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.
"Discussions must involve the government on behalf of NHS Scotland, CPS on behalf of the owners, and the PDA as the pharmacists' representative," it said.
The association believes that there is a need for discussion and decision-making that listens to and balances the rights and responsibilities of both employers
and workers, to generate benefits for individuals, organisations, and society.
It added: "Even though Scotland provides the most generous community pharmacy settlement in the UK, recent reports suggest it is not enough for pharmacy owners
with CPS's rejection of the latest funding proposal in May. Though the Scottish government found an extra £20M to ease pressures related to medicines price
increases, an overall agreement has still not been reached."
"The UK-wide chains may be doing less well in the parts of their networks covered by the Westminster government's contract, but the taxpayers and government of
Scotland need to be given reassurance that they are in no way subsidising funding shortfalls in England's pharmacy contract."
Recently, when LloydsPharmacy's Scotland branches recently came on the market, they appear to have been sold exclusively to existing contractors, including the
UK-wide multiple, Rowlands Pharmacy, who have acquired 30 of them. Other small and medium-sized Scottish pharmacy chains have apparently been able to double in
size overnight by acquiring branches.
Recently, the English Health Secretary has talked about introducing a 'Pharmacy First' model similar to that which exists in Scotland. This would be a win-win
outcome providing people with better access to essential healthcare support, advice and treatment whilst relieving strain on other parts of the NHS, not least GPs
and A&E.
It is a no-brainer and yet despite a few media headlines there are still no firm proposals on the table to make this a reality. It surely cannot be right that you
can receive a broad range of patient care services in Scotland which are not available in England. It works well in Scotland, Wales is keen to develop more
pharmacy-based services and Northern Ireland, leaving aside the current funding dispute, has had a minor ailments service for many years.
If the English Health Secretary is sincere in his interest in adopting an English version of the Scottish model, then there are critical aspects he needs to
consider.
Firstly, start with the patient journey through the healthcare ecosystem from illness prevention through to long-term condition management. What is the role of
community pharmacy and how do we guide people to seek support from the most appropriate healthcare professional?
What is the vision for community pharmacy delivering patient care in the next decade?
The lesson from Scotland is that the government needs to sit down with the sector and map that out together. There are no quick fix overnight solutions. This needs
to be a long-term commitment backed by adequate funding. Supervision regulations need to change and there needs to be a thought through workforce strategy which
avoids community pharmacy shortages as that does nothing to deliver improved patient outcomes.
The Scottish Government and Community Pharmacy Scotland have agreed to roll out next month a new national service to provide emergency access to supplies
of naloxone.
An NHS circular signed by Alison Strath, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer of Scotland, advises that the emergency supply service will be added to the community
pharmacy Public Health Service from 30 October 2023. It states that community pharmacy contractors and pharmacy teams should ensure they are familiar with the
new arrangements.
Community pharmacy contractors have been asked to ensure that pharmacy teams complete the e-learning module for naloxone emergency supply. They are also encouraged
to join webinars to support the implementation of the service which will be held on Wednesday 4 October and Tuesday 14 November at 19:30. Details of how to register
can be found at on NHS Scotland's Turas platform.
Following discussions with Community Pharmacy Scotland, the Scottish government has agreed to a six per cent rise in the global fund allocation for community
pharmacies in 2023-24, bringing the total remuneration to approximately £219.5 million.
A finalised agreement has been reached with Community Pharmacy Scotland for a one-year funding package for the financial year 2023-24, as stated in a Scottish
government circular distributed to community pharmacy contractors and NHS Boards on August 4.
The circular said this settlement will lead to the most substantial increment ever approved for the community pharmacy network.
"The global sum remuneration will be £219.533 million, signifying a 6 per cent increase from the previous year and setting the groundwork for 2024/25," stated
Professor Alison Strath, Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for Scotland, in the document. "The guaranteed income from the drug tariff will remain at £80 million for
the financial year, without yearly changes."
The community pharmacy staff in Scotland will not be required to work for a minimum of five full days if they test positive for Covid-19.
