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.
The community pharmacy staff in Scotland will not be required to work for a minimum of five full days if they test positive for Covid-19.
The Scottish health secretary Humza Yousaf has clarified that health and social care employees, including community pharmacists, will have to follow the guidance
on managing staff with symptoms of a respiratory infection, or a positive Covid-19 test.
While responding to Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour Party) written parliamentary question, Humza said, "If they work with patients or service users in
face-to-face settings, they can return to work if they have had two consecutive negative LFD test results (taken at least 24 hours apart)."
Jackie asked the Scottish government, "what its position is on the actions of Well Pharmacy, in light of reports that the company is insisting that staff who test
positive for COVID-19 continue to work when they are in patient-facing roles and dealing with clinically vulnerable people?"
The Pharmacists' Defence Association said: "This means that Well pharmacy will have to change their policy in Scotland and no longer allow Covid positive staff to
work in their pharmacies."
It is no secret that hospitals and other healthcare facilities are breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses. In order to protect patients, it is essential
that medical staff maintain a high level of hygiene at all times. Unfortunately, many healthcare workers do not take the necessary precautions to keep themselves
clean. In this blog post, we will discuss some tips on how to increase the hygiene level of your medical staff. We will also touch on the importance of enforcing
strict hand-washing policies and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).
1) THEY MUST WEAR SCRUB HATS
One of the most important things that you can do to increase the hygiene level of your medical staff is to make sure that they are wearing scrub hats. Scrub hats
help to keep hair out of patients' wounds and also prevent the spread of bacteria and viruses from the hair to the hands. While it is not mandatory for all medical
staff to wear scrub hats, it is strongly encouraged. Also, be sure to provide clean scrub hats for each shift.
The results of a national NHS staff survey, published recently, revealed that frontline healthcare workers are facing record levels of discrimination at
work, with 58,000 respondents reporting that they experienced "unacceptable" levels of unwanted sexual behaviour from the public last year.
Concerningly, 8.67 per cent of 675,140 NHS workers who responded to the poll said they suffered sexual harassment from patients, patients' relatives, or other
members of the public in 2023.
Particularly, ambulance staff were affected, with nearly 25 per cent of staff reporting unwanted sexual behaviour from the public last year.
According to the survey findings, 3.84 per cent of staff also encountered unwanted sexual behaviour from their colleagues.
Dr Navina Evans, Chief Workforce, Training and Education Officer, described the survey results as "very distressing" and said that "such conduct should not be
tolerated in the NHS."
On the positive side, more NHS workers reported being happier at work and experiencing less burnout than before. Over half of the participants stated they look
forward to coming to work, the highest number since 2020, as per the NHS.
Dr Evans attributed this improvement to initiatives such as flexible working hours, clinical support squads to help menopausal women at work, and human resources
stay advocates.
"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.
As the deadline for the frontline healthcare workers to get fully vaccinated approaches, tens of thousands of NHS staff who have not yet taken the Covid-19
vaccine face termination in just a fortnight.
Although it is estimated that the majority of NHS staff have been fully jabbed, health and social care providers in England will soon be needed to ensure that all those working in areas regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 before the April 1, 2022.
Those who are exempted from taking the vaccination do not fall under this purview.
According to the NHS England guidance around Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment (VCOD) for healthcare workers, all frontline staff must have had both the doses by April 1, meaning that by February 3 the first must have been administered and the second by March 31.
All unvaccinated frontline workers will be called into formal meetings from February 4 and given a warning of dismissal. Notices will then be issued from that day, with March 31 marking the end of the notice period
The routine, twice-weekly asymptomatic Covid-19 testing by pharmacy staff can be paused from the end of August.
The health regulator announced that regular asymptomatic testing for Covid-19 will be paused in all remaining health and care settings from 31 August 2022.
Currently all pharmacy staff test twice-weekly for Covid-19, using a self-administered Lateral Flow Device (LFD) test at home.
