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The government has decided to refresh the NHS workforce plan, prioritising on shifting care from hospitals and into the community. The revised plan, expected to be unveiled in the summer 2025, aims to ensure the workforce is used effectively to support the delivery of the upcoming 10-Year Health Plan. Health secretary Wes Streeting explained the need to revise the plan citing Lord Darzi's report, which highlighted the dire state of the NHS, including that "too many people end up in hospital because there aren't the resources in the community to reach patients earlier." "Our 10 Year Health Plan will deliver 3 big shifts in the focus of healthcare: from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. "We will refresh the NHS workforce plan to fit the transformed health service we will build over the next decade, so the NHS has the staff it needs to treat patients on time again," Streeting said.

Computer Science Tuesday, April 25, 2023 Computer hardware Computer hardware is the physical components that make up a computer system. It includes everything from the central processing unit (CPU) to the monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Understanding the different types of hardware and how they work together is essential for anyone who works with computers. In this article, we will explore the various components of computer hardware, including internal and external components, and the peripherals that connect to them. We will also discuss the importance of hardware maintenance, the latest advancements in computer technology, and factors to consider when choosing the right hardware for your needs. Whether you are a computer technician, a gamer, or simply someone who uses a computer for everyday tasks, this article will help you better understand the world of computer hardware. Introduction to Computer Hardware Computer hardware refers to the physical components that make up a computer system. It includes everything from the processor and memory to input/output devices such as the keyboard and monitor. In this article, we will explore the different types of computer hardware and their functions. What is Computer Hardware Computer hardware refers to the physical components of a computer system. It includes all the components that can be touched, seen, and used to interact with a computer, such as the monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Hardware is different from computer software, which refers to the programs and applications that run on a computer system. History of Computer Hardware The history of computer hardware dates back to the 1820s when Charles Babbage, an English mathematician, and inventor, designed the first analytical engine, which was considered to be the first mechanical computer. With time, more complex electronic computers were developed, including the first Intel microprocessor in 1971. Since then, computer hardware has continued to evolve, becoming

The government's 200 million dental recovery plan has come under fierce criticism from the opposition party after health minister Dame Andrea Leadsom admitted that there is a "high likelihood" that it will not deliver 2.5 million dental appointments. Published last month, the plan is aimed at ensuring easier and faster access to NHS dental care across England, with up to 1.5 million extra treatments expected to be delivered over the next 12 months. Various new measures were set out to attract new dentists, including increasing dental training places by up to 40 per cent by 2032, as part of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan. On Tuesday, Leadsom told MPs on the Health and Social Care Committee that the figure was based on NHS modelling of a "complicated set of factors" and there is "quite a high likelihood of not being reliable as is the case with all modelling." Preeti Kaur Gill MP, shadow minister for primary care and public health, expressed shock over the admission by the public health minister that there is uncertainty regarding the plan's ability to deliver on its promises, which she said: "shows the Conservatives are out of ideas and out of time."

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has urged community pharmacy to plan and ensure patients are able to access their prescription if they have to close in an emergency situation for a short period. It has prepared a guidance which can be undertaken by pharmacy in the event of a closure and the contractor's business can resume easily and effectively once the emergency has passed. In its guidance, PSNC has stated a few actions that can be taken by pharmacy in advance: Plan ahead - be ready before a closure is needed. Don't wait until your pharmacy needs to be closed before you consider how you will manage and what you can put in place to mitigate the impact. Make sure your business continuity plan is up to date and relevant to the current situation. For example, try not to rely on family and friends as part of your plan; if you're having to isolate because of infectious illness, your close contacts may need to do so as well. Ensure your SOPs are accurate, up to date and easy-to-find for someone completely unfamiliar with your pharmacy. Emergency numbers will be crucial. Normal, everyday business continuity issues are still going to arise and anyone on-site needs to know how to address them:

