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Community pharmacists involved in the Independent Prescribers Pathfinder Programme will be able to generate NHS prescriptions through the NHS Electronic Prescription Service (EPS). NHS England has secured a new clinical system, CLEO SOLO from Cleo Systems, to facilitate this service. The system is being rolled out to 'pathfinder' sites so they can start delivering their proposed prescribing models and pathways. Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) across England have been informed of this development and are asked to provide support and leadership to their sites throughout the programme, which will run until March 2025. NHS England will also conduct a series of webinars with ICBs to discuss the CLEO SOLO rollout. David Webb, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer at NHS England, highlighted that the Pathfinder Programme will enable community pharmacist prescribers at 'pathfinder' sites to issue NHS prescriptions for conditions such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. "This will help us develop a framework which will support the commissioning of independent prescribing as part of clinical services in community pharmacy in the future," Webb said.

A new survey has highlighted concerning trends among ethnic minority communications professionals in the NHS, with many reporting negative workplace experiences and considering leaving their roles. Over a quarter (26 per cent) of ethnic minority NHS communications professionals surveyed stated that do not envisage remaining in their roles three years from now. Key reasons they cited include poor relationships with management (37per cent), dissatisfaction with the institution (34 per cent), and structural racism (32 per cent). Over 300 ethnic minority communication and engagement specialists from the NHS, charity, and commercial sectors participated in the study, conducted by the Taskforce for Diversity in NHS Communications. The survey collected their views to examine their unique experiences and challenges. Despite their high levels of education and career ambitions-97per cent hold a degree or higher, and over 90 per cent aspire to promotion within three years - many professionals now feel disillusioned.

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.

In a delightful announcement, the University of Brighton has honoured NHS England's Chief Pharmaceutical Officer, David Webb with its prestigious Doctor of Science honorary degree Webb's award is a highlight of the university's graduation ceremony which celebrated the graduation of over 3,400 undergraduate and postgraduate students from 92 countries at the Brighton Centre this week. The accolade recognises Webb's transformative work in the pharmacy services within the NHS, highlighting the profound impact his contributions have had on delivery of healthcare across the UK. Under Webb's leadership, significant advancements have been made in integrating pharmacy into NHS care pathways, improving patient outcomes, and enhancing the role of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the healthcare system. Webb expressed his honour stating, "I am delighted to receive the honorary award of Doctor of Science from the University of Brighton in recognition of both my contribution to pharmacy in the NHS"

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Director for Scotland, Clare Morrison will be joining NHS Scotland in January. Morrison has been appointed Director of Community Engagement at Healthcare Improvement Scotland. Paul Bennett, RPS CEO said: "Many people, particularly in Scotland, will know of Clare's passion for quality improvement and patient involvement in the co-design of services. This was demonstrated through her previous work on the development of Near Me, NHS Scotland's video consulting service, and its co-design with the public, patients, clinicians and NHS staff which gained international recognition from the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. "Therefore, this is an exciting opportunity for Clare to join Healthcare Improvement Scotland to take on a strategic leadership role in supporting effective community engagement across health and social care in Scotland. It also enables Clare to make even greater use of her training as an NHS Scotland Scottish Quality & Safety Fellow and we wish her every success in her new role.

At last Friday's Clinical Congress Conference, the NHSE Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England at NHS England, David Webb, announced the upcoming launch of the Pharmacy Stakeholder Forum- an initiative led by NHS England aimed to improve pharmacy professional leadership and foster collaboration within the sector. Webb highlighted the forum's significance as a platform for driving transformative change in pharmacy leadership. "The aim is to deliver collaboration to develop a stronger and more united voice for pharmacy professionals," Webb emphasised. Highlighting the need to drive transformative change in pharmacy leadership, he underscored that "the overarching goal is to address key challenges facing the pharmacy profession and chart a course for future development and innovation." Scheduled to commence in June, the Pharmacy Stakeholder Forum will provide a space for diverse organisations and networks with a vested interest in pharmacy professional leadership to converge.