"Prevalence of Covid-19 in the community has fallen and remains at a comparatively low level as we emerge from the current Omicron wave. This means that the
likelihood that individuals entering healthcare settings are infectious has also reduced and the relative risk of onward transmission into these settings is lower."
Patient safety should remain a top priority in any healthcare setting. People should always receive the right advice, and pharmacists aren't 'GPs on the cheap.'
Staff should be fully trained, and medical equipment should be correctly maintained at all times. In turn, this helps create a safer environment for patients and
professionals alike. In this article, we'll discuss some of the factors that can enhance patient safety in healthcare settings.
AUTOMATION AND MONITORING
Automating processes within a facility can help streamline operations. This has the potential to reduce or eliminate human error that could result in serious injury
or death. In addition, automated systems often provide instant alerts when something goes wrong - allowing medical staff to react quickly and appropriately. Automated
solutions can help facilities achieve hand hygiene monitoring standards, and it's possible to schedule a demo and see their outcomes. They can reduce staff sick time
and HAIs, as well as Joint Commission citations and associated costs.
Monitoring helps ensure compliance with safety protocols. It's essential for improving patient safety and gaining data on all aspects of a facility's operations. It
also helps organizations track the effectiveness of their protocols and procedures over time. This helps them constantly evaluate and refine their policies, to
maximize patient safety benefits.
ADEQUATE STAFFING
In order to provide quality care, it's essential to have enough staff on hand to meet patient needs and ensure all protocols are being followed. Without this,
healthcare providers may struggle to provide prompt, efficient care - which can put patient safety at risk. Adequate staffing levels should be determined by a
variety of factors. They include patient numbers, the complexity of care required, and the size and layout of the facility.
The NHS staff delivered more than 25 million checks for patients' which is almost 2 million more than before the pandemic.
There has been an increase of almost 50 per cent between August to July as compared to a decade ago.
In 2013, the figures saw 11 million life-saving tests and checks being conducted by NHS staff in the same period.
Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive applauded the hard work of staff for delivering two more million tests and checks in the last year.
She said: "NHS campaigns encouraging people to come forward with worrying signs are having a hugely positive effect, with thousands more patients getting
checked - so as ever, if you have any health concerns, please do get checked - it could save your life".
In a recent announcement the government has mandated frontline NHS staff to be vaccinated against Covid-19, keeping people working in community pharmacies out of this purview.
In its response to the announcement, General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has urged "pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to get Covid-19 and flu vaccinations at
the earliest opportunity, unless they are medically exempt."
GPhC, which regulates pharmacists and other staff in community pharmacies, said that vaccinated healthcare workers can better protect their family, colleagues and patients.
During the government consultation on making Covid-19 jab a condition of deployment for frontline health and care workers in England, GPhC had said: "Getting vaccinated is clearly something that should be done by all pharmacy professionals, although we do not support making vaccination a mandatory legal requirement."
The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has raised concerns over "certain elements" of the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI)'s consultation
on pharmacy staffing levels.
PSNI recently consulted on its draft guidance for pharmacy staffing levels which sets out to explain what pharmacy owners and superintendents must do to ensure that
each pharmacy has enough skilled and qualified staff. This includes having an appropriate skill mix, to provide safe and effective pharmacy services which comply
with the standards.
PDA said that the role of the 'responsible pharmacist' has not been "fully acknowledged" and that more clarification is needed.
The association has made a few recommendations to PSNI that includes: the guidance must explicitly recognise the statutory role of the responsible pharmacist and
their authority in securing the safe operations within the pharmacy.
"The guidance should specify that pharmacy owners and superintendents must ensure that they do not set incentives or targets which may compromise the professional
judgement of staff."
It also recommended that unregistered staff (including unregistered managers) are accountable firstly to the responsible pharmacist for any activity involving the
clinical care of patients (for example unregistered managers must not interfere in diary bookings for vaccinations).
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Pharmacist Support hosted a roundtable on the impact of pharmacy workforce wellbeing on patient safety on Wednesday
(17 May).
