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The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) Board has elected 14 Board members on Friday (30 March) that will govern the association for next two years. Four new Board members have been elected while five previous members left the Board after serving their terms. The period April 2023 to March 2025 will see the completion of the transition to the new Board structure. The Board will meet again on Monday (24 April) to elect the Chair and other appointments. Gareth Jones, Returning Officer for the NPA Board elections, said: "The NPA has undertaken a process of significant modernisation of organisational governance over the past years. Key elements of this process include adopting modern new Articles of Association, reforming the structure of the Board and introducing term limits. The process of electing the Board has also been changed so that half of the Board will be up for election every two years - which supports continuity and reduces the risk of a loss of organisational memory." "Recognising that the Board would already be losing a lot of organisational memory in 2023 with five members of Board standing down, the Board determined that three individuals should be co-opted onto the new Board as the process of transformation continues. In March 2025, anyone that has served 12 years or more will be required to stand down."

The new Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) prescription pre-payment certificate (PPC) has witnessed more than 37,000 purchases both via online website and in-person in pharmacies since its launch on Saturday (1 April). As of 12pm today (4 April), 37,240 HRT PPCs have been bought online and 501 in-pharmacy, totalling 37,741 certificates. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) estimated women have saved over £1.13 million in prescription charges for the year, with the average person saving £30 for a year's supply. The new prescription pre-payment certificate is also predicted to enable around 400,000 women to have cheaper access to menopause support. On the launch of the scheme on Saturday, the huge demand for the much-anticipated certificate meant some patients were unable to access the website on the morning of 1 April. "The NHS Business Service Authority has ensured that the site has been working, allowing thousands of women to continue to successfully purchase a prescription for a year's worth of hormone replacement therapy products which help treat the menopause," said DHSC. Minister for Women's Health Strategy, Maria Caulfield said: "Over 37,700 women have come forward to claim cheaper HRT this weekend alone, showing what happens when we listen to what women want.

ECG has launched a new 'simple and straightforward' Patient Group Direction (PGD) service for pharmacists working in primary care, together with a service which offers direct access to an NHS Consultant for medical advice to offer robust safeguarding as and when needed. Taking on more clinical services with the PGDs can feel daunting and a big responsibility for healthcare professionals. ECG's new medical advice service (for anyone purchasing their PGDs) will offer pharmacists the opportunity to call and speak to a clinical member of the ECG team who will triage the calls and support them. If required, the call will be connected to an experienced NHS Consultant to offer immediate medical advice. The service will start with a Monday-Friday 08:30-16:30hrs provision with an option to increase to 24 /7 for those working out of hours. This is inclusive in the PGD pricing offer. ECG has been the market leader in providing vaccination training to pharmacists since 2004, providing robust knowledge and clinical skills to enable pharmacists to develop their private and NHS commissioned vaccination services (such as flu and covid). By developing their close working relationship with all of the multiples, many smaller chains, membership groups and independents over the years, ECG has continued to further consolidate their 'one stop shop' approach to supporting the sector. ECG wants to offer this sector choices in the level of guidance and support that the individual healthcare professionals feel they need to offer safe care to patients.

The trade bodies and four largest pharmacy chains in England, have jointly written to the Secretary of State for Health, Steve Barclay, warning that the sector needs urgent investment for sustainability. The letter from AIMp, CCA, NPA, PSNC, Boots UK, Lloyds Pharmacy, Well, and Phoenix UK, warned that the 30 per cent real terms funding cuts that pharmacies have faced over the past seven years have left many businesses in a cashflow crisis. The letter said that the government is facing a choice over the future of the country's 11,000+ community pharmacies, with permanent closures likely and medicines supply at risk if no urgent action is taken. "If the funding situation is not addressed, the sector is likely to move rapidly towards many permanent closures of pharmacies." The organisations say that once these closures start, they will be hard to stop, as the sector is now so fragile other pharmacies would struggle to pick up the slack.

Erectile dysfunction is a very common form of medical condition that occurs in males over time. Usually, this problem is found in people who take too much medication, and ED is probably a side effect of any one of them. However, in seventy-five percent of males, the cause of erectile dysfunction is unknown, and finding the accurate reason for it is very complex. It can be a result of any neural complications, diabetes, or any surgeries that include the prostate of our body. ED can also be treated by using a vacuum device and surgeries on the private parts. However, it can be eradicated completely without any surgeries, and here are some tips that will help you in overcoming erectile dysfunction without surgery and lead a happy life. DO EXERCISE Exercise is a great way to overcome any health issues, and also to safeguard yourself from health issues in the future. Physical activity also helps you in controlling obesity, which is one of the reasons behind ED. By not doing regular exercises, you expose yourself to various cardiovascular problems, which contribute to ED. Studies show that light aerobic exercise for 30-40 minutes a day for at least four times a week for at least 6 months has considerably reduced ED in people. STAY SLIM Studies have shown that a person who has a waist near 42 inches is more likely to suffer from ED than a person with a waistline of 32 inches. Therefore, if you are obese it's time that you lose some weight. Excessive fat in the body is the birthplace of various diseases. Obesity is also responsible for vascular problems and diabetes which are two primary causes of ED.