The Scottish health secretary Humza Yousaf has clarified that health and social care employees, including community pharmacists, will have to follow the guidance
on managing staff with symptoms of a respiratory infection, or a positive Covid-19 test.
While responding to Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Scottish Labour Party) written parliamentary question, Humza said, "If they work with patients or service users in
face-to-face settings, they can return to work if they have had two consecutive negative LFD test results (taken at least 24 hours apart)."
Jackie asked the Scottish government, "what its position is on the actions of Well Pharmacy, in light of reports that the company is insisting that staff who test
positive for COVID-19 continue to work when they are in patient-facing roles and dealing with clinically vulnerable people?"
The Pharmacists' Defence Association said: "This means that Well pharmacy will have to change their policy in Scotland and no longer allow Covid positive staff to
work in their pharmacies."
In its response to a Freedom of Information Request (FOI), the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) has confirmed a net decrease of 101 pharmacies
in England - with 371 closures and 270 new contracts. Meanwhile, the General Pharmaceutical Council data projected a drop of 43 registered pharmacies in England,
Wales, and Scotland for the year ending March 31, 2023, compared to the preceding period.
The data, released by business advisor Christie & Co in its annual pharmacy market review on Sept. 5, revealed a total of 14,328 pharmacies across all four UK
country regions as of March 31, 2023, indicating a 0.3 per cent decrease from the previous year. Corporate operators experienced a net reduction of 249 pharmacies,
while the total number of independent operators remained consistent with 2022.
According to the study, the corporate sector saw the most substantial shift, with a 13.7 per cent reduction in businesses operating 300 or more pharmacies.
Following closely, groups managing 11 to 15 pharmacies experienced a 5.6 per cent decrease. Christie & Co attributed this shift in group size to operators
acquiring additional pharmacies through corporate disposal opportunities throughout the year.
The Pharmacists' Defence Association has called on the Scottish government to end unnecessary pharmacy closures and introduce emergency regulations to force
companies that operate Scotland's pharmacies to open on the days and hours they have agreed.
It is concerned that decisions made by some health boards in Scotland have now allowed pharmacy owners to close their pharmacies on Saturdays.
The PDA is worried that a pharmacy closure could have negative impact on patients and other parts of the NHS, including neighbouring pharmacies, addiction and mental
health services, and minor injury and A&E units.
The association claims that there are record numbers of registered pharmacists who are available to work and therefore a decision to close a pharmacy over staff
shortages is misleading.
"The business owners may claim there is a shortage of pharmacists, but when they actively cancel agreed hours of work it does not suggest there is a shortfall of
workers," said the PDA, adding: "These business decisions often include closing their pharmacies at very short notice, even when pharmacists are available and willing
to work."
Northern Ireland's chief pharmaceutical officer paid a visit to a community pharmacy in Belfast on Monday (November 7) - marking the end of this year's Ask
Your Pharmacist week, an annual public awareness campaign launched by the National Pharmacy Association.
Cathy Harrison interacted with patients and staff in the pharmacy before recording a video to promote NI's 'Pharmacy First' service in which she described community
pharmacies as "one of the front doors to the health service" with over 500 outlets located across the country.
"In our community pharmacies you can always rely on friendly staff, medicines expertise, and walk-in access to face-to-face advice," she said.
First launched in Scotland, the NHS Pharmacy First service enables patients to have a consultation with a pharmacist for advice on minor ailments.
Ms Harrison also drew attention to community pharmacy's role in cancer awareness and helping people to quit smoking, as well as managing patients with urinary tract
infections, in addition to playing their part in delivering Covid-19 and flu vaccinations.
A new report commissioned by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has revealed harsh financial realities faced by community pharmacies in England.
The report by Professor David Taylor of University College London warned that 1000s of community pharmacy closure might take place by 2024 in England if the sector
was not supported with additional funds.
At the launch of the report titled 'Protecting UK Public Interests in NHS Community Pharmacy', Prof Taylor said: "There will be several 1,000s of closures over the
next few years unless we take appropriate action, which doesn't mean to pour money all over it, but it is to fund appropriately when necessary.
