Group items tagged

The Department of Health and Social Care's (DHSC) response to the 2019 consultation on community pharmacy drug reimbursement reform has paved the way for the second phase of consultation with the pharmacy negotiator. The second round of the consultation will focus on eight proposals: Changes to the way Category A prices are set Changes to how medicine margin is distributed in Category M drugs Changes to how Category C prices are set for drugs with multiple suppliers Inclusion of non-medicinal products in the Drug Tariff Changes to the way prices of drugs in non-Part VIIIA are set Changes to arrangements for reimbursement and procurement of 'specials' Changes to reimbursement of generically prescribed drugs and appliances dispensed as 'specials' Changes to the discount deduction scale The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee has been discussing these proposals with the DHSC and the outcome was featured in the final package of the 'Community pharmacy in 2016/17 and beyond' document.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Pharmacy Declares are inviting pharmacy teams from around the world to sign up and commit to taking "bold action" on climate change as mentioned in a climate change charter which was published on Monday (June 13). The charter asks pharmacy teams to commit to understanding how human health and the systems which underpin it are "reliant on the state of our natural environment" and actively explore ways to make pharmacy practice and medicine use more sustainable. It also asks to collaborate and share best practice to improve sustainability in pharmacy and healthcare; demonstrate leadership on sustainability or being a champion for sustainability at work; and assist patients to optimise their medicine use to increase both health outcomes and environmental sustainability. The individuals can also commit to a personal action on climate change of their own choosing. The Charter is being supported by a strong coalition of organisations from across pharmacy including the Centre for Postgraduate Pharmacy Education, the Clinical Pharmacy Association, College of Mental Health Pharmacy and Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists.

Northern Ireland will see changes in the regulatory landscape following the issuance of the Windsor Framework on 27th Feb 2023 and the corresponding EU Commission proposal. An agreement, in principle, has been reached by the UK and EU. The new path forward of the Windsor Framework marks a turning point in how both the UK and the EU will work together collaboratively and constructively to ensure that the same medicines are available in Northern Ireland at the same time as they are in the rest of the United Kingdom. Whilst this is a successful result for Northern Ireland patients, this is major change for companies that have made specific provisions in their supply chains for Northern Ireland. The supply chains of companies where provisions and changes were made such as introduction of GB specific pack may be impacted as a result. However, the burden on the UK Pharma supply chain will be eased. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak walks with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen in Windsor on February 27, 2023 Pharma companies will need to carefully consider making changes within their processes and supply chains pending the issuance of clear guidance from the MHRA on the regulation changes resulting from the Windsor Agreement and the corresponding EU Commission proposed regulatory changes associated with medicinal products within the Northern Ireland market. Smooth access to the EU market for Northern Ireland pharmaceutical and medical technology firms has been safeguarded within the constraints of the agreement. The pragmatic dual-regulatory system protects business, patients and healthcare services, and reflects that it is an essential state function to maintain and oversee the supply of medicines within the whole United Kingdom.

The regulators have reduced the notice periods for change to supplementary opening hours for community pharmacy contractors from 1 October 2022. Following the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC)'s discussions with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England as part of Year 4 negotiations, it has been agreed that the required notice periods for changes to supplementary opening hours will reduce to five weeks. Community pharmacy contractors who want to change their supplementary opening hours are required by their terms of service to notify NHS England. "If a contractor wants to increase supplementary opening hours at the pharmacy, this can be done with no notice - but notification of the change must still be given to NHS England," said PSNC. "To decrease supplementary opening hours at the pharmacy, at least five weeks' notice must be given to NHS England prior to implementing the change."

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has committed to playing its part in addressing climate change by undertaking work to establish a carbon footprint baseline to improve its environmental performance. In a statement on Monday (July 18) the pharmacy regulator laid out what it called its vision "to have safe and effective pharmacy care at the heart of healthier communities". Stating that climate change creates health risks and exacerbates health inequalities, GPHC said: "We believe we all have a role to play in contributing to addressing climate change." It announced that it has just joined "a newly formed cross-regulatory group" formed to address issues such as "environmental sustainability". "At the GPhC we have brought together colleagues from across the organisation to consider the environmental impact we have as an employer and as a regulator," it declared.

