The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced 30 pence increase in prescription charges from £9.35 to £9.65 for each medicine or appliance
dispensed.
Board Chair for England at RPS, Thorrun Govind commented: "This is a kick in the teeth for people in England who are already struggling with rising bills and food
prices.
"Patients groups have warned that people are not collecting prescription medicines due to cost and pharmacists are seeing this worrying trend first-hand.
"A Government impact assessment noted the risk of adverse effects of people not taking their medicines, resulting in future health problems for the individual,
potential hospital admissions, and a subsequent cost to the NHS.
"This decision seems to prioritise revenue generation over ill-health prevention and undermines the principle of an NHS free at the point of use.
The Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies (AIMp) has appointed David Vanns as its non-executive Chairman following the retirement of its long serving
Chair Peter Cattee. Vanns will take up the role from April 2023.
Cattee, one of the co-founders of AIMp took up the role as its Chairman in 2000. He is also a non-CCA representative on the PSNC. Despite retiring as chairman Cattee
will remain on the AIMp board.
Commenting on his retirement Cattee said: "It's been my great good fortune to work with almost all of the owners of pharmacy groups throughout England, Scotland and
Wales over the years and many other talented people throughout the sector. It's been during a period of increasing consolidation, something which our own business
has reflected, and the original founders and Board members Yakub Patel, Kirit Patel, Steve Williams and David Vanns have all been instrumental in shaping pharmacy
negotiations to better reflect the views of our natural constituency - pharmacy group owners.
A spokesperson for AIMp said: "We thank Peter for his services and dedication to AIMp throughout the years. Our organisation has grown to be a diverse and dynamic
organisation representing and supporting pharmacy groups of all sizes, small and large. Our main identity and what unites us in AIMp, irrespective of the size of
the pharmacy group, is being Independents, and we are very proud of our identity. We look forward to continuing our work in representing and supporting our members
in the best way possible."
The Department of Health in Northern Ireland has advised pharmacies to continue providing rota services on Easter after learning that many pharmacies are
unwilling to provide the services on Easter holidays.
"It is extremely regrettable that community pharmacy representatives have advised that access to rota pharmacies in some parts of Northern Ireland will be reduced
over the Easter holidays," department said.
They have also stated that despite a commitment of recurrent investment, support for new patients assessed by Trusts as requiring blister packs may be restricted.
These actions have the potential to impact on patients and other parts of the Health and Social Care system.
The department has also called the CPNI's demand to increase the funding up to 50 per cent in the sector "unrealistic" in the current financial climate.
It said: "Financial pressures across the entire NI public sector are severe with an extremely challenging health budget anticipated for 2023/24."
"The Department is therefore facing a significant funding gap just to maintain existing services and the whole Health and Social Care system is an extremely
unpredictable and fragile position. The core funding envelope available to community pharmacies in NI has increased by 16% over the past three years."
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has announced the retirement of its Chief Executive, Mark Lyonette.
Mark will retire in 2024. The association has announced his retirement well in advance so that the Board can start work with a leading recruitment agency to search
for the new Chief Executive.
"The Board is keen to build on the strong foundations established and ensure there is a seamless transition and minimum disruption to the business once the new Chief
Executive is in post," said the association.
Mark said: "After five years at the NPA and 40 years working for and leading national membership organisations, I am looking forward to living a different life.
"I am pleased that in the time that I have been with the NPA we have grown both the membership and customer base and created a profitable, stable membership
organisation.
"Alongside our NPA Insurance company, the association is well set to help members face the future.
"Meanwhile there is much to do to ensure that 2023 is another good year in terms of the NPA delivering consistently for members. The process of changing Chief
Executive won't deflect us from our vital work."
Nestled in the heart of a bustling high street and a housing estate, at Lincoln Pharmacy, part of Mildcare Ltd Group, in Tower Hamlets in London, the scene
is a testament to resilience and innovation, where queues of people seek aid from a pharmacy technician stationed behind a glass window-a symbol of the enduring
impact of the pandemic.
Amidst the array of modern amenities at the pharmacy stands Atulkumar Patel, the proprietor and Independent Prescriber (IP) at Lincoln Pharmacy, whose vision has
propelled the establishment into a beacon of progressive healthcare.
Owner of two Pharmacies, Patel's team of 20 dispenses an average of 20,000 prescriptions monthly, maintaining an NHS/OTC split of 80/20.
