Group items tagged

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has called for action on differential degree awarding and registration assessment attainment gaps for Black trainees in initial pharmacy education and training. According to a new report published by the RPS on Tuesday (6 February), there's a pharmacy degree awarding gap of eight per cent and a registration assessment attainment gap of over 22 per cent between Black and White trainees. The variation in pharmacy attainment for Black trainees was first recorded by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) in 2013, and the Pharmaceutical Journal has been tracking the awarding gap at undergraduate level. Even after a decade, significant differences exist in the awarding and attainment gaps for Black students and trainees compared to their White counterparts, the report said.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), professional membership body for pharmacists and pharmacy, has published its manifesto for the general election, highlighting key issues facing the next government after the election on July 4. Local candidates are urged to recognise and support the vital role pharmacists play in supporting people's health. The RPS teams are gearing up to influence government policy in various crucial areas. Their key asks include: Ensuring Secure Patient Access to Medicines Supporting a Better-Connected NHS Enhancing Accessible Prescribing in Local Communities Maximizing Health Improvement through Locally Accessible Pharmacy Teams Supporting the Workforce to Deliver Patient Care Unlocking the Potential of New Advances in Medicines Supporting the UK's Global Position in Science and Research Acknowledging the efforts of pharmacists and their teams, Professor Claire Anderson, President of the RPS, noted that they are "working incredibly hard to maintain patient access to care amid workforce challenges, medicines shortages and financial pressures."

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has revised concession prices for four products and confirmed three further price concessions for May 2024. This announcement comes in response to representations made by Community Pharmacy England (CPE) on behalf of community pharmacy owners Concession prices have been redetermined for Ezetimibe 10mg tablets, Quetiapine 100mg tablets, Quetiapine 150mg tablets and Quetiapine 200mg tablets. Here are the newly granted concessions: Nicorandil 10mg tablets (60 tablets): £5.05 Nicorandil 20mg tablets (60 tablets): £9.30 Pregabalin 75mg capsules (56 capsules): £1.54 The revised prices will be applicable to prescriptions submitted for payment during the dispensing month of May 2024, and do not apply to June 2024 prescriptions, the CPE noted.

A new survey by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has made a concerning revelation about the rise in nursing students contemplating quitting. Nearly half of nursing students in England are contemplating quitting their courses before completion. This alarming trend threatens the NHS England Long Term Workforce Plan, published a year ago, which aims to significantly expand the nursing workforce by 2036/37. The survey also highlights a dramatic 20 per cent decrease in the number of students enrolling in nursing degree apprenticeships over the past two academic years. This decline underscores the urgency of addressing the challenges faced by nursing students, including increasing financial pressures due to the cost of living, insufficient teaching and supervision, and mental health issues as the primary reasons for consifdering quitting.

The Government has been forced to intervene formally 50 times in the past two years to authorise the use of alternative drugs because of serious medicine shortages hitting patients, new analysis by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has found today. 78 per cent of all Serious Shortage Protocols, produced by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) due to medicine shortages, were issued in 2022/24 - more than three times the rate in the previous two years. The NPA, which represents independent community pharmacies in the UK, is warning that shortages are leading to pharmacists having to increasingly turn patients needing vital medication away. Analysis by the NPA of the NHS's Serious Shortage Protocols (SSPs) issued to pharmacies and other providers over the last five years has found that: The number of SSPs issued in the last two years is 3.5 times higher than in the previous two years.

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.

In this video, we dive deep into the condition known as varicocele, exploring its causes, symptoms, and treatment options. Varicocele affects many men, often without their knowledge.

The latest NHS data showed that 487,432 individuals in England were diagnosed with dementia in June, the highest since the start of the pandemic. Although dementia diagnosis rates have reached 65 per cent, the NHS still aims to meet its target of diagnosing 66.7 per cent of the estimated total number of people living with a form of the disease. NHS stated that their staff across the country are actively assessing care home residents to identify more individuals who may have dementia. Dr. Jeremy Isaacs, National Clinical Director for Dementia at NHS England, praised the efforts of NHS staff in increasing diagnosis rates but acknowledged that more work is needed. "Getting a diagnosis of dementia is the first step in supporting people, with a wide range of NHS services able to help.