Community pharmacies will be able to deliver approximately 15 million blood pressure screenings by 2026, revealed the Company Chemists' Association (CCA)'s new research. This will also prevent 15,000 people from suffering heart attacks or strokes. CCA has called the Government to take up their offer and commission pharmacies as the first port of call for cardiovascular care. "Thousands of lives can be saved with ambitious commissioning and the investment to match," said CCA. There is an opportunity to use the expertise of community pharmacy to go further and provide the care these newly identified patients' need. To do this the sector needs funding and workforce. The association said: "Community pharmacy is under great financial pressure, suffering a real term funding cut of over 30% over 8 years. With funding, the sector can transform to deliver this critical need for patients. Whilst there are plans to train Independent Prescribers (IPs), there are no clear roles for them to use these skills. There is a need to accelerate training plans to allow pharmacists to deliver the service described here and play their part in CVD management."

In a significant leap forward in the fight against HIV, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has given the green light to two groundbreaking formulations of cabotegravir. Apretude 30 mg film-coated tablets and Apretude 600 mg prolonged-release suspension for injection are now authorized for preventing sexually transmitted HIV-1 infection in adults and adolescents weighing at least 35kg at increased risk. This approval marks a pivotal moment in HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) prevention, offering an alternative to existing standard pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP treatments. HIV, a virus notorious for compromising the immune system, has long been a global health concern. Cabotegravir, a member of the integrase inhibitor group, works by blocking a key enzyme necessary for the replication of HIV-1, thereby reducing the virus's ability to spread.

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has expressed dissatisfaction with the spring budget as it brings "no specific relief" for the community pharmacy sector, which is grappling with "soaring costs and severe medicine supply and pricing issues." UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced his Spring Budget on Wednesday, confirming an extra £2.5 billion in day-to-day revenue funding for the NHS in England in 2024-25 and a new NHS productivity plan worth £3.4bn to modernise IT systems. The Chancellor said that day-to-day spending would grow by 1 per cent per year on average in real terms, and the productivity plan is estimated to "unlock £35 billion worth of savings" from 2025-26 to 2029-30. However, CPE chief executive, Janet Morrison commented that the budget has "no obvious good news" for community pharmacies who need "urgent relief from the ongoing unsustainable funding and operational pressures" they are facing. Morrison described the investment in Pharmacy First as "the most significant investment in pharmacies in a decade", but emphasised the need for further support to stabilise the sector and its core contractual arrangements.

The National Health Service (NHS) is embracing new technology and innovations like artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce the number of missed hospital appointments and improve waiting times for elective care. Following a successful pilot in Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, the health service is set to roll out AI software to 10 more trusts across England in the coming months. The software, developed by Deep Medical in collaboration with a frontline worker and NHS clinical fellow, helps reduce the number of missed appointments by offering patients convenient time slots and backup booking options. Since the AI programme was piloted six months ago, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust has seen a 30 per cent fall in non-attendances. During the pilot period, a total of 377 did not attends (DNAs) were prevented and an additional 1,910 patients were attended.

More than 7,000 hospitalisations and deaths in the UK could have been averted in summer 2022 if people had received their recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, a new study published in The Lancet has revealed. The largest ever study carried out in the UK found that between a third and a half of the UK population had not had the recommended number of COVID vaccinations and boosters by summer 2022. In Northern Ireland, nearly 50 per cent of the population were under-vaccinated, while the proportion of under-vaccinated people in England was 45.7 per cent, 34.2 per cent for Scotland and 32.8 per cent Wales. Researchers from the Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) and the University of Edinburgh analysed the electronic health records of 67 million residents aged 5 and older from across the four countries during June 1 to September 30 2022.

The 2-Day Skills and Procedure Workshop is organized by Provider Practice Essentials (PPE), LLC, and will be held from Jun 14 - 15, 2024 in Florida, USA. We don't go above 30 students, and we staff to a 6:1 ratio. Our staff auditions, orients, and goes through extensive training to give you the best experience possible.