Recipient of the prestigious Independent Prescriber of the Year award at the Pharmacy Business Awards 2023, Patel reflects on the pivotal moment when his
pharmacy pioneered the rollout of COVID-19 vaccine jabs within the community.
"When doctors' doors closed, pharmacy was the only place where people could get help and care," Patel recounts, emphasising the pivotal role pharmacies played
during the crisis.
Patel's dedication during the pandemic extended beyond mere service provision; it was about showcasing the untapped potential of pharmacies.
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC)'s North-East and Cumbria regional representative, Mark Burdon, has resigned from his role. The Committee has invited all eligible independent contractors to fulfil the post.
The new regional representative will be asked to hold the position until the end of the current term for all Regional Representatives which is now March 31, 2023.
"A representative of independent contractors in the following Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC) areas will be sought: · Community Pharmacy County Durham ·
Community Pharmacy Cumbria · Gateshead & South Tyneside LPC · North of Tyne LPC · Sunderland LPC · Tees LPC," said PSNC.
Eligible independent contractors from these LPC areas are invited to express their interest in the role and then, if an election is triggered, to vote to select their new regional representative in due course - PSNC will issue a full briefing on this process.
Further information, including details about the role of regional representative, the election process, actions required for those seeking to stand for election and timescales, will be shared by the committee with the relevant LPCs and contractors in due course.
Oxford Cannabinoid Technologies Holdings plc, which specialises in developing cannabis-derived medicines with pain-relieving properties, has successfully
administered the first-in-human dose of its lead pharmaceutical drug compound, OCT461201, in its phase 1 clinical trial. The company holds a portfolio of four
drug candidates intended for use as licensed pain medications.
The drug is a selective cannabinoid receptor type 2 agonist with the potential to treat chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and irritable bowel syndrome.
The UK trial, conducted by Simbec Research Limited, part of Simbec-Orion Group Ltd., is progressing with healthy volunteers, OCTP said in a statement. Using a single
ascending dose protocol, the primary objective is to demonstrate OCT461201's safety and tolerability, while providing information on its pharmacokinetic profile, to
confirm its value as a potential drug.
Results from the trial, funded entirely by OCTP's existing resources, are expected in the third quarter of 2023, the statement added.
In a recent survey of 2,000 UK adults, 34 per cent preferred consulting pharmacists for health advice after researching symptoms, while for those surveyed
specifically from Wales, this figure increased to 35 per cent, according to 2San - a global supplier of healthcare products and solutions.
The survey said women had a higher tendency, with 39 per cent seeking their pharmacist's guidance compared to 29 per cent of men surveyed.
According to the survey findings, over one-fifth of people in the UK are turning to pharmacists instead of their primary care physician or doctor for guidance
and advice with medical symptoms.
"With more than 38 million patients in the UK waiting more than two weeks for a GP appointment, it is unsurprising that 34 per cent of people surveyed asked a
pharmacist for advice over their primary care physician/doctor in the last 12 months," 2san said.
In Wales, over a third of people prefer their community pharmacist for support and advice, while those aged 65 and above still tend to consult their primary care
physician.
The NHS England has introduced a training programme for 1000 staff to broaden their community pharmacy roles, thereby improving patient access to services.
Among them, 500 pharmacy staff will be trained to supervise pharmacists during prescription training, while the remaining 500 will provide support for various
training, including pre and post-registration programmes for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
According to the NHSE, pharmacist and pharmacy technician roles are rapidly evolving due to healthcare changes and increased demand for clinical services in
community pharmacy. "There are 3,000 independent prescribing training spots available for 2023/24. Educational supervision is a crucial part of this to enable the
ongoing transformation and skills development of the growing pharmacy workforce."
The NHSE-funded training, scheduled to begin next month, will ensure that those involved in educational supervision, including Designated Supervisors (DSs),
Pre-registration Trainee Pharmacy Technician education supervisors and Designated Prescribing Practitioners (DPPs), can effectively support learners.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's (MHRA) Criminal Enforcement Unit (CEU) has seized a quantity of suspected unlicensed medical
products including unlicensed versions of Botox, numbing agents and dermal fillers in Bolton, Greater Manchester.
