Charac, an NHS-integrated one-stop platform for independent community pharmacies, and Positive Solutions, the fastest growing pharmacy IT provider in the UK,
have agreed on a collaboration to support community pharmacies through new integrated technology platform - MyHealthHub.
The tech platform aims to give pharmacies a powerful and compelling tool to both help retain and attract new patients. The app will also allow the over 7,200
independent high street pharmacies which are lacking a digital footprint to compete with larger online pharmacies by providing them with an online presence.
The long-term strategic partnership brings together Charac's innovative approach to patient relationship management and Positive Solutions trusted expertise in
digital solutions for pharmacy.
With Positive Solutions' Analyst PMR used daily by 16,000 pharmacy team members to process over 87 million scripts and 180 million items, the collaboration will
help transform patient engagement and continue driving service business to pharmacies across the UK using a new innovative, integrative technology platform,
MyHealthHub.
MyHealthHub will not only integrate with Analyst PMR, but also forms part of an entire new technology ecosystem from Positive Solutions, the Hx platform and will
be entirely interoperable.
Growing up with a family that worked in pharmacy, our dinner time conversation was not like that of other families. Ours would centre around medicines,
prescriptions, and the health challenges within our local community.
I quickly came to understand the importance of the role played by community pharmacists. So I can't help but be concerned that the current direction being taken by
digital health innovation threatens to leave community pharmacies behind.
Whilst it is brilliant that patients can easily access their prescriptions through the rise of online pharmacies, many of these cut out the vital knowledge and
expertise of local community pharmacists, and threaten to end the traditional close ties between local community pharmacists and their patients.
Nine out of 10 NHS users believe that pharmacists play an unrivalled role when it comes to keeping patients in the community safe. We must ensure that digital health
does not replace this important source of advice for health problems and injuries, but instead preserves and enhances this vital, personal role and enables
pharmacists to continue delivering care in new and effective ways.
A vital connection with patients
Community pharmacies provide crucial support to local patients with managing their medicines safely, particularly older and more vulnerable people. The specific
expertise and knowledge held by pharmacists can help inform the long-term management of a patient's condition and ensure they are kept safe from potential side
effects and complications.
Northern Ireland's chief pharmaceutical officer paid a visit to a community pharmacy in Belfast on Monday (November 7) - marking the end of this year's Ask
Your Pharmacist week, an annual public awareness campaign launched by the National Pharmacy Association.
Cathy Harrison interacted with patients and staff in the pharmacy before recording a video to promote NI's 'Pharmacy First' service in which she described community
pharmacies as "one of the front doors to the health service" with over 500 outlets located across the country.
"In our community pharmacies you can always rely on friendly staff, medicines expertise, and walk-in access to face-to-face advice," she said.
First launched in Scotland, the NHS Pharmacy First service enables patients to have a consultation with a pharmacist for advice on minor ailments.
Ms Harrison also drew attention to community pharmacy's role in cancer awareness and helping people to quit smoking, as well as managing patients with urinary tract
infections, in addition to playing their part in delivering Covid-19 and flu vaccinations.
The Health and Social Care Committee (HSCC) has announced the appointment of six specialists to scrutinise the government's progress made on its commitments
to pharmacy services in England on Wednesday (26 April).
"They will work alongside the core members of the Expert Panel to produce a report evaluating Government progress across nine of the Government's own commitments
across the four areas. A CQC-style rating from "inadequate" to "outstanding" will be awarded against each specific pledge with a final overall rating given," said
DHSC.
Professor Dame Jane Dacre, Chair of the Expert Panel, said: "The role of pharmacy in delivering care whether in hospital, the community or primary care has never
been more important.
"The Government has made a number of commitments aimed at improving pharmacy services and we'll be looking at the progress to achieve these targets.
"In the process of our evaluation we'll be hearing from stakeholders from across the industry, including the pharmacy workforce and NHS and independent providers
of pharmacy services. We'll be considering pledges covering frontline services as well as the education and training of the workforce."
National Pharmacy Association (NPA) chief executive, Mark Lyonette, is one of six panel members with specialist expertise in pharmacy. They will work alongside five
standing members who are all renowned healthcare policy experts and professionals. Professor Dame Jane Dacre will chair.
Preet Kaur Gill, Shadow Minister for Primary Care and Public Health, has paid a recent visit to a community pharmacy in Staffordshire to personally experience
the services it provides to patients, while staying updated on the latest sector developments.
Her visit to Eason's Pharmacy in Tamworth on September 22nd marked her first since assuming new responsibilities for pharmacy policy matters within Labour's health
team. Gill was also joined by a member of the National Pharmacy Association staff.