Dr Amanda Doyle has been appointed as NHS England as director of primary and community care. Prior to her new role, Amanda had joined NHS England and NHS Improvement as North West Regional Director on 2 August 2021 and previously she was the Chief Clinical Officer for West Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Blackpool CCG and Fylde and Wyre CCG. Amanda was also the Integrated Care System Lead for Lancashire and South Cumbria, leading a large health and care transformation programme across the patch. She has been a GP for more than 20 years, practising in a large practice in a deprived area of Blackpool, which, in addition to primary medical services, provides a range of urgent care services for patients across the Fylde Coast. Amanda was the Co-Chair of NHS Clinical Commissioners from 2013 to 2018. She was Senior Responsible Officer for the primary care component of the Long Term Plan and was involved in the leadership of the health inequalities, prevention and personalisation elements.

Both head of customer operations Dan Britton and chief executive Michael Brodie at the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) have won the Inspiring Leaders Award, which recognises leaders for their humanity and courage. The coveted award, organised by Inspiring Workplaces, recognised their contribution during the pandemic. Under Brodie's leadership, who joined the organisation as chief executive in September 2019, NHSBSA started over 50 new services to support the wider NHS. He also led Public Health England (PHE) through its transition to the new UK Health Security Agency. Miranda Sykes, head of communications and marketing at NHSBSA said: "Michael is an inspirational leader for many reasons. He cares immensely and he's spent the pandemic thinking about others and using his influence to support the NHS over the last 18 months or so." His decision to take up an additional CEO role while transforming the PHE during the pandemic shows "Michael's style of leadership is authentic, inclusive and empathetic. He is passionate about the NHS and doing everything he can to support it."

In a first, NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) has appointed a pharmacy technician to the chief pharmaceutical officer's team. Liz Fidler, president at the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK), will join the team in March 2022 in the newly created post of senior professional advisor: pharmacy technician practice NHSE&I. The appointment signaled "a new era for the profession, leading the step-change needed to build on and fully realise the benefits of the pharmacy technician clinical role for patients across the NHS system," said Dr Keith Ridge, chief pharmaceutical officer. In the new role, Fidler will provide leadership and professional advice in relation to the pharmacy technician profession in England.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has welcomed the appointment of Michael Matheson MSP as Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care in Scotland. Commenting on the announcement Laura Wilson, Director of RPS Scotland, said: "I would like to congratulate Michael Matheson on being appointed to this position. NHS recovery is vitally important, and pharmacy has a huge amount to offer this agenda. "Our current priorities include enabling pharmacists to take leadership of prescribing in all care settings, tackling health inequalities and advocating for change, implementing shared patient records between healthcare professionals to provide high-quality, person centred and safe patient care, improving pharmacists' wellbeing and tackling the climate emergency by encouraging sustainable and green prescribing across Scotland.

"Only around half of ICSs have a Chief Pharmacist," indicating a significant gap in leadership that hampers the pharmacy sector's ability to influence critical healthcare decision, a report on medicine optimisation by the Public Policy Projects (PPP) highlights. In PPP's latest report, a notable concern highlighted is the inadequate representation of pharmacy leadership within Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) despite the role of pharmacy being "central in the delivery of system priorities, with pivotal roles in improving population health and tackling inequalities". In recent years, the role of pharmacy within the NHS has evolved significantly with recent developments including Pharmacy First Services and legislative amendments that allows pharmacy technicians under PGDs to administer and supply medicines.