"At the moment, if we got a partial collapse in the pharmacy network it would disrupt medicine supply and increase health inequalities… For me, it's missing out on
the future development of better and more accessible care, which would be the tragedy of reducing, harming and damaging the pharmacy network unnecessarily."
Professor Harry McQuillan has said community pharmacists in the UK must change their focus from an 'accuracy of supply' to a 'safety of supply' model when it
comes to dealing with patients.
"The main take away message from tonight's lecture is for pharmacy professionals to really challenge themselves about whether they are focused on accuracy of supply
or safety of supply," he said at this year's UCL School of Pharmacy Lecture in London on Thursday, 15 June.
"For our community pharmacists it must be about safety, including prescribing, and ensuring patients and citizens get the maximum benefit from prescribed medicines.
"To deliver this, we need to invest in our teams - harness technology and always be willing to take the next step in a more clinical future."
The Chief Executive Office of Community Pharmacy Scotland, however, noted that at a time when the UK was grappling with an unprecedented national debt crisis
exacerbated by severe cost of living and spiraling inflation, community pharmacy will need to make a "compelling case" of where the priority should be in the sector.
Expanding on the financial woes of the country, he compared the current national debt of the UK, which stood at a staggering 270 percent of GDP in September 2022,
with the previous record-breaking national debt of 250 per cent at the end of WWII.
Numark Pharmacy is hosting an event today (December 4) to mark the takeover of one of the former Lloyds Pharmacy stores in Cumnock, Scotland.
It has renamed the acquired pharmacy on Tanyard as Rowlands Pharmacy Cumnock HC, which will be reopened to the community on Monday.
Rowlands Pharmacy Cumnock HC, which is the latest to reopen in Scotland, will be run by Pharmacy manager Meghan Mcewan, supported by a team of colleagues from the
local community.
At the new branch, the team will oversee prescription dispensary, vaccination services, over-the-counter medications, emergency contraception, and medication review.
The health secretary, Steve Barclay was asked over the delay of 'Pharmacy First' model in England that was proposed by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating
Committee (PSNC) last year, at the Health Committee evidence session held on Tuesday (31 January).
Taiwo Owatemi MP (Chair of the Pharmacy APPG) asked whether he was adhering to his statutory responsibility to ensure continued access to medicines and cited the
CCA's closures in areas of deprivation research.
Barclay replied that the government is 'investing more'. He said, "We put an extra 100 million on top of the 2.6 billion a year we commit to community pharmacy to
expand the range of clinical services. We've got over 2 million patients that have been referred to community pharmacy from NHS."
He further added: "One of the issues I'm very keen on is to explore what more we can do in pharmacy not least given the pressures on GP and the opportunity to look
at what it is currently people go to GPS for where potentially the risk to do more at the pharmacy and we're already doing that."
Margaret MacRury has stepped down from her role as superintendent director for the Rowlands Pharmacy, which has a community pharmacy network in England,Scotland and Wales with more than 450 branches.
MacRury, who served the role for a decade, will step down next month to focus on the pharmacy contract developments taking place in Scotland, Rowlands said in a statement.
She will start her new role in February 2022.
With MacRury leaving the position, Stephen Thomas, currently her deputy, will take up the role of superintendent for Rowlands. He has been with the multiple for nearly 18 years and has worked side-by-side with MacRury for the last decade.
MacRury stated: "I know Stephen will continue that commitment to protecting patients and promoting the pharmacy sector.
Jonathan Burton will receive the 2022 RPS Charter Award for his outstanding work for the Society and the wider profession in promoting the interests of pharmacy.
The award will be presented by the President at a future meeting of Fellows and Members to take place at the Society's Edinburgh office on 22nd March 2023.
Jonathan's main role is as a practising, patient-facing pharmacist within the community in NHS Forth Valley where he uses his advanced practice skills and independent
prescribing qualification to assess and treat acute ENT, dermatology, and respiratory conditions.