For many people who suffer from joint pain, the weather can be a big factor in their pain. While joint pain can be caused by many different things, such as arthritis, injuries, and age, the weather can aggravate and worsen the pain. Several studies have been conducted over the last several years; however, no concrete evidence supports one theory vs. another. That said, let's take a closer look at how weather affects joint pain and what you can do to minimize the discomfort. How Weather Affects Joint Pain It might seem like an old wives' tale, but there is actually some science behind how weather affects joint pain. Temperature Changes The temperature outside can majorly affect how much joint pain you experience. When temperatures drop, your body will get stiffer and more painful joints as the air around them gets colder. During hot days, the air humidity outside may cause swelling and increased inflammation in your joints which could lead to more pain. Pressure Changes Just like a barometer measures changes in atmospheric pressure, so does your body. Pressure changes due to shifts in the atmosphere can affect joint pain because pressure changes directly impact your joints' lubrication levels. When pressure drops and becomes low enough, it can cause extra friction between bones connected by tendons or muscles, resulting in more pain than usual.

The Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has called for an evidence-based approach to hub and spoke dispensing proposals, stating that it is vital to back the changes based on robust data and lived experience of pharmacy businesses. Community pharmacy contractors need to to respond to a Department of Health and Social Care initiated consultation on the hub-and-spoke dispensing models by June 8. Malcolm Harrison, CEO of the CCA, said: "I am very concerned by both the number and scale of the assumptions contained within the impact assessment, which are unlikely to come to fruition. "The impact Assessment also makes predictions on a yet un-born market, stretching 10 years into the future. Hub and spoke technologies do have the potential to enable new dispensing models in the future if new commissioning can support a change in operations. I would caution against firm predictions about likely benefits without stronger commitments to enablers of change."

As we transition in England through yet another NHS organisational change, I ask myself what does this mean for community pharmacy? I would like to think that this change will bring about opportunity and a chance for community pharmacy to showcase and continue the excellent work that was carried out during the height of the pandemic and is still ongoing today. I hope that it allows community pharmacy to be regarded as part of the NHS rather than sitting on the side lines. This change has to lead to better funding for community pharmacy, without sufficient funding we will see more pharmacies close. We are hearing a lot about winter pressures but this year it feels like all year round pressure. What I have seen, whilst the NHS is under such pressure, is North East London (NEL) CCG transitioning to an integrated care board (ICB) almost seamlessly. I have seen people transitioning into new roles, whilst working hard to ensure that all plates are still spinning, which at the moment is no mean feat. I spent a day out recently visiting pharmacies with the chief medical officer of NHS NEL, Dr Paul Gilluley. The visits were positive, we felt listened to and understood. The feedback was great, it was recognised that community pharmacy is often the informal front door to the NHS and that we have so much to offer in terms of ill health prevention. Community pharmacy can offer a total solution as long as we have the tools to do so, which can save so much time and money. An example is the GP CPCS service, which has launched well across NEL.

Any prescription for Promethazine hydrochloride 10mg tablets x 56 submitted for payment to the NHSBSA for July 2022 will be reimbursed at the new price of £17.77 not as per the price concession of £13.45 announced in the 4th concessions update published on 29 July 2022, said the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC). In July 2022, PSNC received several reports from contractors unable to obtain Promethazine hydrochloride 10mg tablets (56) at the published Drug Tariff price of £4.24. Therefore, it submitted a request for a price concession, which was granted and subsequently published but this was later withdrawn after confirmation from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) that due to the price change mechanism, the reimbursement price for Promethazine hydrochloride 10mg tablets has increased from £4.24 to £17.77 for July 2022. PSNC said, "Following the price change mechanism rules, for generic drugs (excluding drugs in Category M), a price change up to and including the 8th of the month takes effect for prescriptions dispensed in that same month. Any price change after the 8th takes place in the following month."

The pharmacy business is one of the most profitable businesses on the planet. However, the trends are changing and as we move forward in this digital world, we see a transition from traditional business practices to modern and digital business practices that change the whole scenario. In this era of advanced technology, if you don't keep up with the world, you lose the race. It is a fast-paced world where trends change every day, something might work today but it won't work tomorrow, it will be replaced with something better and more efficient whether it is a tool, a technique, a marketing strategy, or a manufacturing process. Everything is being replaced with better alternatives more than ever. Now it is time to realize this change and bring some new guns to your business arsenal. You can employ an auto attendant for your pharmacies, or build a website for online orders and deliveries. Online pharmacies are getting popular a lot and they are the future. Here are a few tips and tricks that you can use to run your pharmacy business like a pro.