Boris Johnson has picked Steve Barclay as the new health secretary following the resignation of Sajid Javid, who stepped down on July 5 after saying he had lost faith in prime minister's leadership. Barclay - who had served as chief of staff of the prime minister since February 2022 - was previously a junior health minister in 2018, responsible for NHS workforce and finance, before serving as Brexit secretary, chief secretary to the Treasury, and chancellor of the duchy. He is the fourth health secretary after Jeremy Hunt, Matt Hancock and Sajid Javid in the past five years. In a statement on his appointment, Barclay said it was "an honour" to be take up the position, adding: "Our NHS and social care staff have showed us time and again - throughout the pandemic and beyond - what it means to work with compassion and dedication to transform lives. "This government is investing more than ever before in our NHS and care services to beat the Covid-19 backlogs, recruit 50,000 more nurses, reform social care and ensure patients across the country can access the care they need."

Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines can empower customers and pave the way for a sustainable healthcare future. By embracing OTC products, pharmacies can achieve greater freedom, stability, and enhanced profitability. In our exclusive interview with Anna Maxwell, founder and CEO of pioneering consumer healthcare company Maxwellia, we explore their game-changing pharmacy brands leading the way in self-care. Why pharmacies should embrace OTC medicines? There's never been a more critical time for pharmacies to lean into the OTC space. Right now, about 90 per cent of pharmacy income in the UK is tied to NHS funding-a model that's increasingly unsustainable.[1] We all value the NHS, but it simply can't afford to cover every treatment at the point of use indefinitely. If pharmacies could achieve even a modest shift in NHS reliance this would mean more freedom, stability, and profitability for the business. OTC medicines are the key to making that happen, offering a way to quickly provide, effective treatments that help customers while reducing the administrative and financial burdens on pharmacists.

The British Generic Manufacturers Association (BGMA) has elected Diane DiGangi Trench to be its new vice-chair. DiGangi Trench takes up the position replacing Xiromed's Peter Ballard and in 12-months' time will assume the association's chair role from Accord's Peter Kelly. With over 25 years of pharmaceutical industry experience, DiGangi Trench has held a number of senior commercial roles including stints with Takeda and Astra Zeneca. She joined Sandoz in 2018 in the US, where she served as Vice-President, Market Access and Patient Services. In 2021, she became the head of Sandoz' UK business and in her two years in role, she has led the organisation through a post-COVID recovery and growth phase to prepare for the proposed spin out of the company from its parent, Novartis, expected later this year. She said: "It's a great honor to take on the role of Vice Chair of the BGMA. The success of the generics and biosimilar industry is essential to the functioning of the NHS. Generic medicines fill four out of five UK prescriptions and biosimilars enable the NHS to expand access to more patients. I am passionate about increasing the sustainability of our industry so we can continue to play our vital part in the health of the nation." Mark Samuels, BGMA chief executive, said: "We are extremely fortunate to be able to call upon the expertise of Diane who has already added significant value through her role on the BGMA board and leadership of a key strategic committee.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has called on employers, governments and NHS organisations to provide pharmacists with regular protected learning time (PLT) within working hours to develop their skills in clinical delivery, education, research and leadership. RPS workforce wellbeing survey showed an average 42 per cent of pharmacists were not given any PLT, a figure which rose to 55 per cent in community pharmacy. Most were unable to engage in professional development activities as part of their working day because of their responsibility to deliver frontline clinical services to patients. This means learning is often undertaken outside of working hours, increasing pressure on individuals and impacting their work/life balance. The survey showed that 48 per cent of respondents identified a lack of PLT as negatively affecting their mental health and wellbeing and that 88 per cent were at high risk of burnout. PLT improves the quality of patient care through professional practice and reflection, helping to develop insights, maintain and refine care standards and increase confidence. It facilitates continuous professional development (CPD), ensuring that skills and knowledge are up to date.

