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The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has appointed Paul Rees MBE as its new Chief Executive, with his role commencing on November 27th. Rees, currently serving as the Chief Executive of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and having held various roles throughout his career, will succeed Mark Lyonette, who is retiring, NPA said in a statement. "We anticipate Paul joining the NPA after a thorough recruitment process affirmed his suitability," said Nick Kaye, Chair of NPA. "Throughout his career, including his role at the Royal College of Psychiatrists, he has made a significant impact and achieved concrete changes in healthcare and society. I would also like to express my appreciation to Mark for his work as Chief Executive since 2018. He still has important tasks to complete at the NPA before his retirement." Rees has also held key positions at prominent organisations, including the Ramblers Association, National Housing Federation, Charities Aid Foundation, Association of University Teachers, and the , besides being the Head of Communications at the Home Office.

In response to a Scottish government consultation, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has called for continued investment to develop community pharmacy teams and create additional capacity in existing services. The consultation examines different ways patients access healthcare services in Scotland and focuses on sources of healthcare other than GPs that exist in the community. The inquiry was discussed with NPA policy leads across the UK, NPA Scottish members and other Scottish pharmacy stakeholder organisations. The NPA stated that services delivered during the pandemic has proven the importance of Scotland's 1,258 community pharmacies, and believes additional capacity for existing pharmacy services, and expansion of pharmacy Public Health Services is possible with continued investment from the government.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) highlighted the role played by community pharmacies during pandemic to provide urgent care and vital support to people with long-term medical conditions at its opening remark in the Covid-19 public inquiry held on Tuesday (28 February). NPA is the core participant in the Covid-19 public inquiry. lawyer Brian Stanton made an opening statement on the NPA's behalf which focused on three areas- health inequalities and the needs of vulnerable patients; the impact of medicine shortages and medicine price increases and the challenge that community pharmacy faced in responding to the pandemic and maintaining patient services following long-term under investment. Stanton said: "The UK's community pharmacies were on the frontline of efforts to limit the impact of coronavirus and to keep people well, and as well as handling a massive increase in demand for healthcare advice and medicines, they also continued to provide urgent care and vital support to people with long-term medical conditions. "However, there are now very many at risk of closure during to underfunding and when the Inquiry comes to consider its recommendations the NPA would encourage you [the presiding judge] to think about how resilience can be built into future plans." The statement included a compelling account of the commitment typical of so many pharmacies during the pandemic - from husband and wife Pete and Sukhi Johal, both NPA members and pharmacists, who co-own Calow Pharmacy in Chesterfield.

At the UK Covid-19 Inquiry's Module 3 hearings on 10 September, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) highlighted that community pharmacy was "often overlooked and under-recognised" during the pandemic. Lawyer Lee John-Charles, speaking on behalf of the NPA, told the Inquiry that despite the central role played by community pharmacy in the delivery of NHS care throughout the pandemic, community pharmacists and their teams were "not given comparable treatment to other frontline healthcare workers." The NPA criticised the initial exclusion of pharmacy workers from the Life Assurance Scheme for frontline workers in England, calling on the Inquiry to investigate this notable omission. The NPA also pointed out that community pharmacies were forced to source and fund their own personal protective equipment (PPE) as it was not initially available to them through the NHS.

NPA Insurance, a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), has updated its professional indemnity policy for locum pharmacists to better support their expanding roles in healthcare. The enhanced policy now includes private and NHS prescribing cover for weight loss and other areas of competence, which is available for locums working in pharmacy, general practice and hospital settings. Policyholders will benefit from an extended range of cover, which includes, as standard, the delivery of the NHS Pharmacy First service, the expanded pharmacy contraception service, and the re-launched hypertension case-finding service. Moreover, NPA Insurance has removed charges for vaccine administration, including COVID-19, flu, and travel. Locum pharmacists will also have access to NPA Insurance's award-winning claims team as part of the new policy.

Private healthcare provider CityDoc has partnered with the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) in its bid to widen a "nationwide network of vaccine clinics" to increase footfall to community pharmacies that come onboard. The company says NPA member pharmacies that join the network will have their own dedicated page on the CityDoc website, while benefiting from having online marketing done on their behalf via an extensive Google AdWords campaign and local listings optimisation - all paid for by CityDoc. The participating pharmacies will also have access to their own booking system, marketing materials and access to the latest vaccine and private healthcare information. NPA member Nick Daines, who runs Lifestyle Pharmacy in Bath, said he has partnered with CityDoc for six years and seen "a significant increase in revenue from private services." He added: "The CityDoc partnership has allowed us to establish Lifestyle Pharmacy as a go-to venue for healthcare within Bath. "We have seen significantly increased footfall thanks to our partnership with CityDoc, which in turn has allowed us to grow the NHS and retail aspects of the business."

