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.
Part of a raft of National Health Services (NHS) measures which aim to support people to prevent or reduce incidence of type 2 diabetes and obesity, the
NHS Digital Weight Management Programme has emerged as a beacon of success in the battle against obesity, with a recent study showcasing its effectiveness in
aiding weight loss among participants.
According to research published in The Obesity Journal, the programme has garnered significant traction, with over 63,000 individuals referred in its inaugural year.
Encouragingly, half of those referred opted to enroll in the service, highlighting its appeal and accessibility.
Among the 14,000 participants who completed the 12-week programme between April 2021 and March 2022, a notable average weight loss of 3.9kg (equivalent to 8.59lbs)
was achieved.
Even among those who did not complete the programme, an average weight loss of 2.2kg (approximately 4.85lbs) was observed.
For the first time, Covid-19 vaccines will be available for purchase from pharmacies in Britain from April 1.
As revealed by The Times, Boots is set to launch a private vaccination service next week to ensure that people "remain ready to respond to this constantly
evolving and unpredictable virus."
Under the NHS national immunization programme (NIP), Covid booster vaccines are only offered to those at high risk, including over-65s or patients with weakened
immune systems.
From April 1, anyone aged 12 or over can get the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at 50 Boots stores for £98.95.
While it's highly unlikely for healthier young adults to experience severe Covid-19, getting the single-dose vaccine can protect them from discomforting symptoms
like coughs and sore throats.
A spokesperson for Boots told the publication that their private service is the extension of their existing delivery of Covid-19 vaccinations for the NHS.
Within 24 hours of the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton's, cancer diagnosis, National Health Service (NHS) England saw a 373% spike in visits to its
cancer page, highlighting the growing focus on cancer awareness.
Similarly, charities like Macmillan Cancer Support charity experienced increased traffic, with nearly 100,000 visits to their support pages since the announcement.
Traffic to the NHS website's cancer symptoms page surged significantly, recording a remarkable 4,172 visits within three hours of the release of the Princess's
video message.
This sudden increase translated to an average of one visit every three seconds, a substantial rise from the 1,922 visits recorded during the same timeframe a week
earlier.
Notably, visits to the symptoms page peaked immediately after the announcement, with 1,678 visits recorded between 6 pm and 7 pm on the day of the announcement.
In 2023, almost 14,000 people in England are estimated to have died due to excessive waits in emergency departments, averaging more than 260 deaths per week,
according to new figures from the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM).
The RCEM estimate is based on a large study of NHS patients published in the Emergency Medicine Journal in 2021, which found one excess death for every 72 patients
who spent eight to 12 hours in an A&E department.
Following a Freedom of Information audit of NHS trusts, the college has found that 65 per cent of people waiting 12 hours or more in A&E were patients waiting for
a hospital bed.
NHS data for England revealed that over 1.5 million patients waited 12 hours or more in major emergency departments last year. Based on the RCEM calculation, this
indicates that over a million of those patients were waiting for a bed.
In a groundbreaking move, the Department of Education has initiated the first phase of its ambitious childcare expansion plan, offering a lifeline to
thousands of working parents of two-year-olds nationwide.
Effective from April 1, working parents now have access to 15 hours a week of government-funded childcare, marking the onset of the largest-ever childcare
provision expansion in the country's history.
This milestone initiative aims to alleviate the financial strain on families and promote workforce participation, with over 150,000 children projected to benefit
from government-funded places.
By September 2025, the expansion will culminate in working parents gaining access to 30 hours of free childcare, offering substantial annual savings and enabling
parents to navigate the delicate balance between work and family commitments.
Acknowledging the pivotal role of childcare in supporting families and driving economic growth, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak emphasized the government's commitment
to delivering on its promise of expanded childcare provision.
The NHS England last week released a survey report on the involvement of pharmacy professionals in research, and proposed the implementation of a
clinical academic training pathway for pharmacy professionals by 2030.
Recommendations were made to support the embedding of research at all stages of a pharmacy professional's career.
The report presented the findings of two surveys that NHS England launched in May 2022, one for individual pharmacy professionals and one for organisations,
calling for evidence on clinical academic careers in pharmacy.
The survey found that only a minority of the pharmacy workforce take up clinical research training opportunities.
"Just under a quarter of individual respondents had applied for the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) or other research project grants, and
just under half of the organisational survey respondents had supported individuals to apply for such a grant," it said.
Poverty not only takes a significant toll on people's health but also leads to additional costs for the National Health Service (NHS). Rise in deep poverty,
cost-of-living crisis, and high pressure on NHS services have worsened the situation, according to a study published by The King's Fund this week.