Pregnancy comes with lots of changes, and that that includes wardrobe changes! As the female body undergoes significant physical and physiological changes, many find it difficult to get themselves organized. Many pregnant women seek a guide to maternity clothing, especially when the baby bump starts showing up. You don't have to wait until the baby bump shows up before you start shopping for your maternity outfits. The moment you find out you are pregnant is a good time to start thinking of your maternity outfits. Knowing that it might be difficult for you to shop for items or picture what you would look like in maternity clothing, this article has been created as your ultimate guide to maternity clothing shopping. WHY YOU NEED TO SHOP FOR MATERNITY CLOTHING If you are pregnant, especially if you are a first-time mom, the chances are high that you have asked several questions about maternity and maternity clothing, such as, "Do I really need maternity apparel? Isn't it a waste of money buying maternity apparel?" The fact is that shopping for maternity outfits is not a must, but you'd hardly get past your third trimester without needing certain maternity clothing items. You might be tempted to improvise, but the question you have to ask yourself is, "Is improving safety for my baby and me?" SHOPPING MATERNITY OUTFITS IS A NECESSARY STEP FOR EVERY EXPECTING MOM You need to shop for some basic maternity outfits because, as much as possible, you need comfort when you are pregnant. Pregnancy makes you gain additional weight. Pregnancy is one of the reasons it is easier for women to gain weight and harder for them to lose weight. Expect that your clothes will start getting tight, especially around the abdominal area. This will make you feel restricted. The tight outfit can obstruct the free circulation of blood to all parts of the body and can cause body pain. You already have many pregnancy symptoms like nausea, fatigue and baby kicks to deal with and won

As the general election campaign heats up, major political parties - including Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats - have released their manifestos, detailing their plans and visions for the future of community pharmacy. While the Conservative Party promises to expand Pharmacy First initiative, Labour pledges support for small businesses, with plans to overhaul the business rates system. The Liberal Democrats' election manifesto commits to developing a fairer and more sustainable long-term funding model for pharmacies. Announcing their plans recently, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that they are investing in community care services to secure the future of the NHS and make healthcare more accessible. The Conservatives plan to fund these initiatives by cutting NHS managerial positions back to pre-pandemic levels and halving the government's management consultancy expenditure.

The UK government on Wednesday (7 February) announced a new plan to ensure faster, simpler and fairer access to NHS dental care across England. Supported by £200m of funding, the plan aims to deliver more than 1.5 million additional NHS dentistry treatments or up to 2.5 million NHS dental appointments for patients over the next 12 months NHS dentists will be offered a 'new patient' payment of between £15-£50, depending on treatment need, to treat new patients who have not seen a dentist in two years or more. Additionally, one-off payments of up to £20,000 will be given to around 240 dentists for working in under-served areas for up to three years. This is to "attract new NHS dentists and improve access to dental care in areas with the highest demand," NHS England said in a statement released on Wednesday.

Denmark's Zealand Pharma and Boehringer Ingelheim said their experimental obesity treatment achieved up to 14.9% weight loss in a mid-stage trial, lining up a potential contestant in the booming obesity drug market. In a statement on Wednesday (May 10), the partners said that the Phase II dose-finding trial met its primary endpoint of weight loss after 46 weeks. Paola Casarosa, head of therapeutic areas at Germany's Boehringer Ingelheim told Reuters the partners are in discussion with regulators about the design of a planned follow-up trial in the third and last phase of testing. The enormous demand for weight-loss treatments such as Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, or potentially Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, could support as many as 10 competing products with annual sales reaching up to $100 billion within a decade, mostly in the United States, industry executives and analysts said. Lilly said about a year ago that Mounjaro was shown to reduce up to 22.5% in weight after 72 weeks of treatment in a much larger late-stage trial.

Balmedie Pharmacy based in Aberdeenshire, Scotland has been purchased by local expanding multiple operator JMF Healthcare. Balmedie Pharmacy is a well-performing community pharmacy that dispenses an average of 5,255 items per month. It lies completely unopposed in the large Aberdeenshire village of Balmedie, which is circa eight miles north of Aberdeen City Centre. The pharmacy has been owned by Brian Arris since 2004 and was recently brought to market to allow him to pursue other pharmacy business opportunities. Following a confidential sales process with Christie & Co, JMF Healthcare to benefit from new housing developments in this area of Aberdeenshire such as 300 new homes planned in Balmedie, approved plans for up to 500 new homes in Trump Menie Estate, and 284 new homes planned in Blackdog Village. Brian Arris, previous owner of Balmedie Pharmacy, comments, "I'm sad to see the business go as the excellent staff have helped grow the pharmacy from scratch since 2004 and we've all put our hearts and souls into providing good pharmaceutical care for the village and surrounding area. I'm confident everyone is left in safe hands with John at the helm now."

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has launched a four point plan at its parliamentary drop-in event for MPs and peers hosted on Tuesday (15 November). The event lasted for two hours, during which MPs had the opportunity to drop-in and have their blood pressure measured by pharmacists with experience of working on the front-line and were briefed on the urgent need for action to address the pressures on the sector. Outline of the four-point plan: Resolve the funding squeeze: Community pharmacy needs an immediate funding uplift to prevent large-scale pharmacy closures, as well as emergency business relief to get through this winter. Tackle regulatory and other burdens: Pharmacies must be protected from medicines market shocks, supported to help them weather the workforce crisis, helped to free up capacity and freed from red tape that does not enhance patient care. Help pharmacies to expand their role in primary care: Pharmacies could do more to support the delivery of primary care for example through offering clinical services for long-term conditions - like hypertension, diabetes and respiratory disease, supporting people to adopt healthier lifestyles and prevent the development of long-term conditions, medicines optimisation, and a much wider variety of NHS vaccinations.

