The Pharmaceutical Society NI (PSNI)'s Council has decided to freeze the annual registration fee for the current financial year 2023/24.
The annual registration fee is considered each year by the PSNI's council. At its meeting in November 2022, Council members in recognition of the effects of the
Covid-19 pandemic, the personal and professional impact of the cost of living crisis on pharmacists, and the overall cost of regulation agreed to maintain
registration fees at their current level for the next financial year.
Pharmaceutical Society NI's Chief Executive Michaela McAleer said: "I am pleased with Council's decision to continue the freeze on registration fees for the 7th
successive year. We are acutely aware of the pressures facing the pharmacy profession and hope this can provide some reassurance to the profession as we deal with
these financially difficult times.
Many of us know that oral health plays a hugely important role in our general health and wellbeing. We're continuing to see a rise of cosmetic dentistry
such as veneers and teeth whitening[1] but fundamentally, it shouldn't be forgotten that oral health encompasses so much more than aesthetics. Our diets,
the oral hygiene products we are using, and our brushing techniques are all elements that impact our oral health.
It's been hard to miss in the news that there is a dental crisis in the UK, with 'dental deserts' leaving some areas with over 3,000 patients for every NHS
dentist[2]. With oral health being of such importance to our overall health[3], it's only reiterated to us at Haleon that we must continue to promote access
to dental care and understanding of better dental health.
As I've mentioned in previous articles for Pharmacy Business, an understanding of preventative, self-care is hugely beneficial, not just to improve health
inclusivity but to help reduce these current burdens on both healthcare and dentistry professionals. We know that at Haleon, we, and the consumer healthcare
industry as a whole, have a responsibility to empower people to equip themselves with the tools and information to participate in their own and loved ones'
health - and dental health is such an important part of that.
The country as a whole is facing uncertain and challenging times, and for our profession emerging from the second year of the pandemic, the pressures and
stresses don't look to be easing up. It is undeniable that the wellbeing of those in our pharmacy family has suffered and many face emotional and psychological
challenges in addition to immense workplace pressure.
What do we know about the state of wellbeing within the profession? As the profession's independent charity, it is crucial that Pharmacist Support keeps abreast of
the changing needs of the profession to enable us to meet the needs of those we are here to help. To do this, each year we collaborate with the Royal Pharmaceutical
Society (RPS) to carry out an annual Workforce Wellbeing Survey.
The last survey carried out was in the latter part of 2021 but nothing has changed since. And the results provided stark reading. Of the 1,014 responses received,
many reported living with 'poor' or 'very poor' mental health and wellbeing.
The survey results highlight a continued clear need for mental health and wellbeing support. Within the survey, it was identified that there is a very clear need for
independent assistance, with many saying they feel unable to talk to their employers about their mental health issues. The need for our charity has never been clearer.
In his first speech as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting MP acknowledged that the NHS is in crisis while outlining his mission to
save the health service.
Streeting described the current state of the NHS as "broken," noting its failure to meet the needs of both patients and dedicated healthcare professionals.
"When we said during the election campaign, that the NHS was going through the biggest crisis in its history, we meant it.
"When we said that patients are being failed on a daily basis, it wasn't political rhetoric, but the daily reality faced by millions," he said on Friday (5 July).
The new health secretary remarked that previous governments had been unwilling to admit these simple facts.
The UK is lagging behind comparable countries when it comes to cancer survival, Cancer Research UK (CRUK) has said, calling on all political parties to make
cancer a top priority in their party manifestos.
While cancer survival rates in the UK have doubled over the last 50 years, the charity warned that the hard-won progress is at risk of stalling, with NHS cancer
services in "crisis" and around half a million cancer cases a year projected by 2040.
The charity has published an ambitious cancer plan which, if adopted by the next UK government, could dramatically improve cancer outcomes and prevent 20,000
cancer deaths a year by 2040.
Called "Longer Better Lives: A Manifesto for Cancer Research and Care", the plan has been developed with the insights of cancer patients and experts from across
health, life sciences, government and academic sectors, it said.
US biotech firm Moderna will build a new research and manufacturing centre in Britain to develop vaccines against new Covid-19 variants, other respiratory
illnesses and help improve readiness for any future pandemics.
The facility is expected to start producing shots in 2025 and Britain has made a commitment to buy Moderna's vaccines for the next decade under the agreement.
Moderna's Covid-19 vaccines, which use messenger RNA (mRNA) technology, were among those deployed in Britain to tackle the crisis and enable prime minister Boris
Johnson to reopen the economy from stringent lockdowns.
Moderna chief executive Stephane Bancel said the priority was to develop a shot combining refreshed boosters against Covid, flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
"By building a plant in the UK, we are also providing the UK Government - which has a long term partnership with us, with this agreement - with the ability to be
pandemic ready," Bancel said on Wednesday.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society in England (RPS) and Community Pharmacy England (CPE) have raised alarm over the impending increase in NHS prescription
charges, slated to take effect from May 1, 2024.