The report underscored that poverty and deprivation contribute to a greater prevalence of diseases, difficulties in accessing health care, late or delayed
treatment, and worse health outcomes. These challenges could be seen across various NHS services, spanning from emergency care to dental services
Additionally, it revealed that 30 per cent of people living in the most deprived areas have turned to 999, 111, A&E or a walk-in centre because they could not
access a GP appointment.
In 2016, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) estimated the cost of poverty on health care at £29 billion (£34 billion in current prices). As the proportion of
people living in deep poverty has risen, the situation has worsened. In 2021/22, six million people were living in very deep poverty, up from 4.5 million two
decades ago. Currently, more than one in five people in the UK are estimated to be living in poverty, the report noted.
Deprivation is linked to a range of diet-related health problems, including cardiovascular disease and diabetes, as well as mental illness. According to the
report, the depression rate is two times higher among people living in the most deprived areas, compared to the least deprived areas.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) published a notification regarding the shortage of Guanfacine 2mg and 3mg modified-release tablets has
raised concerns within the healthcare community.
This critical medicine supply notification, issued on March 28th, projects the unavailability of these tablets until the week commencing May 6, 2024.
Guanfacine tablets, commonly prescribed to alleviate symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity while enhancing attention and concentration, play a vital role in
managing conditions like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
However, the scarcity of these specific strengths poses challenges for patients reliant on this medication.
Last year, several countries across the globe experienced shortages of medications for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)including
the UK, the US and Australia.
Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has cautioned that while alternative strengths of Guanfacine remain accessible, they may not adequately meet the heightened demand,
potentially resulting in treatment interruptions for patients.
In a significant development, the British Medical Association's (BMA) consultants committee has voted to accept the government's offer on pay for senior
doctors in England, along with proposed reforms to the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB).
This decision follows a prolonged dispute between consultants and the government, which spanned over a year, involving unprecedented industrial actions.
Committee Chair Vishal Sharma described the agreement as "the end of the beginning" in consultants' endeavors to restore their pay levels to those of 2008.
Stressing the importance of the review body's independence in averting future pay disputes, Sharma emphasized the imperative role of utilizing this autonomy
effectively.
A staggering 83% of consultants participating in the three-week referendum voted in favor of accepting the offer, signaling a widespread endorsement of the
agreement within the profession.
Patients are highly satisfied with the new Pharmacy First service, which enables pharmacists to assess and treat patients for seven common conditions,
according to a survey by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA).
Nearly 100 NPA members participated in the snapshot poll conducted at the end of the first full week of the service.
Nine in ten respondents (87 per cent) said that "most or all patients expressed satisfaction" with the service they received.
However, many independent community pharmacy owners are facing challenges in implementing the service.
While 56 per cent of pharmacy owners surveyed expressed feeling "motivated" by the new service, a larger proportion (70 per cent) indicated being "under
additional pressure."
More than 30 per cent of the respondents found implementation of the service "harder" than they had expected.
Merseyside Police have appealed for information from the public following the theft of "a large quantity" of medication from a pharmacy in West Derby this week.
As per the police report, the burglary occurred in the early hours of Monday, 12 February, at the pharmacy situated on Deysbrook Lane. Authorities were informed
at around 9:15 am.
Based on the CCTV footage they have recovered, the Merseyside Police revealed that a man entered the pharmacy at around 1.20 am on 12 February and stole a large
quantity of medication, including diazepam, codeine, co-codamol, pregabalin, zopiclone.
These are prescription-only drugs that could cause "serious harm" if a significant amount is taken, the report said.
The suspect, described as a white man of slim build, was wearing a grey coloured tracksuit and glasses, according to the police.
Community Pharmacy England (CPE) highlighted the untapped potential of community pharmacies in the prevention and management of long-term conditions to
Conservative MPs during an event last week.
The roundtable discussion was attended by a select group of influential and supportive MPs alongside community pharmacy owners, the Chief Executive of Community
Pharmacy England, the Director of NHS Services, and patient representative group Healthwatch.
MPs in attendance included Steve Double, MP for St Austell and Newquay, who chaired the discussion; Will Quince MP, former Minister for Pharmacy, Derek Thomas
MP, Sir Peter Bottomley and Peter Aldous MP.
They talked about the current pressures and funding crisis in community pharmacy, exploring solutions on how this could be eased and the huge benefits that can
be unlocked.
The government will on Thursday launch a drive to boost childhood vaccination rates, health authorities said, seeking an "urgent reversal" to a fall in
uptake as the country faces a worsening measles outbreak.