A recent report from Healthwatch England has highlighted that while people highly value the accessibility of community pharmacies, both in terms of location and prompt service, they also encounter challenges in getting the most out of their pharmacy care experience. The report titled 'Pharmacy: What People' is based on the research conducted by the organisation in November last year, involving 1,650 people who shared their experiences of pharmacy services in England. It showed the country's notable dependence on community pharmacies, with 72 per cent of respondents saying they have used a community pharmacy in the past three months. Usage of online pharmacies is considerably lower than community pharmacies, with only 18 per cent of individuals having used an online pharmacy in the past three months, according to the report published on Tuesday (30 April).

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.

In a significant move aimed at improving patient care and alleviating hospital pressures, the National Health Services (NHS) has expanded its same day emergency care services across the UK. This has resulted in thousands more individuals receiving rapid tests and treatment, effectively avoiding overnight hospital stays. Recent data paints a promising picture, revealing an 11 per cent increase in the number of patients discharged on the same day they were admitted as emergencies. This advancement translates to several patients receiving urgent care within hours, subsequently freeing up beds for others in need. Over the past year alone, an impressive 206,446 more patients have been discharged on the same day, amounting to 2,024,129 individuals in the year leading up to January 2024, compared to 1,817,683 in the preceding year. The successful rollout of same day emergency care to every hospital in England has played a pivotal role in easing bed congestion and reducing hospital admissions by up to 30 per cent in certain NHS Trusts.

In our quest for perfect skin, the landscape of dermatology and skin care has evolved dramatically, offering breakthrough treatments and solutions. The pursuit of a blemish-free, radiant complexion is no longer a distant dream, thanks to advancements in medical aesthetics and skincare technology. From non-invasive procedures to tailor-made skincare regimens, individuals now have access to a plethora of options designed to target specific skin concerns. This article explores the cutting-edge treatments that promise to diminish imperfections and reveal flawless skin, transforming not just how we look but also how we feel about ourselves. Botox Injections Botox, or Botulinum toxin, has gained immense popularity for its ability to smooth out wrinkles and fine lines. It works by temporarily paralyzing the facial muscles responsible for creating these imperfections. The procedure involves injecting small amounts of the neurotoxin into targeted areas, such as the forehead, crow's feet, and frown lines between the brows. The effects of Botox typically last for three to four months, making it a popular choice for those seeking quick and noticeable results. The people at sdbotox.com note that it is also a popular preventative treatment for those looking to delay the formation of wrinkles. With consistent use, Botox can actually prevent fine lines and wrinkles from appearing in the first place, making it an attractive option for individuals in their late 20s and early 30s.

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.

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has reminded community pharmacy owners that the deadline to complete the 2023/24 Data Security and Protection Toolkit to make their information governance (IG) declaration is 30 June 2024. Sometimes referred to as the "NHS IG toolkit", the DSPT is a set of security requirements that companies are required to fulfill to supply goods and services to the health service to ensure the safety and protection of sensitive patient information. To help community pharmacy contractors complete the mandatory questions within the Toolkit, CPE on Monday (12 February) published new guidance, which also contains references to other useful materials. CPE is working with the NHS DSPTK team to keep the workload associated with Toolkit completion manageable whilst ensuring that appropriate data security protections are maintained. Pharmacy owners with three or more pharmacies can complete a single submission for all their premises through the NHS Parent Organisation Code (POC) headquarters (HQ) batch submission feature.

Medipharmacy has been bought out by PI-Gen Pharma Limited, an arm of the independent pharmacy group Enimed, for a total of £7.1 million, after the business entered into administration. In a report published on Companies House on January 30, administrators at FRP confirmed that the transaction was completed on 18 January, with PI-Gen beating five other bidders to acquire the insolvent NHS pharmacy chain. The report added that PI-Gen submitted a cash offer of non-refundable £500k for Medipharmacy's goodwill, £2.1m for its freehold properties, and a further amount for its fixtures and fittings, motor vehicles and stock. An FRP spokesperson told The Standard that Medipharmacy, which operated a chain of 25 NHS community pharmacies across London, Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, had faced increasing cashflow challenges in recent months. According to the administrators' report, Medipharmacy's revenues had grown exponentially from £27.9m in 2022 to £69m in 2023 but didn't deliver corresponding improvements in profitability.

A new study has underscored the significance of offering customers a variety of payment choices, particularly as digital platforms gain popularity among younger age groups. Almost one in three (30 per cent) people surveyed by payments solutions provider, Access PaySuite reported a negative experience when purchasing health and wellbeing products or services due to limited payment options. The research showed that online and in-person cash payments were the most preferred modes of payment, while more than a quarter of consumers expressed their preference for paying through Direct Debit. About 17 per cent of the participants favoured using a mobile app for payments during the booking process, followed by mobile in-person options like Google Pay (14 per cent) and phone-based transactions using debit or credit card) (13 per cent).

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.