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To help transform care for patients, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) is calling on the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to remove the two-year post qualification wait for pharmacists before they are allowed to start their independent prescriber training. RPS proposes that entry to training should be based on whether pharmacists can evidence the necessary skills, knowledge, and experience to undertake the training, and not the length of time a pharmacist has been on the register. RPS president Claire Anderson said: "We've campaigned strongly for better use of pharmacist independent prescribers, who are becoming essential to multi professional teams in all health care settings. "We want to ensure pharmacy remains an attractive career and has parity with the other professions. Pharmacist prescribing is now moving from being a skill only associated with advanced specialist levels of practice to a more generalist scope, providing a workforce that's more flexible with a shared set of capabilities.

GSK Consumer Healthcare has recently unveiled a three-year programme to support the pharmacy profession with additional practical resources, mental health provisions and proposed policy changes as part of its new report Standing with Pharmacists in the Age of Self-Care. The new report summarises findings from a roundtable hosted by GSK Consumer Healthcare in collaboration with the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) earlier this year, which convened the pharmacy community, policy experts, and industry leaders to discuss the critical role of pharmacy in the age of self-care following the Covid-19 pandemic. "We've seen Covid-19 have a significant impact on consumers' understanding of self-care, leading to an increased focus on wellbeing and everyday healthcare. During this time, pharmacies played a vital role in providing care and advice to their patients - particularly with many other health facilities closed. Our research shows that more than half of Europeans are planning to consult their pharmacist more often than before the pandemic. Yet in general, pharmacists remain under-utilised, despite being the most widely distributed health resource in Europe," said Tess Player, global head of expert at GSK Consumer Healthcare.

Ahead of World AIDS Day this Wednesday, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society has urged the government to widen access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) by making it available through community pharmacies. It argues that such a move could drive down rates of HIV infection across Great Britain. Currently, the medicine - which offers almost total protection from HIV when taken as recommended prior to sex or injecting drugs - is available free of charge only through sexual health clinics. Calling on the government to engage with community pharmacies to improve public health, RPS president Claire Anderson said: "There is a clear opportunity to drive down rates of HIV infection by expanding provision of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to community pharmacies and GP practices as part of the government's HIV Action Plan.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has cautioned that measures to protect people against Covid-19 must be stepped up in the wake of discovery of the new variant, B.1.1.529. It has urged members of the public to practice 'hands, face, space and ventilation' protection measures which have become less used in the last few months. RPS director of pharmacy Robbie Turner said that though it was too early to conclude about the transmissibility or resistance of the new variant to current vaccines, quick action should be taken to protect the public. "Each one of us must take the necessary precautions of wearing a mask in higher risk situations, maintaining social distancing wherever possible, ensuring there's appropriate ventilation indoors when meeting others and washing our hands regularly." Encouraging people to take Covid vaccine, he said, it "is still our best defence against this virus".

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) today released a new guidance to pharmaceutical companies using Disclosure UK which it said will boost transparency in the relationships between healthcare professionals, other relevant decision-makers and the industry. The guidance encourages companies to use 'Legitimate Interests' as their lawful basis for processing individual's data, in order to increase the number of named healthcare professionals and other individuals on Disclosure UK, the database showing the payments and benefits in kind made by the pharmaceutical industry to doctors,nurses and other health professionals and organizations. "I'm pleased the ABPI is launching this new guidance which will boost patient safety and public confidence in our healthcare professionals," Patient Safety and Primary Care Minister Maria Caulfield commented.

GSK is helping pharmacists to tap into Self Care Week this November, and remind patients how they can adopt a more proactive approach in looking after their health. This includes treating ailments, such as joint pain, over the counter to take pressure off GPs where possible. Joint pain complaints take up a significant amount of general practice resource with 57 per cent of pain presentations reported relating to joint pain[1], as well as 23 per cent of sufferers feeling as though their pain impacts their quality of life[2]. Many of these complaints and ailments could be addressed with treatment recommendations from a pharmacist with support from Voltarol. GSK, manufacturer of Voltarol (the market leader in the pain relief topic category[3]), offers support through both its products and resources in hopes to advocate over-the-counter treatments.