Thanks to the NHS primary care access recovery plan, more than 23 million people can now view test results and check their consultation notes online without needing to contact their GP practice. NHS England on Monday (4 December) announced that over 81 GP practices in England (more than four in five) are now giving patients access to their new health records online through the NHS App. In May, the NHS announced the primary care access recovery plan setting a target of 9 in 10 GP practices offering patients access to their records through the NHS App by March 2024. By making access to healthcare easier and quicker, the NHSE also aims to free up to 10 million GP appointments a year by next winter.

NHS England delivered 358 million general practice (GP) appointments, including Covid-19 vaccinations, in the 12 months to October 2023, an increase of 50.9 million compared to October 2019. This equals to 44 more appointments per practice per working day, with over 70 per cent of these taking place within two weeks of booking, data published by NHSE on Thursday (30 November) showed. Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, thanked GPs and primary care teams across the country for making it possible to deliver around 32,500 more appointments every day, which clearly demonstrate that "more people are getting the care they need, when they need it." "While this is positive news, we know that there is more to do to make it easier and quicker for patients to contact their general practice and continue to focus on delivering the Primary Care Recovery Plan," she added. The Primary Care Recovery Plan published earlier this year is focused on improving access to primary care. It provided GPs in England with £240 million to support them to embrace the latest technology to tackle the 8am rush, and handle more appointments. As of August 2023, more than 1,000 general practices had signed up to digital upgrades to make booking GP appointments easier.

Transporter Wheelchair Transport Wheelchairs are quite useful for patients with mobility issues, designed with their particular needs in mind. Transport wheelchairs are lightweight, can be easily stored into a vehicle and are very convenient for patients and caregivers at the same time.Transport wheelchairs with carbon steel frame, locking rear wheels, removable aluminum footrests and many other useful features. Transporter wheelchair are lightweight mobility chairs that combine the function of a wheelchair with the portability of a rollator. They are meant to be pushed by a family member or caregiver, as their small wheels make it impossible for the user to propel herself. Weight - Transporter Wheelchairs are meant to be flexible mobility aids for travel and activity outside the home. This means that weight is an essential consideration of any transport chair choice. You will want a chair that is lightweight and flexible, easy to lift into a car trunk or to carry up stairways. Wheel size - Transporter wheelchair have smaller wheels than standard wheelchairs, but wheel size still makes a significant difference to the operation of the chair. Smaller wheels will not deal well with rough terrain, and can make for a bumpy or uneven ride. Larger wheels will operate much more smoothly, and extra width can make for a rugged transport chair that will take you anywhere. Seat design - As with choosing any other type of chair, comfort is of paramount importance. Be sure to look at the design and shape of the seat and the backrest.A seat without padding can get uncomfortable very quickly. Be sure you choose a transport chair you will want to sit in for hours. Width - The width of a transport chair is a prime consideration. Consider the environment in which you plan to use the chair. Features- Ultra Lightweight aluminum frame Fixed desk arms Quick release fold-down back Locking rear wheels Removable aluminum footrests 8" Wheels Lightes

A bout 15 to 30 per cent of the UK population suffers from hay fever and there has been a definite increase in the number of moderate to severe hay fever sufferers, with sufferers experiencing more frequent and longer seasons. And now that the government has announced its plans for the easing of lockdown, community pharmacists can expect to see many more of their patients presenting with more severe symptoms than usual, as there will be more opportunities to spend time outside and be exposed to higher levels of pollen. Symptoms Common symptoms include sneezing, a runny stuffed up nose, itchy, watery eyes, nasal congestion and a general stuffed up feeling in the nose and throat. Some experience itching around the face and mouth, with an itchy palette, and burning sensation in the throat. Headaches and wheezing can also occur, as well as an overall achy feeling, or build-up of pressure in the facial area. The sinus area can become painful and constant nose blowing can leave sufferers with skin irritation. This can lead to tiredness and affect sleep, which in turn reduces energy.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has called the future prime minister to deliver on the commitments made by the previous health secretaries to reform primary care through a 'pharmacy first' approach and fairly fund community pharmacies to avoid closures. In an open letter, the NPA has urged Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, the two leadership contenders of the Conservative Party and prime ministerial candidates, to think radically about the role of England's 11,000 pharmacies, which are on the frontline of healthcare across the country. NPA also highlighted how pharmacies could help clear the NHS backlog, free up millions more GP appointments, dramatically improve access to primary health care and do more to prevent ill health and support people with long term medical conditions. "Because of our unparalleled presence in deprived areas, we also have great potential to level up access to healthcare and address health inequalities. We set these ideas out in How We Can Help, which is an improvement plan already welcomed by many of your colleagues."