Community pharmacies are located within the very hotspots of peoples' communities, yet a staggering 720 individual businesses have stopped trading since 2015. It has been called a "national disgrace and a betrayal to the elderly and the vulnerable" by sector leaders. The funding crisis has been compounded by a gruelling 18-24 months post-Covid, both have which have placed immense pressure on the retail pharmacy sector. The population is aging and with this comes patients living with a range of long-term health conditions. Medication regimes are becoming ever more complex and as a result, maintaining prescription and medication adherence services is challenging to say the least. Yet the public feel great warmth towards their local pharmacy businesses, and this positive attitude only increased during the pandemic. In fact, in a recent report launched by Omnicell on the Changing Role of the Pharmacist, a survey of public opinion found that a third (32 per cent) said they perception of their local pharmacy had changed for the better since the start of the pandemic and nearly half (44 per cent) said they are more familiar with their local pharmacy services since the start of COVID. This has meant that the role of the pharmacist has also changed and evolved; in part due to a national need and drive for more patients to be seen and supported clinically by pharmacists. This change of service provider role has slowly been developing over the last couple of years. Pharmacists are currently carrying out 65 million consultations a year - a staggering rise of 44 per cent in the last 24 months alone.

Britain has started counting possible Covid-19 reinfections in its daily coronavirus data, changing its approach to reflect the increased number of people catching the disease for a second time as the Omicron variant predominates. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) added around 840,000 cases to the cumulative total, taking it to 17.3 million coronavirus infections reported. Britain's daily Covid statistics previously would only count people who had tested positive for the first time to avoid double-counting people who had received multiple positive test results for the same infection. However, with variants such as Omicron leading to an increase in reinfections, the UKHSA said it would change its method to treat positive tests as separate infections if there was at least 90 days between test results. The change took effect on Monday (January 31). "Reinfection remained at very low levels until the start of the Omicron wave. It is right that our daily reporting processes reflect how the virus has changed," said Steven Riley, UKHSA's Director General of Data and Analytics.

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has increased the rate of discount deduction for generics from 17.52 per cent to 20 per cent. The Drug Tariff for April 2023 will contain changes to the discount deduction arrangements for pharmacy contractors, which will include- all concession lines to be considered as Group Items for Discount Not Deducted i.e. DND or zero discount (ZD) items; and rate of discount deduction for generics to increase from 17.52% to 20% The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) and DHSC agreed on the changes for all concession lines to be considered as Group Items for Discount Not Deducted. Therefore from 1 April 2023, a new category will be introduced into Part II of the Drug Tariff 'Drugs for which discount is not deducted'. However, the committee had rejected the changes in the rate of discount deduction for generics. It said, "Following pressure from NHS England, Ministers have now chosen to impose changes to the previously agreed discount deduction arrangements, which come into effect from 1 April, and will be kept under review."

High blood pressure is a common problem these days. With hectic schedules and unhealthy diets, it is no wonder that more people are being affected by this condition. Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure is extremely dangerous as it increases the risk of heart and kidney diseases, heart failure and stroke. It is also dangerous as in most cases, it does not give any warning signs or symptoms. If you have high blood pressure, there are ways to lower it naturally and equally important, you can prevent your normal blood pressure from rising. 20 Lifestyle Changes To Help You Lower Your Blood Pressure If you have normal blood pressure, the best way to make sure that it does not rise is to make healthy lifestyle choices. Changing your lifestyle can also help you lower your blood pressure if it is high. It is possible to lower blood pressure naturally; all you need are a few tips to help you out which include the following:

Mobility is an important part of human life. When an affordable wheelchair becomes necessary, for whatever reason, the circumstances are often not ideal. Purchasing an affordable wheelchair starts with knowing the patient and researching the types of wheelchairs available. It is a great resource on many different types of medical wheelchairs. Bariatric wheelchair, designed for users between 18 and 26 stone. It has a padded sling and backrest to ensure the comfort of the user, and the armrests can be removed to allow easy transfer into and out of the wheelchair. The Heavy User Wheelchair is self-propelled, giving the option to either push it, or have the user move themselves. The large rear wheels make the wheelchair well-suited to outdoor use, and allow the user to change the direction they face when in social situations. It has folding frame, so it is easy for storage and transport. Interchangeable frame components allow to grow and change the chairs width and depth. There are custom frame specifications available. Maximum option choices allow chair to be built to the individual's specifications. It has folding "lockout" cross-brace. Cross-brace locks to limit flex in the frame for more efficient propelling. Double cross-brace. Allows more strength and enables greater weight capacity. Wheelchair Bariatric has Adjustable back height. Ensures optimal positioning of backrest for stability and scapular movement. Stabilizer bar to minimize flex and provides a more efficient ride. Multiple footplate options ensure optimal positioning of lower extremities. Quick-release axle allows quick removal of rear wheels for easy transport. Adjustable Axle Plate Adjustments help to maximize stability and propulsion of the chair. Allows center of gravity adjustment for more efficient ride. Also makes it possible to adjust the rear frame height when it's necessary to change the caster wheels. Description: Attendant cable brake. 14" rear wheels. Detachable and washable cu