Officers from the MHRA and Greater Manchester Police conducted a raid across nine addresses in Bolton, Westhoughton and Leigh in the early hours of Thursday
13 July 2023, where two women and a man were arrested.
Andy Morling, MHRA Deputy Director of Criminal Enforcement said: "Medicines like these are powerful and dangerous in the wrong hands, potentially leading to
serious adverse health consequences. The criminals trading in these products are not only breaking the law, they also have no regard for your safety.
It is illegal to advertise, sell or supply medicines such as these without the appropriate authorisation. If you see these products, or any other powerful
medicines, being sold on social media or elsewhere online, think. It's unlikely to be legitimate. You can help the MHRA take action by reporting concerns
to us through our Yellow Card scheme.
The Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has called the recent announcement of six per cent pay rise for the public sector workforce as 'unfair' for the
community pharmacy sector.
On Thursday (13 June), the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced that pay scales for most doctors and dentists will increase by at least a
six per cent this year after the government accepted the recommendations from the independent pay review bodies in full.
Responding to the recent announcement Chief Executive Janet Morrison, said: "The public sector workforce pay rise will be welcome news for its recipients given
the huge inflationary pressures and the ongoing impact of the cost-of-living crisis. But for community pharmacy owners - who have faced 30% funding cuts in recent
years and who are struggling to meet their rising wage costs - this feels unfair, and very far from good news.
At Community Pharmacy England we are fully focused on the current financial and operational pressures and fighting hard for a sustainable long-term funding
arrangement.
Today, pharmaceutical companies can't simply make an effective drug and count on healthcare providers (HCPs) to come to them - they have to find innovative
ways to attract them. Statista shows that in 2015 there were only 3,286 pharma companies with active research and development pipelines. In 2023, this number
jumped to more than 5,500.
As an earth-shattering number of new drugs are flooding the market each year, HCPs are having a hard time determining the best medicine for their patients.
Meanwhile, pharma companies invest more in marketing to help HCPs get rid of choice paralysis and make them choose their solution over that of competitors.
In this article, we will share the tried-and-true tactics to build a strong pharma brand.
Get creative with interactive email marketing
One…two…three…No, we're not counting to run a marathon. Three seconds is what you've got to pull your reader in with your email. Fail to quickly grab the
audience's attention? We've got some bad news for you. Nobody's going to bother reading about how amazing your pharmaceutical product is if you're churning
out generic emails with artificial intelligence tools.
The government has launched the Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF) on Monday (22 May), under which it has announce up to £39 million fund for antimicrobial
resistance (AMR) research.
Of this new funding package, up to £24 million over four years has been awarded to bolster the UK's partnership with CARB-X - a global AMR research initiative - to
support the continued early development of invaluable new antibiotics, vaccines, rapid diagnostics and other products to combat life threatening drug-resistant
infections and prevent death and disease across the world.
In addition to the CARB-X grant, GAMRIF is investing £5 million over two years into the Global Antibiotic R&D Partnership (GARDP) to develop - and ensure global
access to - new antibiotic treatments against major global health priorities.
The announcement comes as Health Minister Will Quince attends the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland, and Development Minister Andrew Mitchell
participates in an event on health leadership and climate change alongside the WHA. They will announce the launch of the UK government's Global Health Framework for
2023-2025, as part of Minister Quince's address at the WHA.
Health Minister Will Quince said: Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to global health and has led to millions of tragic deaths per year, but the Global AMR
Innovation Fund is supporting cutting-edge research and developing vital new treatments to prevent death and disease across the world.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory (MHRA) and Genomics England to launch a brand-new genetic research resource, known as a 'biobank' on Thursday
(June 01) to tackle the issue of Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs).
Biobank will help to better understand how a patient's genetic makeup can impact the safety of their medicines.
"The Yellow Card biobank, which will contain genetic data and patient samples, will operate alongside the MHRA's Yellow Card reporting site for suspected side
effects and adverse incidents involving medicines and medical devices," said MHRA.
The biobank pilot will officially begin on 1 June 2023 with participant recruitment commencing later this year, on 1 September. The sequencing of participants'
genetic material will begin in Spring 2024, with initial research findings from the pilot due to be published in 2025. Genomics England will be supporting the
MHRA with sequencing and storage of genetic material through use of their well-established and secure infrastructure.
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has reminded community pharmacies (its members) to update their NHS Profile Manager information.