Throughout the past decade, digital transformation has been at the forefront of the agenda for the NHS which has been accelerated by the abundance of digitally enabled ways of working during the pandemic. While the last year has unquestionably heralded the spring shoots of transformation, there is so much to be done to build upon this and accelerate further. For example, do both pharmacists and patients comprehend the value of digital to drive change at a fundamental level? The issue is not simply ensuring that the temporary fixes inspired by the pandemic successfully transition to standard practice, but also rapidly building on that foundation to enable the greatest value from digitisation within pharmacy. Covid-19 has increased the need for digitally enabled and empowered ways of operating. From the backlog in outpatient appointments to postponed screening programmes and, crucially, the potential exodus of overworked and stressed pharmacists, the efficient, effective and intelligent care enabled by the right digital technologies is now critical.

Pharmacy owners can proceed with vaccinating patients who have already scheduled their flu vaccination appointments for September, NHS England has said. However, as announced earlier, the official rollout of the vaccination service will commence from October. Pharmacies will receive compensation for conducting appointments in the upcoming month, NHSE stated in a letter addressed to systems, community pharmacies, and general practices. "Payment for vaccinations will ordinarily only be made following the service commencement date. However, we understand that some firm commitments and appointments have already been made, so where this is the case and the patient wishes to receive flu vaccination in September, NHS England will permit payment claims to be submitted," NHSE said. Care home residents and staff will be eligible for the vaccine starting Oct. 2, while all other patients will commence receiving their vaccinations on Oct 7. This news is a significant relief for pharmacy owners, as they won't have to reschedule appointments due to NHSE's one-month service delay.

The NHS plans to train hundreds of pharmacy staff, expanding their ability to provide advanced clinical services and assume wider roles in dispensing medicines. With a targeted launch in September, up to 840 pharmacy technicians can join in the training programme. The online modules will cover consultation skills, therapeutics, clinical decision-making, assessment skills, and service improvement. "Community pharmacies are pivotal in local communities, and this novel training scheme empowers them to extend their service offerings to a wider patient base," said Health Minister Neil O'Brien. "Through our investment in the workforce, we're bolstering the implementation of the Pharmacy First initiative with £645 million, ensuring patients have access to expert assistance for various common ailments, including urinary tract infections and earaches." NHS said the training will offer flexibility to align with the working schedules and prior experience of community pharmacy technicians. It will combine independent online e-course study, educational supervision, and clinical skills training. Facilitated workshops will concentrate on enhancing clinical assessment skills and applying knowledge and skills through case studies, practice activities, and group discussions.

The Home Affairs Committee has called upon the government to revise its current drug policy, moving away from the exclusive 'abstinence only' approach towards a more practical strategy that highlights harm reduction. The HAC's recommendations also include the introduction of a national naloxone programme in England, with community pharmacies playing a central role in facilitating access. The committee published its comprehensive report on August 31, with key recommendations, including the 'urgent' reclassification of psychedelic drugs for therapeutic research; a pilot safe consumption facility program (long resisted by the Westminster Government despite Scottish lobbying); and enhanced provision and research on cannabis-based medicinal products (CBPMs). The report urged the establishment of a national naloxone programme in England, aligning with devolved nations. It also highlighted the role of community pharmacists and peer initiatives for effective distribution and administration. Furthermore, the report emphasises enhanced naloxone distribution for prison leavers. Naloxone is a medication capable of rapidly reversing heroin or methadone overdoses, potentially saving lives.

The Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) has urged the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to collate the data on actively enrolled on an approved course or qualification for Pharmacy Technicians of commencement of training. In a letter from Nicola Stockmann, Vice President APTUK to the GPhC to encourage the collection of data for Pre-Registration Training Pharmacy Technicians, Stockmann said: "We value the GPHC data for Pharmacy Technician registrants to track the growth and diversity of the Pharmacy Technician profession. With ongoing inclusive pharmacy practice priorities, APTUK has an organisational pledge to continue this work of all themes through actions. The demographics of the Pharmacy Technician workforce continue to have a majority of white British registrants and identifying as female; the high-level data collated which is currently available on the GPHC website does not capture those who are actively enrolled on an approved course or qualification for Pharmacy Technicians."