The RPS, represented by Chair Tase Oputu, condemned the rise, labeling it a "dark day for patients" who will now face nearly £10 per prescription item.
Oputu emphasised the disproportionate impact on individuals with low incomes, citing the "relentless annual increases in prescription charges" as exacerbating
the affordability crisis in healthcare.
" Every day pharmacists are asked by patients who are unable to afford all the items in their prescription which ones they can 'do without'" she said.
She further added that the financial barriers to get vital medicines should not be faced by any one and advocated for "the abolition of prescription charges in
England, as has been implemented in other parts of the UK".
All four UK health services have committed to net zero carbon emissions, health secretary Sajid Javid announced today (November 9).
Lauding the commitment, Javid said: "As a health community, we cannot simply sit on the sidelines - we must respond to climate change through urgent action, with global collaboration at its core."
Health systems in the UK have already started work on being greener.
On behalf of the profession, Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) joined the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) in writing a letter to world leaders
who had gathered in Glasgow earlier last week to attend the COP26 summit, expressing pharmacy's commitment to tacking the climate crisis.
RPS also signed a charter to guide effective and high-quality climate action by professional bodies in the UK.
Sigma Pharmaceuticals, a leading pharmacy wholesaler and distributor in the UK, has once again demonstrated its commitment to supporting the local
community by helping raise over £70,000 for local charitable causes.
As per a statement from Watford-based industry leader, they raised £20,000 for Citizens Advice Watford, their selected charity of the year, during the recent
Sigma annual conference held in Sun City, South Africa.
Additionally, Sigma played a vital part in raising more than £52,000 for 'Team George' at the London Marathon Charity run held on Sunday, 21 April 2024 to
support cancer charities.
Throughout the year, Sigma will continue to partner with Citizens Advice Watford, a local charity that provides frontline service to the community, giving free,
expert and impartial advice and support to 8,000 people a year, many of whom are facing crisis situations.
Applauding the work done by this charity, Dr Bharat Shah CBE, Founder and Managing Director at Sigma, said: "It has been eye-opening to learn about the
life-changing impact the charity has on the lives of so many people.
"We have seen how their expert team works day in and day out to speak up for people who have nowhere else to turn, ensuring they receive the support and
services they're entitled to."
The outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) in the UK, which is associated with contaminated eye gels imported from India, has led to the death of
one person, and many others falling ill, according to a government report.
Bcc is a group of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are widely found within the environment. Although it rarely causes infection, it can result in severe ones in
individuals with compromised immune systems and those living with cystic fibrosis, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.
Between January 2023 and February 2024, there were 52 confirmed and six probable cases across the UK linked to the bacteria outbreak, as revealed in the Health
Protection Report published by UKHSA.
Forty-one of these cases were hospital inpatients, 38 of which were in critical-care settings.
Twenty-five cases were considered to have "clinically significant infections attributable to Bcc", out of which 11 had eye infections, nine had respiratory
infections and four had bacteremia (bacteria entering the bloodstream).
Two individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) were infected, and while one was treated, the other died, with the report indicating Bcc infection to have "contributed
to the death."
Following centuries of stigma, the importance of mental wellness is finally matching that of physical healthcare.
Conditions such as depression have become common topics in the media, particularly in the last few years as celebrities and experts warned against the pressures of
social media. The bouts of isolation connected with the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated the issue, with the British Medical Association declaring a UK mental health
crisis at the end of 2022.
This media attention has led to acknowledgement of the realities of mental health problems from the government and medical sector, and a recognition that these
need to be approached differently to physical ailments when it comes to providing treatment.
If you are motivated to be involved in this rapidly changing industry, consider these rewarding business ideas for developing a career in mental health.
Become a counsellor
Counselling is a broad term, but essentially it is the practice of having impartial conversation with patients about their life experiences with a view to overcoming
emotional obstacles and trauma. Training can take three to five years depending on whether you are getting a degree or diploma, and there are many opportunities to
specialise both during and after your education.
Psychotherapy is a similar field, but this is a more academically focused course that tends to be concerned with long-term or particularly complex mental health
issues. You will need a post-graduate qualification and several years of training to become certified.
Expressing apprehension over the concerning decline in the nursing workforce, Sir Julian Hartley, CEO of NHS Providers, urged the forthcoming government
to bolster investment in nursing education and enhance support for student nurses.
Recent analysis from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has projected that the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan will fall short by 10,000 new nurses by 2025.
Commenting on the RCN analysis, Sir Hartley underscored the critical importance of having an adequate number of nurses to ensure the delivery of safe,
high-quality patient care.
"Without enough nurses, the delivery of safe, high-quality patient care is compromised," he said.
He cautioned that the predicted shortfall in nurses would exacerbate existing pressures on the NHS, resulting in long waiting times, delayed treatments and
staff burnout.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have added five more medicines that cannot
be hoarded or exported from the UK market.
The government has taken the following action to address the "critical shortage" of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drugs.
In a crucial development on October 9, this strategic move aims to enable wholesalers to fulfil their legal obligation to supply these essential medicines to
patients across the UK.