Routine childhood immunisations in Britain for diseases including measles, mumps and rubella, diphtheria and polio, have been falling gradually over the past
decade, but dipped more sharply after the Covid-19 pandemic, mirroring a global decline.
Last year UNICEF said people worldwide had lost confidence in the importance of routine childhood vaccines during the pandemic, with misinformation, dwindling
trust in governments and political polarisation contributing to rising hesitancy.
Britons will begin seeing adverts from next week across various media, including a television campaign featuring children reminding parents of the risk of missing
out on vaccinations, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.
"We need an urgent reversal of the decline in the uptake of childhood vaccinations to protect our communities," UKHSA chief executive Jenny Harries said in a
statement.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has developed new draft Standards for Chief Pharmacists to strengthen pharmacy governance.
It has set out the professional responsibilities as well as described the knowledge, conduct, and performance required by a chief pharmacist (or equivalent) to
support their organisation and its staff to deliver "safe and effective" pharmacy services.
The pharmacy regulator has also launched a consultation to find out what patients, carers, and members of the public think about the new draft standards.
Participants can share their views "if there are any settings in which the standards could not be applied or met and any positive or negative impacts of the
proposals," it said.
The survey will open for 12 weeks, from 23 January to 16 April 2024.
Pharmacy owners discussed the key concerns and priorities for the future at the Community Pharmacy England's (CPE) digital briefing event held last
week (on 7 May 2024).
More than 500 pharmacy owners and their representatives registered for the event, which provided them an opportunity to learn more about the committee's work
in key areas and share their views on important issues.
Major concerns raised by them included underfunding, dispensing at a loss, and challenges in implementing Pharmacy First.
Attendees described the new service as "slow", "challenging" and "underfunded", while also highlighting the importance of improving GPs' understanding of the service.
The UK has witnessed a nearly 50 percent increase in pharmacy closures this year compared to the same period in 2023, which was already considered the
worst year in recent memory.
A new analysis by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) revealed that 177 pharmacies closed their doors between January and April 2024, compared to 116 in the
same period last year. This is the equivalent of 10 local pharmacies shutting down every week.
Analysis of NHS figures by the NPA showed that 403 pharmacies closed their doors last year, nearly five times higher than the number that closed in 2022.
Since 2017, over 1,400 pharmacies have shut down across the UK.
Rising costs and declining real terms funding have led to the fastest rate of closures in decades, said the NPA, highlighting that "real terms funding has
decreased by 40 per cent over the last decade."
The UK government has announced plans to update legislation to enable more services and individuals to provide take-home supplies of naloxone - a life-saving
opioid overdose antidote - over the next few weeks.
Naloxone can immediately reverse the effects of an opioid overdose by reversing breathing difficulties. The medicine can be administered by anyone in an emergency.
However, current legislation allows only drug and alcohol treatment services to supply it without a prescription to individuals for future use.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) confirmed on Tuesday (14 May) that more professionals, including nurses, paramedics, police officers, probation
officers and pharmacy professionals, will be able to supply the medicine without a prescription to save lives.
Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins warned that opioid addiction can ruin lives and it accounts for the largest proportion of drug-related deaths
across the UK.
Community Pharmacy England (CPE) is gearing up to conduct a vital Pharmacy Advice Audit, calling on pharmacy owners and their teams to help measure the
increasing reliance on pharmacies within communities.
With years of financial strains impacting the sector, despite the much-needed £645 million recovery plan funding, the sector finds itself on the edge.
The launch of Pharmacy First sparked a notable surge in people seeking advice from community pharmacies, both within and beyond the funded service, as revealed
by recent sector polling.
To accurately assess this trend and advocate for sustainable funding, CPE is initiating an audit to gather data crucial for showcasing the extent of unfunded
care provided by community pharmacies.
Scheduled to commence this week, the Pharmacy Advice Audit will entail pharmacy teams documenting informal healthcare advice dispensed over a single day.
A recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition reveals promising results regarding the use of daily prebiotic fiber supplements in patients
with pre-diabetes, suggesting significant improvements in insulin sensitivity and other vital health markers.
"Pre-diabetes affects over 7 million individuals in the UK," says Dr. Thomas Gurry, CEO at myota. "Our findings have shown that prebiotic fiber represents a
promising and efficacious fast-acting treatment to manage pre-diabetes."
Conducted over 24 weeks with 66 prediabetic participants, the study, led by scientists from myota and CRO Lindus Health, utilised a diverse prebiotic blend.
"The results of our study suggest that this natural diverse prebiotic fiber supplement could be taken to reverse pre-diabetes and to prevent or slow the onset
of type 2 diabetes," says Dr. Caitlin Hall, Head of Research at myota.