Community Pharmacy England has submitted a full and detailed written response to the Health and Social Care Select Committee's pharmacy inquiry. The Committee is expected to hold oral evidence sessions when Parliament returns in the Autumn. The commencement of this inquiry follows on from those held on other primary care sectors, including Dentistry and General Practice. According to the Committee website this inquiry 'will explore issues impacting different types of pharmacy, with a particular focus on community, primary care and hospital pharmacy services'. Key themes of CPE's submission include- Suggestions on future service provision; Challenges with the pharmacy workforce; Longstanding underfunding of the sector; and Current pressures. Janet Morrison OBE, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy England, said: "This is an extremely important opportunity for all who work with and in the Pharmacy sector, to highlight not only the extreme challenges we face, but also ideas and suggestions for what more we can do to help patients and the public in the future.

The Centre for Pharmacy Post-Graduate Education (CPPE) has launched Menopause - an introduction for pharmacy professionals e-learning programme. The new Menopause: an introduction for pharmacy professionals e-learning programme aims to support pharmacist's to increase their knowledge and awareness of menopause and perimenopause, helping them to have initial conversations with those who need support. The programme teaches how to equip people experiencing menopausal symptoms with evidence-based information that allows them to make decisions about their own health management. This e-learning programme considers a range of topics, including the signs and symptoms associated with menopause and perimenopause, how a diagnosis is made and the national context supporting a growing role for pharmacy professionals in menopause care. It also discusses the benefits and risks of treatment options available, the common misconceptions that people may have about menopause and how to apply the evidence base to practice in order to help support decision making.

Computer Science Tuesday, April 25, 2023 Computer hardware Computer hardware is the physical components that make up a computer system. It includes everything from the central processing unit (CPU) to the monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Understanding the different types of hardware and how they work together is essential for anyone who works with computers. In this article, we will explore the various components of computer hardware, including internal and external components, and the peripherals that connect to them. We will also discuss the importance of hardware maintenance, the latest advancements in computer technology, and factors to consider when choosing the right hardware for your needs. Whether you are a computer technician, a gamer, or simply someone who uses a computer for everyday tasks, this article will help you better understand the world of computer hardware. Introduction to Computer Hardware Computer hardware refers to the physical components that make up a computer system. It includes everything from the processor and memory to input/output devices such as the keyboard and monitor. In this article, we will explore the different types of computer hardware and their functions. What is Computer Hardware Computer hardware refers to the physical components of a computer system. It includes all the components that can be touched, seen, and used to interact with a computer, such as the monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Hardware is different from computer software, which refers to the programs and applications that run on a computer system. History of Computer Hardware The history of computer hardware dates back to the 1820s when Charles Babbage, an English mathematician, and inventor, designed the first analytical engine, which was considered to be the first mechanical computer. With time, more complex electronic computers were developed, including the first Intel microprocessor in 1971. Since then, computer hardware has continued to evolve, becoming

Adults who are overweight or obese and have type 2 diabetes or prediabetes are at a higher risk of developing severe health issues, according to authors of a recent study. Experts. however, disagree on the best dietary regimens and supportive measures to suggest. The latest study was published in the journal 'The Annals of Family Medicine'. In the findings, researchers used a 2×2 diet-by-support factorial design to randomise 94 adults with the aforementioned conditions, contrasting a very low-carbohydrate (VLC) or ketogenic diet with a Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. They also determined the outcomes of interventions that included and excluded additional support practices like mindful eating, effective emotion regulation, social support, and cooking instruction. Using intent-to-treat analyses, the VLC diet led to greater improvement in estimated mean systolic blood pressure (SBP; -9.8 mmHg vs. -5.2 mmHg, P =.046), greater improvement in glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c; -.4 per cent vs. -.1 per cent, P = 0.034), and greater improvement in weight (-19.14 lbs vs. -10.33 lbs, P = 0.0003), compared to the DASH diet. The addition of extra support did not have a statistically significant effect on outcomes.