Maxine McCabe has made history as the first community pharmacist in the UK to be credentialed as a core advanced pharmacist by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) in Scotland. Announcing McCabe's achieving, NHS Education for Scotland (NES) stated that this credential demonstrates her expertise across the four pillars of advanced practice: clinical, leadership and management, educating others and research. Maxine has worked in the community pharmacy sector since qualifying as a pharmacist in 2008, consistently showing a keen interest in developing the wider pharmacy team and enhancing clinical services for the local patient population. Throughout her career, she has managed various community pharmacies, including Boots and Parkhead Health Centre Pharmacy, where she played a crucial role in developing pharmacy practice and nurturing pharmacy support roles and trainee pharmacists. In 2023, Maxine took on a part-time role as a Senior Educator in the Prescribing & Clinical Skills teams at NHS Education for Scotland (NES). She continues to practice as a pharmacist, leading the Teach and Treat Training Hub at Burnside Pharmacy in Lanarkshire. McCabe expressed her excitement about the recognition, saying, "I am delighted to obtain my Advanced Practice credential and showcase that this is achievable in community pharmacy."

The Professional Records Standards Body (PRSB), which develops information standards for health and social care records, has appointed Professor Reecha Sofat as the new Chair. She will assume the role at the end of October 2024, succeeding Professor Maureen Baker CBE, who will step down after seven years as Chair of the PRSB. A Clinical Pharmacologist, Professor Sofat has held many leadership roles across the NHS, academia and scientific societies. Professor Sofat is Breckenridge Chair of Clinical Pharmacology at the University of Liverpool. She practices general internal medicine and is also an Associate Director at the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Data Science Centre (DSC) which is led by Health Data Research UK (HDRUK). With a passion for data science and extensive clinical and research insights, Professor Sofat is focused on embedding research into routine health and social care. She said: "I am passionate about using the rich health data that is already collected across NHS and social care to better understand the causes and consequences of disease and improve health outcomes.

Alitam Group, the 100-plus pharmacy store consolidation, has appointed Bharti Patel, the former group executive director of Avicenna to its executive board. Patel, who was part of the leadership team at Avicenna until late 2021, brings with her a wealth of experience covering pharmaceuticals, multiple retail and independent pharmacy, homecare and NHS primary and secondary care. In her early career, she worked at Lloyds Pharmacy, where she rose from a prescription medicines buyer to director of procurement over a period of eight years. She is known in the industry for her strong leadership, commercial acumen and ability to create opportunities for innovation and strategic partnerships. Alitam founder and CEO Feisal Nahaboo said in a statement that Patel's appointment will further strengthen the group's ability to deliver its transformative multi-billion-pound 'Pharmacy of the Future' concept.

Alliance Healthcare, the UK's largest pharmaceutical wholesaler, announced today (December 7) the appointment of Marie Evans as its new managing director. Evans, who is the current commercial and category director of the firm, will report to Juan Guerra, Alliance Healthcare's senior vice president and managing director of International Wholesale. Commenting on the new appointment, Guerra said: "The last 18 months has shown just how important wholesale and distribution is to the NHS and I am so excited to welcome Marie to her new position at this critical time. "Her experience and leadership will be key as we continue to evolve our services in response to the changing needs of pharmacy, the health service, and industry."

England's chief pharmaceutical officer (CPhO) David Webb has promised his "wholehearted support" for the community pharmacy sector at the board meeting of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) on 28 June in St Albans. After hearing the CPhO at the meeting, NPA chair, Andrew Lane, later declared: "David is someone we can do business with." Webb thus listed his priorities as head of profession: integration of independent prescribing as part of pharmacy practice by 2026; promotion of inclusive pharmacy practice for all pharmacy professionals; assurance of post-registration practice; developing the role of pharmacy technicians; support for Integrated Care Systems and Primary Care Network pharmacy teams (including community pharmacy); medicines optimisation; and strengthening of professional leadership for community pharmacy. He also reported that NHS England had recently increased its team of regional pharmacy integration leads from seven to 14, creating seven new senior posts. Webb told NPA board members: "I want sincerely to thank community pharmacy teams for everything they are doing and to say that you have my wholehearted support. I believe in the importance of community pharmacy and will listen and engage as I've already demonstrated.