It also released its annual Workforce Wellbeing Survey which showed continued pressures on pharmacy teams.
The discussion explored the actions needed to support staff so they can continue providing safe and effective patient care and included representatives from the NHS,
professional bodies, employers, trade unions, education and regulators.
A report of the roundtable will be published in the summer.
Amandeep Doll, RPS Head of Professional Belonging, said: "We know that pharmacy teams go above and beyond for their patients, but are also under enormous pressure.
"Now more than ever, we need to strive to make the pharmacy profession more inclusive and ensure that everyone's wellbeing is supported.
"It is vital that we do all we can to encourage people into pharmacy and to support them so they can enhance their skills, develop their careers, and continue to
deliver high-quality patient care.
"This discussion was a welcome step and showed that making a difference for staff wellbeing requires a concerted effort from stakeholders across the whole of pharmacy.
The government has extended VAT exemption from Monday (1 May) on healthcare services carried out by pharmacy staff under the supervision of pharmacists.
HM Revenue and Customs has issued a note detailing the change to the VAT treatment of medical services. The Government said this will bring the VAT treatment of
pharmacists in line with other registered health professionals providing medical services to the public.
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) said: "This is something that PSNC has been seeking Government agreement on for a long time, including in
recent CPCF negotiations."
PSNC believes that the extension of this VAT exemption will help as community pharmacy businesses try to make better use of the skill mix in their teams both now
and in the future.
"Not only does it enable contractors to review the VAT status of any locally commissioned services currently provided by non-registered pharmacy staff but also, in
time, it could be used to amend nationally commissioned services to allow support staff to provide certain parts. For example, following a recent amendment to the
service Directions, pharmacy technicians are now able to perform blood pressure checks as part of the Hypertension Case-Finding Service and deliver the Smoking
Cessation Service.
All pharmacy businesses are reporting that they are struggling to find the registered professionals needed to open their pharmacies, clarified the Company
Chemists' Association (CCA) in response to an attack by the Pharmacists' Defence Association.
Last week, PDA allegedly accused some large pharmacy chains of 'orchestrating' full or part-time closures of some of their shops due to the staff shortage.
In its Open Letter published on Tuesday (July 19), PDA demanded urgent action "to protect patients by ensuring that essential community pharmacy services are
provided safely and consistently".
"All parts of the healthcare system are struggling to recruit staff and to assume that pharmacies would be immune to such pressures, seems fanciful," said CCA.
"CCA members are working extraordinarily hard to prevent temporary closures, but recruitment and retention of pharmacists is becoming increasingly tough. The recent
rise in Covid cases and the beginning of the summer holiday season in parts of the UK have only worsened the situation."
The Association also showed data from the PSNC Pharmacy Pressures Survey (April 2022) which found that 91 per cent of pharmacies are experiencing staff shortages,
clearly demonstrating that these shortages are affecting the entire sector.
Healthcare workers, including community pharmacy staff, can book their Covid-19 booster vaccination through the National Booking Service from Wednesday
(September 7) onwards.
NHS England has announced that around seven million people, including those aged 75 and over, people who are immunosuppressed and health and care workers will be
able to book an appointment for their Covid-19 booster vaccinations online or by calling 119.
Eligible staff are encouraged to book an appointment for a booster dose as soon as possible, provided it has been at least three months since their last dose of the
vaccine.
"For other eligible patients (not health and care workers), invitations are being sent out and will be landing on their doormats from Wednesday 7th September
inviting people to book their appointment for the following week without delay. The NHS will contact people when it is their turn to book in for the vaccine -
there will be no need for patients to contact the NHS," said PSNC.
The Pharmacists' Defence Association has reported an increase in the number of pharmacists calling its advice line to inform about the incidences of violence and intimidation from protesters opposing the Covid-19 vaccination programme.
The association noted that such incidents have become more common with protesters "gaining entry to premises in groups and trying to disrupt Covid-19 vaccinations from taking place."