The Minister received a comprehensive briefing on Eason's Pharmacy from its third-generation owner, Kieran Eason (R). He outlined the NHS services, which include
the New Medicines Service and blood pressure monitoring, and showcased two consultation rooms and an operational dispensary.
"It's great that Preet came to learn firsthand about the challenges we face and the substantial potential of community pharmacies nationwide," Eason said. "As an
independent prescriber, I have the expertise to provide even more convenient care, but the current funding levels severely limit our contribution."
Labour's Paulette Hamilton has raised concerns regarding the increasing reliance on pharmacy technicians in clinical practice due to staffing shortages
within pharmacies.
At the recent Pharmacy Inquiry session, Hamilton highlighted the mounting pressure on technicians to take on more responsibilities beyond their qualifications,
attributing it to the launch of Pharmacy First in January.
With almost 50,000 Pharmacy First consultations conducted in the first month alone as per a report by the Company Chemists' Association, Hamilton expressed
apprehension about technicians being classified under the broad term of "pharmacy professionals," blurring the distinction between their roles and those of
clinical pharmacists.
She further drew parallels between this situation and the scrutiny faced by physician associates (PAs) in GP practices following a patient's death due to
misdiagnosis and cautioned against technicians performing tasks beyond their expertise and urged policymakers to prevent similar incidents in pharmacy settings.
Health Minister Dame Andrea Leadsom responded by defending the current approach, denying any "blurring of the edges" and emphasizing patient safety as the
top priority.
The public awareness campaign for community pharmacy, 'Ask Your Pharmacist Week' this year will be on 31 October - 7 November, the National Pharmacy
Association (NPA) has announced.
Every year AYP Week is held across the UK, with an aim to raise awareness of pharmacy services and to prompt conversations with key stakeholders at a local
level about community pharmacy's role and benefits.
Activities in previous years have ranged from public exhibitions and window posters to social media campaigns, projects with patient groups and visits to pharmacies
from local dignitaries and politicians.
NPA Head of Communications, Stephen Fishwick, said, "AYP Week is an important fixture in the pharmacy calendar, as it creates a space for focused public awareness
activities to help customers, patients and stakeholders understand more fully the community pharmacy offer.
We want people to be more aware of long-standing and new NHS services plus the skills and expertise on offer in pharmacies across the UK. AYP also aims to cultivate
a richer dialogue with key stakeholders, which in England now includes leaders in Integrated Care Systems."
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) views the COVID vaccination programme as broadly successful, largely due to the efforts of healthcare workers and
volunteers.
However, it cited some areas that could be improved, notably the early involvement of community pharmacies in planning, operational challenges, and recognising
the role of community pharmacy in addressing vaccine hesitancy and inequalities.
Submitting its evidence to the Covid-19 Inquiry, the NPA highlighted that the community pharmacy should have been consulted and involved earlier in the planning
process, considering their two years of experience and expertise in administering annual influenza vaccination programs and the reach and resources of the 14,000
community pharmacies across the UK.
"Instead, community pharmacy was initially given a gap in service role, which failed to fully utilize their experience, expertise and resource," Lawyer Brian
Stanton told the Inquiry on behalf of the NPA during the Module 4 Preliminary Hearing on 22 May.
The 14th Community Pharmacy Conference by Sigma Pharmaceuticals has been timely, prime minister Rishi Sunak said, noting that it coincided with the launch
of Pharmacy First, a new initiative that enables patients to receive treatments for seven common conditions directly from a pharmacist without the need for a GP
appointment or prescription.
"We are all grateful for the tremendous contributions that pharmacists make to our NHS. The fantastic work you do is critical to the success of Pharmacy First and
many other initiatives," Sunak said in a written message.
The conference was organised from 25-29 February at Sun City in Johannesburg, South Africa, under the theme 'community pharmacy in an integrated NHS'.
In a recorded video address to the Sigma Conference, shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said community pharmacies are 'critical' to the Labour party's mission to
make the NHS 'fit for the future'.
"You should be playing a much more significant role. Labour's reform agenda will get pharmacists working to the top of their licence. We want community pharmacists
to play a greater role in healthcare, with more focus on their expertise in prescribing and medicines management," he said.
The hybrid professional and leadership session underscores the Sigma Conference's significance in offering hope and inspiration to its delegates. This
pioneering venture unfolds following meticulous planning, months of deliberation, and the collaboration of experts from various health disciplines across the UK.
