to highlight pharmacy accessibility," she said.

Thinking about reversing your vasectomy? In this video, we delve into vasectomy reversal surgery in India, covering everything you need to know about the procedure, costs, and success rates.

Ensuring comprehensive healthcare services for the community necessitates collaboration between pharmacies and GP surgeries. However, several pharmacists have voiced concerns about a lack of cooperation from their local GPs in implementing the Pharmacy First (PF) service. In a survey conducted by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) covering 470 pharmacies across England, three-quarters of pharmacists (77 per cent) indicated that local GP practices are not appropriately referring patients to the new service. The survey highlighted instances of patients either not being referred or being referred but found ineligible for support through Pharmacy First. Additionally, one in five NPA members (19 per cent) felt that their local GP practices were not engaging with the initiative at all. Commenting on the issue, NPA chair Nick Kaye said: "Feedback from across our network suggests that the rollout of Pharmacy First varies considerably from area to area.

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has taken an interesting step to increase public awareness and understanding of the Pharmacy First service. The organisation has launched a new video animation that provides clear and concise information about the service, highlighting the seven conditions covered, the eligible age ranges within the clinical pathways consultations, and explaining how patients can access these services. Pharmacy owners and their teams are encouraged to use the new animation with existing resources to communicate the benefits and scope of the service to their  patients. The animation can be linked to pharmacy social media content and downloaded for display on digital screens in pharmacies. General practices are also encouraged to use the animation on digital screens in their practice waiting areas.

New Lamotrigine Desitin 10mg/ml Oral Suspension is the first licensed Lamotrigine oral liquid medicine available in the UK, offering simple, accurate and flexible dosing for vulnerable patient groups with epilepsy and bi-polar disorder. Accurate dosing and slow titration are essential when initially prescribing for patients with epilepsy. This helps minimise the risk of potentially life-threatening side effects such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome (an acute, rare, and occasionally fatal skin reaction). Dose escalation is required every 2 weeks until the optimal dose is achieved to reach the desired maintenance level. Lamotrigine Desitin 10mg/ml Oral Suspension helps simplify complex prescribing and dispensing regimes, as all dosing requirements are covered in a single product. The supplied dosing syringe and cup make it simple for patients to use and carers to administer. The licensed Oral Suspension is likely to be of benefit when prescribing for children (over 2 years), older people (particularly patients with dysphagia) and also those with learning disabilities. The 10mg/ml strength simplifies accurate dosing for children and offers complete flexibility when dosing is based on mg/kg body weight.

Pharmacies across Northern Ireland are in financial turmoil, reporting that they are dispensing prescription medicines at a loss due to inadequate reimbursement from the Department of Health (DoH). This crisis has led to the closure of almost a dozen pharmacies over the past 18 months, with many others struggling to stay open. Siobhan McNulty, who runs Melvin Pharmacy in Garrison, County Fermanagh, described the dire situation. "We're dispensing medicines at a loss," she said. "The reimbursement rates don't match the cost of the drugs, and we're left to cover the gap." McNulty relies on sales of non-pharmaceutical products to keep her business running.

In the competitive landscape of healthcare, strategic alliances can be a game-changer. Dr. Dupe, a General Practitioner at Christchurch Clinics, and Baba, a Pharmacist at Christchurch Pharmacy, married for 24-years cultivate their synergy through mental wellbeing walks. Their recent 24 kilometres fundraising walk to support a local hospice - Farleigh Hospice, is one of such. Having met Dupe first in 1994, first as interns at a teaching hospital, now married, the couple offer a comprehensive range of services, including pharmacy, private clinics, homecare services as proprietors of Christchurch Health-centre in Braintree. gp; pharmacist; mental wellbeing walks, healthcare Dupe and Baba in their clinic Dr. Dupe and Pharmacist Baba Akomolafe in their clinic, demonstrating their synergy and dedication to patient care. United by faith, a love for healthcare, and a shared commitment to service the community, their 'Mental Wealth Management' as they call it comprises of daily morning walks covering a distance of six kilometres.

In this video, we cover information about Varicocele Surgery in India - A medical issue in males that causes infertility and pain.

HealthLine is a great portal for health news and information which provides all types medical updates in health. It covers the leading source for trustworthy and timely wellness, fitness, diet and weight loss, kid's health, men's health, teen health, women's health also.