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.

Independent pharmacies played a leading role in administering Covid-19 vaccines in the country, latest data compiled by the National Pharmacy Association has revealed. According to the latest research conducted by the NPA and PharmData, independent community pharmacies were the biggest deliverers of Covid vaccines during January - September 2021 as compared to corporate-run pharmacy sites. The PharmData figures which looked at 610 pharmacy sites around the country showed that 85 per cent of them were independents, most of whom are NPA members. NPA chief executive Mark Lyonette said: "These figures show us that flexible, locally engaged, entrepreneurial independent community pharmacies are making a huge contribution to the vaccine programme.

David Thomas, owner of LT Chemists in Newport, will replace Raj Aggarwal OBE as the next National Pharmacy Association (NPA) board member for Wales, following an uncontested election this month. Following the conclusion of a nomination process last week, Baldev Bange, Aisling O'Brien, Sehar Shahid, and Sanjay Ganvir have been re-elected to the Board, representing areas of England and Scotland. Ashley Cohen, Sanjeev Panesar, Sukhi Basra, Salim Jetha, Olivier Picard, and Nick Kaye continue their terms without needing to stand for election this time. They still have another two years to run on their terms as board members. Two board positions remain open. The nomination process is ongoing in Northern Ireland, while in England, five NPA members are contesting the remaining seat, which is open to any member with up to five pharmacies. Hustings for the remaining board position in England will take place shortly and a ballot for this position will take place later this month, according to a statement from NPA.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has called the future prime minister to deliver on the commitments made by the previous health secretaries to reform primary care through a 'pharmacy first' approach and fairly fund community pharmacies to avoid closures. In an open letter, the NPA has urged Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss, the two leadership contenders of the Conservative Party and prime ministerial candidates, to think radically about the role of England's 11,000 pharmacies, which are on the frontline of healthcare across the country. NPA also highlighted how pharmacies could help clear the NHS backlog, free up millions more GP appointments, dramatically improve access to primary health care and do more to prevent ill health and support people with long term medical conditions. "Because of our unparalleled presence in deprived areas, we also have great potential to level up access to healthcare and address health inequalities. We set these ideas out in How We Can Help, which is an improvement plan already welcomed by many of your colleagues."

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 Pharmacy Association (NPA) and Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has been appointed as a core participant in the Covid-19 public inquiry. The independent public inquiry has been set up to examine the UK's response to and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and learn lessons to shape preparations for future pandemics. It is chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, a former Court of Appeal judge. The NPA and RPS will be part of Module 3, which covers the impact of Covid-19 on healthcare systems across the United Kingdom. The preliminary hearing for that module takes place on Tuesday 28 February. This will give the association an opportunity to make opening and closing statements, consider evidence provided to the Inquiry and propose questions to be asked by the Inquiry of witnesses. NPA chief executive, Mark Lyonette, said: "This is an historic opportunity to place on record the achievements of community pharmacy during the pandemic and to ensure that the inquiry's recommendations are based in the practical realities faced by health workers such as our members.

Community pharmacies played a crucial role in the Covid-19 vaccination programme, delivering over 42 million Covid-19 vaccinations. Nevertheless, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) believes that there are valuable lessons to be learned to improve the health service's response to future crises. The association highlighted key areas for improvement in its oral statement during the public hearings for Module 4 of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry-focusing on Vaccines and Therapeutics-on 15 January. Representing the NPA, legal representative Deirdre Domingo urged the Inquiry to consider the following points to optimise the delivery of future vaccination programmes. Effective planning and the involvement of community pharmacy from the outset Improving operational delivery of the vaccination booking system Addressing vaccine hesitancy and equality issues Utilising existing resources and expertise Reducing the unrealistic expectations on healthcare workers and managing the impact on them

Representatives from the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) presented their preliminary evidence to the Inquiry, which is examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare systems in the UK. The UK COVID-19 Inquiry began on 28 June 2022 to examine the UK's preparedness and response to the pandemic, aiming to draw insights for the future. Its investigations are organised into modules, gathering evidence from witnesses, experts and core participants through a series of corresponding hearings throughout each module. A preliminary Module 3 hearing for its investigation into was held at Dorland House, 121 Westbourne Terrace, London, W2 6BU on Wednesday 10 April at 10.30am. NPA calls for funding to boost pharmacy resilience Presenting its evidence before the inquiry, the NPA highlighted the unsung contribution of pharmacies nationwide in combatting COVID-19 and maintaining health services throughout the pandemic while calling for funding to create greater resilience in community pharmacies.