In many cases, pharmacists, staff, and members of the public have been subjected to verbal threats, causing distress and anxiety among those working to deliver the vaccination programme in a safe environment.
The PDA reminded that employers, having a contract with the NHS for the Covid-19 vaccinations, have a duty to keep their staff safe whilst at work.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) standards for pharmacy premises also carry a duty to ensure the safety of staff and the public receiving services on those premises.
Prince Charles has praised the "dedication and professionalism of pharmacy staff" at an event held in London to celebrate the work of community pharmacists during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Two hundred pharmacists, pharmacy staff and other health service representatives were invited to attend a special reception hosted by His Royal Highness at St James's Palace on Wednesday night (May 4).
According to the National Pharmacy Association, the event was held, in part, to mark the NPA's recent centenary.
In his closing speech, The Prince of Wales paid tribute to the work of pharmacies on the NHS frontline.
He praised "the dedication and professionalism of pharmacy staff" during the Covid-19 pandemic and said: "I very much hope that this evening's event will help, a little bit, to highlight the marvellous work you do in your communities day in and day out."
harmacists in the town of Barnoldswick in Lancashire are reportedly suffering from various problems including a lack of medicines and the movement or loss
of pharmacy staff.
Problems, including delays with supply of insulin, were reported at a recent Pendle Council West Craven meeting.
And this week the head of one pharmacy chain, Whitworth, highlighted a range of issues faced by his teams including supply chains, costs, loss of staff and NHS
reimbursement for contractors.
In Barnoldswick, queues have formed inside and outside pharmacies as people attempt to get prescriptions. Some said they had to wait for days to get what they
needed, had made repeat-visits to pharmacies and were unsure when medicines might arrive.
They also said the number of pharmacies in the area have fallen over the years.
Two town centre pharmacies, Whitworth and Well, are located opposite each other, close to a doctors' surgery. Standing in one queue outside Whitworth was Marilyn
King.
She said: "I have been waiting seven days to get my prescription for blood pressure and some other medicines. This week, I've come back time after time. But the
staff say sorry, they have not got it in because nobody has delivered it.
"I came here on Saturday, when there was a queue. But the pharmacist was not here. I came again on Tuesday and then Wednesday. Then finally, just when I reached
the front of the queue, they asked me to come back in an hour…
The professional leadership body for pharmacists has urged the General Pharmaceutical Council's (GPhC) to make it mandatory to have a chief pharmacist within
organisations to ensure transparency for patients, the public and pharmacy staff.
On 23 January, the GPhC launched a consultation seeking views on the new draft Standards for Chief Pharmacists it has developed to strengthen pharmacy governance.
These standards outlined the professional responsibilities and qualifications required by a chief pharmacist to support their organisation and its staff to deliver
"safe and effective" pharmacy services.
The pharmacy regulator highlighted the importance of having a registered chief pharmacist meeting these standards in hospitals (or relevant settings) to benefit
from the new legislation regarding accidental errors.
In response to the consultation, the RPS expressed that while meeting these standards could enhance pharmacy governance, they may not provide the framework needed
to fully support staff in reporting and learning from errors.
The two Gompels pharmacies, located one mile away from one another in Melksham, Wiltshire, have recently achieved significant milestones, underscoring the
success of their innovative and patient-centric approach.
With a remarkable increase in consultations and a surge in the use of the Pharmacy First service, the pharmacies have become a cornerstone of the community's
healthcare.
So what is the secret sauce that helps the Gompels achieve success?
At the heart of Gompels' success is the dedicated staff and the strong work culture cultivated over decades.
Patrick Gompels believes in empowering his team through a strong work culture.
"Our culture and empowering the team is the most important thing. We have put a huge amount of work into it," he states.
Monthly barbecues, drinks evenings, daily huddles, and five-minute reviews with managers reinforce this culture and keep the team connected and motivated.
" I send a bulletin to all the staff at the start of every week, and different people chip in and give their input. This constantly reinforces the strategy
and changes, further empowering the staff," Gompels says.