Mobility is an important part of human life. When an affordable wheelchair becomes necessary, for whatever reason, the circumstances are often not ideal. Purchasing an affordable wheelchair starts with knowing the patient and researching the types of wheelchairs available. It is a great resource on many different types of medical wheelchairs. Bariatric wheelchair, designed for users between 18 and 26 stone. It has a padded sling and backrest to ensure the comfort of the user, and the armrests can be removed to allow easy transfer into and out of the wheelchair. The Heavy User Wheelchair is self-propelled, giving the option to either push it, or have the user move themselves. The large rear wheels make the wheelchair well-suited to outdoor use, and allow the user to change the direction they face when in social situations. It has folding frame, so it is easy for storage and transport. Interchangeable frame components allow to grow and change the chairs width and depth. There are custom frame specifications available. Maximum option choices allow chair to be built to the individual's specifications. It has folding "lockout" cross-brace. Cross-brace locks to limit flex in the frame for more efficient propelling. Double cross-brace. Allows more strength and enables greater weight capacity. Wheelchair Bariatric has Adjustable back height. Ensures optimal positioning of backrest for stability and scapular movement. Stabilizer bar to minimize flex and provides a more efficient ride. Multiple footplate options ensure optimal positioning of lower extremities. Quick-release axle allows quick removal of rear wheels for easy transport. Adjustable Axle Plate Adjustments help to maximize stability and propulsion of the chair. Allows center of gravity adjustment for more efficient ride. Also makes it possible to adjust the rear frame height when it's necessary to change the caster wheels. Description: Attendant cable brake. 14" rear wheels. Detachable and washable cu

Mobility is an important part of human life. When an affordable wheelchair becomes necessary, for whatever reason, the circumstances are often not ideal. Purchasing an affordable wheelchair starts with knowing the patient and researching the types of wheelchairs available. It is a great resource on many different types of medical wheelchairs. Bariatric wheelchair, designed for users between 18 and 26 stone. It has a padded sling and backrest to ensure the comfort of the user, and the armrests can be removed to allow easy transfer into and out of the wheelchair. The Heavy User Wheelchair is self-propelled, giving the option to either push it, or have the user move themselves. The large rear wheels make the wheelchair well-suited to outdoor use, and allow the user to change the direction they face when in social situations. It has folding frame, so it is easy for storage and transport. Interchangeable frame components allow to grow and change the chairs width and depth. There are custom frame specifications available. Maximum option choices allow chair to be built to the individual's specifications. It has folding "lockout" cross-brace. Cross-brace locks to limit flex in the frame for more efficient propelling. Double cross-brace. Allows more strength and enables greater weight capacity. Wheelchair Bariatric has Adjustable back height. Ensures optimal positioning of backrest for stability and scapular movement. Stabilizer bar to minimize flex and provides a more efficient ride. Multiple footplate options ensure optimal positioning of lower extremities. Quick-release axle allows quick removal of rear wheels for easy transport. Adjustable Axle Plate Adjustments help to maximize stability and propulsion of the chair. Allows center of gravity adjustment for more efficient ride. Also makes it possible to adjust the rear frame height when it's necessary to change the caster wheels. Description: Attendant cable brake. 14" rear wheels. Detachable and washable cu

n the modern world, everything is changing substantially. Significant changes are observed in all aspects of life style, eating habits, Medicine and Technology, Health and diseases.

In the modern world, everything is changing substantially. Significant changes are observed in all aspects of life style, eating habits, Medicine and Technology, Health and diseases.

Good morning friends,starting from this post onwards i will try to explain some changes the human body undergoes during pregnancy.Today I'll make an attempt to explain the cardiovascular changes in pregnancy[heart & the circulatory system]

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has commenced a consultation on allowing pharmacists to dispense prescription medicines in original packaging. The consultation, closing on December 13, 2021, proposes changes to the Human Medicines Regulations (HMRs). It would allow pharmacists to dispense more or less than the 10 per cent of the prescribed quantity in original packs, except where this would affect the patient's clinical treatment. The change would not apply to controlled drugs. The second proposed change is to supply sodium valproate in original packaging regardless of the conditions set around Original Pack Dispensing (OPD). Currently, contractors have to supply the exact quantity prescribed, unless certain exceptions apply.