The updated list of drugs incorporated "all" available strengths and pharmaceutical formulations, ensuring comprehensive coverage for patients' medical needs.
A total of 7,599 whooping cough cases have been recorded in England from January to May 2024, according to new data released by the UK Health Security Agency
(UKHSA).
In January 2024, there were 555 cases, followed by 920 in February, 1,427 in March, 2,106 in April, and 2,591 in May.
While the majority of cases (over 53 per cent) occurred in individuals aged 15 years or older, who typically experience milder symptoms, a significant number (262)
were reported in babies under 3 months old, who are at the highest risk of severe complications and death from whooping cough.
Since the outbreak began in November last year, there have been nine infant deaths (one in December 2023 and eight between January and May 2024).
Whooping cough, or pertussis, is a bacterial infection affecting the lungs. This cyclical disease peaks every 3 to 5 years, with the last increase seen in 2016.
The result from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS)'s survey showed that pharmacists witnessed 'the cost of living is having an impact on whether people
can afford prescription medicines in England'.
RPS has long campaigned to remove prescription charges for people with long-term conditions in England because they create a financial barrier to patients receiving
the medicines needed to keep them well.
The charge currently stands at £9.35 per item prescrib9ed and an annual rise usually occurs in April. Prescriptions are free for people in Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland.
One in two pharmacists who responded to the survey said they've seen an increase in the last six months in patients asking them which medicines on their prescription
they can 'do without' due to affordability issues.
One in two pharmacists had seen a rise in people not collecting their prescription, whilst two out of three pharmacists reported an increase in being asked if there
was a cheaper, over-the-counter substitute for the medicine they had been prescribed.
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.
Pharmacists working in Northern Ireland think the retention fees are too high, and most would prefer to pay in instalments, if that option is available, amid
the increased living costs, a new survey has found.
97 per cent of the respondents to the survey, conducted by the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) of its Northern Irish members, felt the fees were too high. Four
in five said they would opt to pay in instalments if this option were available to them in light of the challenges of significant one-off payments.
On average, the fees accounted for 23 per cent of a pharmacist's take-home pay for one month, and 98 per cent did not see any value added to their professional
standing for the sum, according to the survey.
The PDA said the respondents also reported feeling disadvantaged among their colleagues in terms of how fees are collected, with many also wondering why the
registration fee was not offset for those on maternity leave or working reduced or flexible hours.
The number of people suffering from addiction is at an all time high, with more people seeking treatment across the USA due to the fentanyl crisis, but new
studies have shown that addiction drugs may not only be able to aid those suffering from the deadly disease, but also aid people suffering from long COVID.
While there has long been research underway to find a cure for the likes of alcoholism and drug addiction, it turns out naltrexone, a drug used in the addiction
treatment space, is helping people who have been suffering from headaches, seizures and fatigue as a result of long COVID.
According to Dr. Paul Valbuena at The River Source, an Arizona drug rehab, naltrexone is typically used by rehab centers and prescribed to patients suffering from
addiction to reduce cravings and the feeling of euphoria associated with substance use disorder, giving patients clarity and focus to concentrate on recovery.
Thanks to a recent report, that has also been revealed to be the case for those suffering with long COVID too, with Lauren Nichols, a long COVID sufferer from Chicago
being prescribed the drug by her doctor.
She found that the drug helped quell her seizures and headaches, alowing her to think clearly and get on with her life as normal. It's been a similar story for other
patients too, and has marked a major breakthrough in the bid to help those who are still suffering in the aftermath of the pandemic.
The world has never been in a better position to end the Covid-19 pandemic, the head of the World Health Organization said on September 14, his most optimistic
outlook yet on the years-long health crisis which has killed over six million people.
"We are not there yet. But the end is in sight," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at a virtual press conference.
That was the most upbeat assessment from the UN agency since it declared an international emergency in January 2020 and started describing Covid-19 as a pandemic
three months later.
The virus, which emerged in China in late 2019, has killed nearly 6.5 million people and infected 606 million, roiling global economies and overwhelming healthcare
systems.
The rollout of vaccines and therapies have helped to stem deaths and hospitalisations, and the Omicron variant which emerged late last year causes less severe
disease. Deaths from Covid-19 last week were the lowest since March 2020, the U.N. agency reported.
As the countdown to the next UK election begins, the King's Fund has identified three priorities to improve public health.
The national action would be taken by the future government to fix the "NHS and social care" in the country.
The health policy think tank said it would prioritise "improving access to out-of-hospital care", making "careers in health and social care" more attractive
and tackling the biggest risk factors affecting people's health.
It highlighted that workforce crisis is one of the biggest challenges faced by the National Health Service (NHS) and social care services in England while
citing "years of poor planning and fragmented responsibilities" as the reason for widespread staff shortages.
As per the King's Fund's data, there were more than 125,000 vacancies across the NHS workforce in England in October 2023, not including primary care vacancies
such as GPs, and 152,000 vacant posts in the adult social care workforce.