Ahead of the NHS contract quarter deadline- 30th June 2023, the committee has urged its members to ensure that their pharmacy's NHS website and Directory of
Services (DoS) profile information is kept up-to-date.
The Pharmacy Terms of Service requires pharmacy owners to verify profile information at least once per quarter, however the new NHS Profile Manager has been
introduced to make the process as quick as possible and it can be done on either a smartphone or computer.
PSNC said: "We continue to work with NHS England and the NHS Profile Manager team to make the process as easy as possible and to improve the management tool. Our
feedback has led NHS England to automatically set pharmacy opening hours to 'closed' for many bank holidays (however these can be reset to 'open' if required)."
Pharmanovia, a global pharmaceutical company has announced increased targets to divert 40 per cent of its air shipments to sea in 2023, and 75 per cent by the
end of 2028.
It has made the pledge as it revealed the significant progress made towards achieving its ambitious science-backed ESG initiatives in its new Sustainability Report.
Its industry-leading air-to-sea pilot scheme, which focused on its Spain-to-Australia freight route, cut an estimated 470,000kg in potential CO2 emissions in
2022 - reducing Scope 3 upstream transport emissions by 18 per cent.
This initiative demonstrates Pharmanovia's role as an industry leader on carbon reduction and follows a recent report which stated just 16 of 500 pharmaceutical
companies measured their entire Scope 3 emissions.
The new Sustainability Report reveals that the Scope 2 emissions decreasing by 13 per cent in 2022, due to lower direct electricity demand within the office space.
The company's packaging audit seeing a 52 per cent increase in the percentage of products packed with at least one fully recyclable component, up from 12% in 2021
to 64 per cent in 2022
Strong progress in an initiative which saw Pharmanovia set ESG goals all employees across its global offices as part of annual performance awards. Employees achieved
a 98 per cent completion rate of the compliance training, including ESG modules
The Scottish Government and Community Pharmacy Scotland have agreed to roll out next month a new national service to provide emergency access to supplies
of naloxone.
An NHS circular signed by Alison Strath, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer of Scotland, advises that the emergency supply service will be added to the community
pharmacy Public Health Service from 30 October 2023. It states that community pharmacy contractors and pharmacy teams should ensure they are familiar with the
new arrangements.
Community pharmacy contractors have been asked to ensure that pharmacy teams complete the e-learning module for naloxone emergency supply. They are also encouraged
to join webinars to support the implementation of the service which will be held on Wednesday 4 October and Tuesday 14 November at 19:30. Details of how to register
can be found at on NHS Scotland's Turas platform.
The National Health Service said that over 425,000 patients have utilised its new national online service to complete GP registration within its inaugural year.
The GP surgery registration service, managed by NHS England, has granted NHS patients efficient and user-friendly access to GP registration since its inception in
August 2022.
According to the NHS, more than 1,400 GP surgeries, a fifth of the national count, have joined the NHS online registration service as part of a new plan to improve
access to primary care. "This aligns with a new strategy to enhance primary care access, with a target of enrolling 2,000 practices in the Register with a GP
surgery service by December 2023."
Many GP surgeries still use paper forms, requiring patients to visit surgeries to collect paperwork. However, the new online service has been shown to save GP
surgery staff up to 15 minutes per registration by helping to reduce paperwork and admin time, the NHS said.
The NHS said that this service enables patients to register with a local GP online at any time, eliminating the need for in-person visits and simplifying the
process for both patients and GP surgeries.
Men can now have their blood pressure checked while visiting a barbershop. The NHS is extending its blood pressure screening services to different local
venues, including barbershops, mosques, and pharmacies. This initiative aims to address the increasing risk of strokes and heart attacks among men.
NHS staff's life-saving actions coincide with recent data indicating that high street pharmacies administered 149,865 blood pressure checks to individuals over
40 in May 2023. This marked a notable increase from the previous year's count of 58,345 in May 2022, the NHS said. "More than 1,300 heart attacks and strokes
could be prevented this year thanks to the high street checks."
"The total number of blood pressure checks delivered by pharmacy teams in the year to March was more than 1 million (1,053,278)," the NHS added.
Furthermore, the government has committed £645 million for a range of added pharmaceutical services. This includes a target of conducting 2.5 million extra blood
pressure checks annually at community pharmacies. This effort is estimated to avert over 1,350 cardiovascular events per year - equivalent to averting 113 heart
attacks and strokes each month.