The pharmacy inquiry will explore issues impacting different types of pharmacy, with a particular focus on community, primary care and hospital pharmacy services. It will also consider current challenges around funding, workforce and the digital infrastructure. Planned developments within the profession will enable future pharmacists to be independent prescribers from day one of registration, giving them a greater role within primary care teams. Health and Social Care Committee Chair Steve Brine MP said: "It is clear that pharmacy has a central role to play in the future of the NHS. With a greater focus on personalised and patient-centred healthcare, we will be asking what more must be done to make sure that the profession is in the best shape to meet demand. "Better use of the pharmacy workforce would reduce pressures on general practice and hospitals. However, this will not happen without a planned workforce with the funding, supervision and training to support it. "At the end of the inquiry, the committee will be making recommendations to the government on what action needs to be taken to ensure the potential of pharmacy is realised.

The latest inspection report of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) revealed that nine pharmacies did not meet their standards out of 52 pharmacies that were inspected between January 2023 and May 2023. Pharmacies are inspected on five principles - Governance, Staff, Premises, Services including medicines management and Equipment and facilities. Out of nine, eight pharmacies did not meet GPhC standard of governance which is defined to safeguard the health, safety and wellbeing of patients and the public. Six pharmacies did not meet the GPhC standard of principle four which defines the way in which pharmacy services, including the management of medicines and medical devices, are delivered safeguards the health, safety and wellbeing of patients and the public. The purpose of these standards is to create and maintain the right environment, both organisational and physical, for the safe and effective practice of pharmacy. The standards apply to all pharmacies registered with GPhC.

RPS Scotland has partnered with charity organisation Marie Curie for an exhibition at the Scottish Parliament this week to highlight Daffodil Standards and the crucial contribution of community pharmacies to palliative and end-of-life care. The exhibition is being sponsored by Jeremy Balfour MSP. Community pharmacies offer vital assistance by providing guidance on medication adjustments and side effects, RPS Scotland said in a statement. They are easily accessible without the need for an appointment, providing essential support and reassurance to families in times of need. The Daffodil Standards, which is jointly developed by RPS and Marie Curie, drive continuous improvement in end-of-life and bereavement support within community pharmacies, benefiting terminally ill patients, their families, and caregivers. These standards align with the RCGP/Marie Curie guidelines for general practice introduced in 2019. Since its May launch, over 450 pharmacies throughout Great Britain, including more than 30 in Scotland, have implemented these principles, the statement said.

The National Health Service said that over 425,000 patients have utilised its new national online service to complete GP registration within its inaugural year. The GP surgery registration service, managed by NHS England, has granted NHS patients efficient and user-friendly access to GP registration since its inception in August 2022. According to the NHS, more than 1,400 GP surgeries, a fifth of the national count, have joined the NHS online registration service as part of a new plan to improve access to primary care. "This aligns with a new strategy to enhance primary care access, with a target of enrolling 2,000 practices in the Register with a GP surgery service by December 2023." Many GP surgeries still use paper forms, requiring patients to visit surgeries to collect paperwork. However, the new online service has been shown to save GP surgery staff up to 15 minutes per registration by helping to reduce paperwork and admin time, the NHS said. The NHS said that this service enables patients to register with a local GP online at any time, eliminating the need for in-person visits and simplifying the process for both patients and GP surgeries.

Consumer health company Haleon, formerly known as GSK, claims that pain's emotional and life impact has grown by nearly 25 per cent in the past decade. The company has launched a campaign #ListenToPain to personalise patients' pain management through a series of practical tools and resources. The campaign was introduced on 28 September which focused on enabling the HCPs to maximise their time with patients and understand their pain experience - providing them with an effective treatment plan. The new data has been obtained through the fifth edition of the Haleon Pain Index (HPI). This social study measured the impact of individuals' everyday lives, their health, their feelings, their emotions, motivations and behaviours. They have spoken to more than 87,000 people around the world since their first edition in 2014 - HPI 1 (The State of Pain), which later progressed over the years from HPI 2 (Impact of Pain) in 2017, then HPI 3 (Managing Pain) in 2018, to HPI 4 (Treatment Journey), and finally HPI 5 (Pain and Inclusivity) in 2023.