Nick Kaye, chair of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), gave evidence to the UK's official COVID-19 Inquiry on Monday (4 November), highlighting the importance of building a "sustainable and resilient community pharmacy network" to enhance preparedness for future pandemics. Kaye also recommended utilising the existing community pharmacy infrastructure for public health initiatives, such as vaccination programmes, and stressed the need to recognise community pharmacists and their teams as integral members of primary care. "Seven pharmacies a week are closing across the four nations, and that is tragic for any future response. So, a resilient community pharmacy network that exists is going to be key," he told the Inquiry. He noted that 90 per cent of most NPA members' income comes from providing NHS services, underscoring the critical role pharmacies play in healthcare delivery. However, Kaye highlighted that pharmacies were often overlooked and underappreciated during the pandemic.

MCAN Health, a medical travel company based in Istanbul-Turkey, has announced its sponsorship of National Pharmacy Association (NPA), a not-for-profit organisation representing independent community pharmacies across the UK. Gulsultan Dogan, the Founder and CEO of MCAN Health, said that their company is dedicated to improving global healthcare accessibility, which aligned perfectly with the NPA's mission to boost community health services in the United Kingdom. On receiving the invitation letter from the NPA, Dogan said: "We did not hesitate to show our support and positively answer the invitation letter. "As a professional in the healthcare sector for years, I firmly believe medical care is a human right that should be accessible to everyone without enduring lengthy waiting lists."

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has lashed out at the British Medical Association (BMA) after GP leaders voted in favour of the motion to terminate pharmacy blood pressure checks with immediate effect and redirect the funds into pharmacy dispensing fees. Commenting on the BMA's vote, NPA chair Nick Kaye said: "It benefits no-one, least of all patients, for one set of health care professionals to talk down the services provided by another." He emphasised the importance of investment and collaboration across the healthcare system, particularly between general practice and community pharmacies, to provide the best possible care for patients. Furthermore, Kaye stressed the value of pharmacy-based NHS clinical services in improving access to care, while also providing more convenient care for patients and relieving pressure on other parts of primary care. "It would be terribly shortsighted to row back on preventative services such as hypertension case finding, which will be cost-saving as well as lifesaving in the long term," he warned. He noted that the NHS will only meet the growing needs and expectations of the ageing population by making the most of capacity and skills across the whole system.

Ensuring comprehensive healthcare services for the community necessitates collaboration between pharmacies and GP surgeries. However, several pharmacists have voiced concerns about a lack of cooperation from their local GPs in implementing the Pharmacy First (PF) service. In a survey conducted by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) covering 470 pharmacies across England, three-quarters of pharmacists (77 per cent) indicated that local GP practices are not appropriately referring patients to the new service. The survey highlighted instances of patients either not being referred or being referred but found ineligible for support through Pharmacy First. Additionally, one in five NPA members (19 per cent) felt that their local GP practices were not engaging with the initiative at all. Commenting on the issue, NPA chair Nick Kaye said: "Feedback from across our network suggests that the rollout of Pharmacy First varies considerably from area to area.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), representing independent community pharmacies, has called for tougher regulation of the online sale of weight loss jabs to protect patients amid a prediction of a new year's boom in demand. The association argues that current regulation "leaves the door open for medicines to be supplied without appropriate patient consultation and access to patient records." It has urged the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to require greater consultation with patients before dispensing weight loss jabs and other high-risk medication online. The association stressed that online sellers should not just rely on information provided in online questionnaires but also gather important historical medical information before a full two-way consultation between prescriber and patient. Draft guidelines on weight loss medication The GPhC proposed changes to their current guidance for online pharmacies to improve patient safety. It launched a consultation on the revised guidance on 17 September, inviting feedback until 9 October 2024 from the public, carers, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, other healthcare professionals, and pharmacy owners. In its response to proposed guidelines on prescribing weight loss medication, the NPA highlighted critical gaps, stating that proposed safeguards "still leaves the door open for medicines to be prescribed/supplied without appropriate two-way direct patient consultation and access to patient records for a full clinical picture particularly where high-risk medicines are involved, and the risk to patient safety remains".

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has revealed shocking figures showing that millions of patients across England have lost access to pharmacies due to widespread closures and reduced operating hours. According to NPA analysis of NHS data, around 1,250 pharmacies have permanently closed since 2017, and the majority of these closures have come in the last three years. Given that each pharmacy serves an average of 5,600 people, this decline in pharmacy numbers means that about 7 million people-equivalent to one in eight of England's population-have seen their local pharmacy shut down since 2017. Furthermore, NPA analysis found that pharmacies in England were open for 551,000 hours a week in 2024, down from 620,000 at the same time in 2022, a reduction of around 7 million hours in the last two years. Rural areas were particularly impacted, with Cambridgeshire, Wiltshire, Kent and Devon losing maximum hours of pharmacy care and time.