This session, rich in diversity and expertise, aims to elevate the role of community pharmacy in the ever-evolving landscape of the NHS.
It comprises three key components and delves into multi-professional collaboration, insights from NHS Chief Professional Officers from the four devolved nations
complimented by the Royal College of Nursing Directorate Wales, and the evolving landscape of Pharmacy Professional Leadership.
Multi-Professional Collaboration: Breaking Boundaries
The crux of this ground-breaking session lies in appreciating and fostering greater multi-professional collaboration to set the stage for a thought-provoking
session on how community pharmacy can be recognised as an important cog in the wheel of an integrated NHS. This convergence creates a dynamic platform for community
pharmacy to form wider partnerships and explore opportunities, particularly with the recently launched NHS Pharmacy First Service.
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."
Jackie Giltrow and Jose Moss have been appointed as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Community Pharmacy Patient Safety group, respectively, bringing with them a
wealth of experience and expertise in pharmacy practice.
Supported by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and hosted by the Company Chemists' Association (CCA), the CPPSG serves as a collaborative platform for large
community pharmacy organisations to openly share and learn from each other's experiences.
A CPPSG Chair now, Jackie Giltrow, Clinical Governance Lead at Paydens Limited is a seasoned pharmacist and expert in risk management and patient safety.
With nine years of experience as a member of the CPPSG, Giltrow's appointment represents a continuation of her longstanding dedication to advancing patient safety
initiatives within community pharmacy settings.
Acknowledging publication of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Scotland's new professional vision for the future of pharmacy in Scotland - Pharmacy 2030, a Parliamentary Motion has been lodged in the Scottish Parliament.
The vision, produced in collaboration with the National Pharmacy Technician Group Scotland, expects all pharmacists in a patient-facing role to become independent prescribers by 2030.
The motion recognised the aim of the publication that by 2030 pharmacy teams will work together, using their expertise to make the best use of medicines and, will take a person-centred approach, providing care holistically rather than by clinical condition.
It highlighted the important role that RPS would play by working with partners across health and social care to turn this vision into a reality.
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has announced that Ask Your Pharmacist Week 2024 will be organised from 4-11 November across the UK.
This annual event aims to raise awareness of pharmacy services and to prompt conversations at a local level about community pharmacy's role and benefits, the NPA
said in a statement.
Ask Your Pharmacist Week encourages local engagement through various activities such as window displays, social media campaigns, pharmacy visits by community
dignitaries, presentations to local patient groups, radio phone-ins, and TV.
The week holds a significant place in the pharmacy calendar, as NPA describes "it creates a "platform for public awareness activities that help patients and
stakeholders understand more fully the community offers."
The NPA, which organises the campaign, emphasises the importance of making appropriate use of NHS services and increasing public awareness of the skills and
expertise available in pharmacies across the UK.
Global consumer healthcare company Haleon has launched a new centre of excellence for a global leader in consumer health which will bring together world leading
academics in human behaviour and frontline healthcare professionals including community pharmacists.
Unveiled at the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Congress in 'sunny' Seville, Spain on September 20, the Centre will operate as a community of healthcare
professionals and specialists in behavioural science, health psychology and the social sciences to solve some of the most pressing everyday health challenges.
Named the Centre for Human Sciences (CHS) the initiative will be the first major programme for healthcare professionals since the Haleon's launch on July 18 as an
independent, global leader in consumer health.
The Centre's mission is to support practising health professionals - pharmacists, pharmacy assistants and dental professionals - in serving their patients and
communities. Combining science with deep human understanding, CHS will bring expertise in physiology together with human sciences to deliver real world-solutions
and tangible interventions, resulting in measurable improvements in health outcomes through sustained behavioural change.
The Centre is facilitated by Robert Horne, professor of Behavioural Medicine at UCL School of Pharmacy, who started his career as a practising pharmacist but later
chose to become a behavioural scientist when he saw an opportunity to address issues around psycho-social factors that acted as a hindrance in pharmacy practice.
Speaking to me in an exclusive three-way conversation alongside Tess Player, the global head of healthcare professional & health influencer marketing at Haleon, on
the sidelines of the FIP Congress 2022, Prof Horne expanded on what the Centre was all about and how it would work.
"We've got some good ideas, but it's not a pre-filled prescription that we're going to deliver at scale from the start. What Haleon is t
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has emphasised that the community pharmacy sector must be involved right from the start in all local planning meetings
pertaining to the roll-out of vaccine services in potential future pandemics. This includes crucial discussions regarding supply logistics and resource allocation,
lawyers representing the NPA told COVID-19 public inquiry hearing.
Chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, the independent public inquiry is examining the UK's response to the Covid-19 pandemic and lessons for the future.
The NPA has been designated as a 'core participant' in Module 4 (vaccines) of the inquiry, which considers various issues related to vaccine development and rollout,
as well as Module 3 (healthcare).
During the hearing on September 13, NPA lawyers outlined three key areas the association says must be improved in future pandemic vaccination programs, including
properly utilising existing primary care expertise, better planning and engagement, and improved access to information for community pharmacists.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a new diagnostic guidance to enhance CYP2C19 genotype testing to guide clopidogrel
use for patients who have suffered an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack.
Published in July, the diagnostic guidance also emphasised the vital role of pharmacists and pharmacies in the implementation of CYP2C19 genotype testing used to
guide prescribed antiplatelet medication.
According to the NICE guidance, pharmacists with their expertise in pharmacogenomics and patient medication management, will be integral in interpreting test
results and recommending appropriate antiplatelet therapy.
It also highlighted the need for close collaboration with other healthcare professionals to ensure effective implementation across various care settings for stroke
patients.
The diagnostics advisory committee, a standing advisory committee of NICE, agreed that it should be possible to gather samples for genotype testing at a location
that is convenient for the person having the test and highlighted the role of pharmacies as accessible locations for CYP2C19 genotype testing.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a new diagnostic guidance to enhance CYP2C19 genotype testing to guide clopidogrel
use for patients who have suffered an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack.
Published in July, the diagnostic guidance also emphasised the vital role of pharmacists and pharmacies in the implementation of CYP2C19 genotype testing used to
guide prescribed antiplatelet medication.
According to the NICE guidance, pharmacists with their expertise in pharmacogenomics and patient medication management, will be integral in interpreting test
results and recommending appropriate antiplatelet therapy.
It also highlighted the need for close collaboration with other healthcare professionals to ensure effective implementation across various care settings for stroke
patients.
The d
Online pharmacy PillTime has taken a step to boost its prescription growth by implementing new Patient Medication Record (PMR) system Titan in its
state-of-the-art premises.
PillTime moved to new, expanded 26,000sqft premises in Cribbs Causeway on the edge of Bristol earlier this year, where it has also installed state-of-the-art
robotics in a bid to significantly enhance future productivity and capacity.
Teething problems over Easter weekend saw PillTime struggling to seamlessly integrate all the new systems and processes while physically moving premises which
affected service delivery and customer support.
However, CEO Leighton Humphreys was supported by Tariq Muhammad, CEO of Invatech Health, who is a former community pharmacist and has worked with independent
pharmacies around the UK as well as larger online businesses, to integrate Titan into their workflows.
Alongside integration work, Muhammad and his team supported PillTime with necessary design, governance and pharmacy expertise as the company struggled to meet its
usual high standards for dispensing medicines to patients.
Alex Potter is the new Managing Director of PharmAssist Solutions UK, an online purchasing solution utilised by over 1,100 community pharmacies. Potter,
previously the Director of Digital at Phoenix UK, will succeed the current MD, Amar Randhawa, and has expertise in the digital landscape across the industry,
PharmAssist Solutions said in a statement.
"We are delighted to have Alex on board," said Stuart Lucas, Chair of the PharmAssist Board. "His profound grasp of the pharmacy sector, combined with his
expertise in digital innovation, will spearhead PharmAssist's evolution to meet the dynamic demands of its clientele."
Meanwhile, Lucas expressed his gratitude and appreciation to Amar for his hard work and dedication over the last decade. "Amar, as the founder of PharmAssist,
played a pivotal role in achieving numerous significant milestones and driving its growth," he added. "We wish him every success in his future endeavors."
A community pharmacist was applauded for his 'quick-thinking' action in treating a Co Down woman with a fatal bee sting.
Joan Johnson, from Moira, was stung on her scalp in her home garden. After the bite, she noticed allergic reactions on her neck and ears with severe itching
and redness.
However, she was advised to visit her local pharmacy by the GP where the pharmacist, Stephen Joyce, quickly administered life-saving antihistamine and an
adrenaline injection while an ambulance was called.
Joan hailed the 'treatment' and the 'professionalism' of the whole team for saving her life.
"What was just a simple bee-sting, quickly became something very serious. On arrival at the pharmacy on the advice from my GP, I was dealt with very promptly
and Stephen was summoned and immediately took control of the situation.
"I was given an urgent antihistamine, but quickly started feeling lightheaded and faint. The pharmacy team assisted me to a chair and called an
ambulance," she said.