Group items tagged

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has released new data revealing that adult smoking rates in the UK have fallen to their lowest levels on record. In 2023, only 11.9 per cent of adults aged 18 and over-approximately 6 million people-reported smoking cigarettes, marking the lowest proportion of smokers since the Annual Population Survey (APS) began in 2011. Since 2011, the proportion of smokers has decreased by 8.3 percentage points from 20.2 per cent. However, this change was not statistically significant when compared to the previous year's rates, which was 12.9 per cent in 2022. Among age groups, those aged 25 to 34 years had the highest smoking prevalence at 14.0 per cent in 2023. Notably, the 18 to 24 age group experienced the largest reduction in smoking rates, dropping by 15.9 percentage points from 25.7 per cent in 2011 to 9.8per cent in 2023. Commenting on the new ONS statistics, Paul Rees, CEO of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), highlighted the importance of community pharmacies in combating smoking.

New data released on Friday (July 1) shows how public support has continued to grow despite a lack of progress on the policy front, 15 years since a smokefree legislation in Britain prohibited smoking inside public spaces such as offices, shops and pubs. This was demonstrated by a new report 'Fifteen Smokefree Years' summarising results from the annual survey carried out since 2007 by YouGov for the public health charity Action on Smoking and Health. Around three quarters (74 per cent) of those who participated in survey supported the government's Smokefree 2030 ambition. The report said: "The public are way ahead of the government, and right behind recommendations made to the Health and Social Care Secretary for the forthcoming Tobacco Control Plan by Javed Khan's independent review." Three quarters (76 per cent) support making tobacco manufacturers pay a levy to fund tobacco control and smoking cessation, 83 per cent support requiring retailers to be licensed to sell tobacco, 70 per cent support increased investment in public education campaigns, 67 per cent support warnings on cigarettes, and 62 per cent support making seating areas outside restaurants, pubs and cafes smokefree.

As local GP services face increasing pressure, the role of pharmacists in managing minor ailments such as cold and cough has become more crucial than ever. Considering environmental and lifestyle factors, such as pollution levels, pollen counts, smoking, and diet, is essential for the effective management of respiratory conditions. In this article, experts explain how pharmacists can leverage these factors to provide more comprehensive advice to patients for managing cold and cough symptoms. Dr Roger Henderson, GP and spokesperson for Olbas, says: "Environmental factors play a critical role in the exacerbation and management of respiratory conditions. For example, high pollution levels can aggravate cold and cough symptoms, particularly in areas where air quality can drastically fluctuate. "By assessing real-time pollution data, pharmacists can advise patients to take precautions on days when pollution levels are high." Air pollution is well known to increase the risk of certain respiratory diseases.

At this year's pharmacy show and many recent conferences, I have given presentations on behavioural economics. People's health outcomes are greatly determined by behaviours outside the pharmacy or other health settings. Whether they take their medicines, give up smoking or eat healthily, these choices are made at home in the course of their daily lives. How many minutes of the 168 hours in a week, are your customers in contact with you? For many pharmacists, behavioural economics is a 'new' discipline and often flies in the face of what we learned at university years ago. People had symptoms, often traced back to a disease, which led to a treatment, which the patient took (as instructed) and got better. If only! In the context of healthcare, behavioural economics shows that people do not always make decisions based purely on rational cost-benefit analysis. Instead, our choices are often shaped by factors like cognitive biases, social influence, and environmental cues. Once you've left university and started practicing in the real world, this should not come as a surprise. The fact is people do not always act in their own best interest and people do not always do the "right" thing, even if they know what the right thing is. Intention can be a poor predictor of actual health behaviour change-now termed the intention-behaviour gap. In other words, although patients intend to change and maintain their behaviour, the data suggest that many will not follow through with their intention.

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) and NHS England have agreed that community pharmacy contractors will have to participate in one mandatory national health campaign. This campaign on weight management commenced from Tuesday (03 January) and will run until Sunday (29January). PSNC said: "Pharmacies can be required to participate in up to six health campaigns at the request of NHS England per year (1st April to 31st March). Pharmacies will be involved by displaying and distributing leaflets provided by NHS England. In addition, pharmacies are required to undertake prescription-linked interventions on major areas of public health concern, such as encouraging smoking cessation. "Contractors can order pharmacy specific posters, wallet cards ('info' cards with a QR code signposting people to the Better Health website and free tips and tools to lose weight) and a dispenser for these cards on the Campaign Resource Centre website. A guidance leaflet to support community pharmacy teams' conversations with patients is also available," said PSNC.