He was one of the first community pharmacist prescribers in Scotland and has always been at the forefront of innovation and service development.
Jonathan has demonstrated outstanding commitment and passion for the pharmacy profession throughout his career. He has excelled as a pharmacist in the Right Medicine
Pharmacy group, on local and national committees, in advocacy for the pharmacy profession and as a local and national leader who is highly regarded as an exceptional
role model for the profession.
"Not improving our funding is not an option, if they want to continue to deliver anything like the level of patient care we have done in recent years," he
emphasised as he prepares for the NPA'S Save Our Pharmacies Day of Action (June 20).
Over the past two years, McElrea has navigated crises stemming from NHS Scotland policies, particularly concerning medicines price inflation and delayed payments.
"The cost of medicines increased rapidly compared to inflation," McElrea stated, noting NHS Scotland's slow response in adjusting tariff prices.
"This wiped out £50,000 of cash reserves and forced us into £30,000 of additional borrowings."
Delayed payments further strained operations, with McElrea highlighting the impact of payments based on outdated pricing.
A Company Chemists' Association (CCA) analysis has shown that 'Pharmacy First' service in England could free up 30m+ GP appointments each year.
It has urged the Government and NHS to be even 'bolder in their ambition and go further and faster'.
The recent 'Delivery plan for recovering access to primary care' announced a 'Pharmacy First' service for England, mirroring similar approaches in Scotland and
Wales.
The association has estimated that with the added capability to supply non-prescription medicines and prescribe additional prescription-only medicines, an ambitious
'Pharmacy First' service could free up 30m+ GP appointments annually.
Harnessing community pharmacies to deliver care for minor health conditions will effectively create 11,000 urgent care centres in England.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) presented the best practice award to a pharmacist from NHS Tayside at an event on May 29 which celebrated pharmacy
practice across Scotland.
The Glasgow event, organised by RPS, brought together pharmacists from across the country to present their own best-practice examples.
These included all sectors of pharmacy, including hospital, GP practices, community and specialist settings.
Delegates at the event were asked to vote for what they considered to be the winning example of best practice. Alex Matos, specialist clinical pharmacist, won the
award for his presentation on 'Implementing Pharmacogenomics in the Stroke Service'.
Alex won a £500 bursary for travel and accommodation to the RPS's annual conference in London, where he has been invited to present on his best practice example.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has re-elected Andrew Carruthers as chair of RPS Scotland Pharmacy Board.
Andrew is a Medicines Governance pharmacist within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, where he has a clinical commitment to Care of the Elderly. Prior to becoming a
pharmacist, he studied Pharmacology at the University of Glasgow, and maintains a keen interest in pharmacokinetics and research.
In his address for the position, he said: "In my second term I want to continue to support and drive the introduction of RPS Ambassadors and the creation of an
online RPS community."
"As a previous RPS local coordinator, I've seen first-hand that RPS Local events are a great forum to formally support the training and development of local
pharmacists. With input from our members and RPS staff we could share learning, inspire, and enable development, and build a supportive online community for the
profession."
He was the RPS Local Co-ordinator for Greater Glasgow and Clyde for 3 years, then he co-opted on to the Scottish Pharmacy Board (SPB) in 2018 and have been an
active and effective member of the board. He was re-elected to the board in 2021 and he stood and was elected as Chair.
A three-year contract has been signed between NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and Pharmaceutical Press, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's (RPS) knowledge business, to continue the supply of trusted medicines information though MedicinesComplete, to healthcare professionals in Scotland.
The renewed investment from NES demonstrates unequivocal confidence in the publisher and highlights Pharmaceutical Press' ongoing commitment to provide practical and evidence-based guidance, supporting those who prescribe, dispense, and administer medicines. Essential resources include Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference, Palliative Care formulary, Stockley's Drug Interactions and Critical Illness.
Relied on by healthcare professionals globally for use in everyday practice, clear and concise guidance through MedicinesComplete supports confident decision-making
at the point of care.