The National Health Service (NHS) retention programme has benefitted 23 NHS Trusts since it launched in April 2022, with thousands fewer staff leaving frontline roles. NHS data showed that 14,000 fewer staff left the service in the 12 months up to August 2023 (108,890) compared to 122,970 the year before. In a statement released on Thursday, the NHS England said it is expanding the pilot programme across the country to benefit 42 more NHS trusts. The programme is part of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan ambition to retain up to 128,000 more staff over the next 15 years in addition to training record numbers of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals. Under this new initiative, NHS staff are being offered extra flexibility with working hours, clinical 'support squads' have been introduced to help menopausal women at work, and HR 'stay advocates' are designated to identify ways to keep staff on the brink of leaving.

Centre for Pharmacy PostGraduate Education (CPPE) has announced the launch of a new learning programme, Preparing to train as an independent prescriber. The programme aims to build the confidence and competence of pharmacists who are planning to apply and train as independent prescribers and is open to pharmacists from all sectors of practice, including community pharmacists who are planning to commence their independent prescriber training with a Higher Education Institute (HEI). The course is made up of four main components, including a self-directed e-course and self-assessment framework, a mandatory online workshop to support you to review your self-assessment of competencies, an optional online workshop to support your readiness for academic writing and reflective practice, and optional peer support sessions, providing the opportunity for you to develop your professional network and establish communities of practice.

Has the government in England learned nothing from the Covid-19 pandemic? Nigel Swift, Managing Director of Rowlands Pharmacy, part of Numark, the UK's largest pharmacy membership association, asks reflecting on the disorderly launch of this year's flu and Covid booster vaccination program as evidence to the contrary. "Community pharmacies play a crucial role in ensuring eligible individuals can easily access their free NHS flu and Covid vaccinations," Swift said, adding that delivering this essential service necessitates pharmacy staff allocating time for preparation and appointment scheduling. "Just a few weeks ago, NHSE informed us that the vaccination program would be postponed until October, prompting pharmacies to plan accordingly and notify patients," he said. "However, NHSE has now reversed its decision and set the program to commence on Sept. 11. Pharmacy recommended an earlier start, but NHSE opted for a delay instead, resulting in avoidable problems." On Aug. 30, NHSE announced plans to move up the start of the autumn vaccination drive in England to September 11, deviating from the initial October schedule, citing concerns about a new Covid-19 variant.

French drugmaker Sanofi will make 30 of its treatments, including insulin, available on a not-for-profit basis in 40 lower-income countries in the first step of its plan to increase access to its medicines worldwide. The treatments will be provided under the new Impact brand, part of Sanofi's global health unit launched last year, which sits outside the commercial business. The plan also includes the $25 million Impact fund, which will go towards supporting local start-up healthcare businesses and providing training on using the medicines, Sanofi said. "There's a lot of noise at the moment from different companies jumping into this space… but investing in entrepreneurship, in the ecosystem, is a new thing," said Jon Fairest, who heads the global health unit. The treatments available are on the World Health Organization's essential medicines list, and insulin in particular has been singled out by the UN agency as a life-saving medicine for diabetics that is difficult to access in many lower-income countries, where the burden of disease is growing.

Community pharmacies will be able to deliver approximately 15 million blood pressure screenings by 2026, revealed the Company Chemists' Association (CCA)'s new research. This will also prevent 15,000 people from suffering heart attacks or strokes. CCA has called the Government to take up their offer and commission pharmacies as the first port of call for cardiovascular care. "Thousands of lives can be saved with ambitious commissioning and the investment to match," said CCA. There is an opportunity to use the expertise of community pharmacy to go further and provide the care these newly identified patients' need. To do this the sector needs funding and workforce. The association said: "Community pharmacy is under great financial pressure, suffering a real term funding cut of over 30% over 8 years. With funding, the sector can transform to deliver this critical need for patients. Whilst there are plans to train Independent Prescribers (IPs), there are no clear roles for them to use these skills. There is a need to accelerate training plans to allow pharmacists to deliver the service described here and play their part in CVD management."