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The Department of Health and Social Care has clarified that community pharmacists will not be among those allowed to issue sick notes, calling the service unsuitable to be provided over the counter. In response to a question from Pharmacy Business, a spokesperson for the department said that the policy change was "aimed at pharmacists working within general practices or hospital settings", adding: "The intention is that 'where' the fit note is issued will remain the same but 'who' issues it will change. The DHSC went on to explain that fit notes, known technically as 'Med3', were "not part of the NHS commissioned services" and therefore private providers, such as high street pharmacies, were unable to provide it under government provision. It added that since "fit notes should only be issued following a full assessment of a patient's fitness for work", it "would be an unsuitable service to be provided 'over the counter'.

It was a night filled with anticipation and excitement, and the atmosphere was electric with a sense of achievement and pride. The 23rd annual Pharmacy Business Awards had the honour of hosting the distinguished Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, who served as the event's chief guest. The event took place on 4 October at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, located on the South Bank of the River Thames, right across from the Houses of Parliament. There was a gathering of 600 guests, impeccably attired by the dress code, which added to the festive atmosphere. In his keynote speech, Labour MP Streeting said the NHS, which marked its 75th anniversary in July, could once again become the "envy of the world".

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has appointed Sunil Kumar, an independent contractor from Darlington, as the Regional Representative for the North East and Cumbria region. "Kumar will represent all independent contractors in the region at the PSNC Committee until 31st March 2023, which is the end of the current term for all Regional Representatives," said PSNC. PSNC's North East and Cumbria region covers the areas of Community Pharmacy County Durham; Community Pharmacy Cumbria; Gateshead & South Tyneside LPC; North of Tyne LPC; Sunderland LPC and Tees LPC.

Even as the UK agrees deals for 14 million additional vaccine doses from Moderna and Pfizer, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society has renewed its calls for community pharmacies in England to play an increased role in delivering booster jabs for Covid-19. "Pharmacists and pharmacy teams across the health service in England have been crucial to the success of the flu and Covids-19 vaccination programmes from the outset," said Thorrun Govind, chair of the RPS in England, who has been making a case on national television for an increased role of the profession. She added: "They continue to go above and beyond to support patient care, engaging with local communities and helping to overcome vaccine hesitancy. "They've already done so much this year to look after patients in really difficult circumstances, but many will be ready to rise to the challenge of this new national effort."

People in the UK are increasingly relying on community pharmacies for health advice and support as they are unable to access their general practitioner (GP). According to a recent report by the Liberal Democrats, there was a significant increase in the number of patients waiting four weeks or more to see a GP in England last year, rising from 12.8 million in 2022 to 17.6 million. Responding to this research report, the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) highlighted that GPs are also struggling to meet the increasing demand for their services due to severe staff shortages. Dr. Victoria Tzortziou-Brown, Vice Chair of the RCGP, stated that the average number of patients each GP is responsible for has increased by 158 compared to five years ago. Although she acknowledged that many patients are forced to wait for weeks to see their GP, she said that doctors too are grappling with "unmanageable and unsustainable workloads" and "we can't keep doing more with less."

A massive global technology outage on Friday has disrupted essential services, including healthcare, airlines, banks, and broadcasters worldwide. The outage, attributed to a flawed update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, has also affected the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK, with several hospitals and GP practices losing access to their computer systems. Community pharmacies are also facing significant disruptions. Services such as accessing prescriptions from GPs and medicine deliveries have been affected, causing inconvenience to patients and healthcare providers. An NHS spokesperson said: "The NHS is aware of a global IT outage and an issue with EMIS, an appointment and patient record system, which is causing disruption in the majority of GP practices." The spokesperson assured that the NHS has long-standing measures in place to manage such disruptions, including the use of paper patient records and handwritten prescriptions, and the usual phone systems to contact GPs.

Queen Elizabeth II, Britain's longest-reigning monarch, the nation's figurehead and a towering presence on the world stage for seven decades, died peacefully at her home in Scotland on Thursday aged 96. "The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family," the new king, her eldest son Charles, said. "I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world," the 73-year-old said in a statement. The news has stunned and deeply saddened community pharmacy in Britain. The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) issued a statement to say it "has been very saddened to hear of the death of Her Majesty the Queen. "At this time of national mourning, we join the rest of the country in sending our thoughts and condolences to the royal family."

The UK GDP Association has been established as a non-profit organisation, operating as a Community Interest Company (CIC), with a focus on providing a broader support network, particularly for small and medium business enterprises and pharmacy wholesalers. In addition to delivering commercially viable Good Distribution Practice (GDP) consultancy services for simple models with smaller budgets, the association aims to function as a networking platform for Responsible Persons in the UK. As members of the association, companies and individuals can gain multiple benefits that will add value to their business through access to knowledge, discounted training, consultancy services, audit and inspection support, as well as resources like document templates for risk assessments, CAPA, deviations, and more. Moreover, members can enjoy the benefit of a like-minded support network via a dedicated GDP community hub, providing a platform for discussions, seeking advice, and fostering new relationships. "Our mission is to ensure that patient safety, GDP compliance, and excellent quality is paramount in all organisations, regardless of budget," the company said.

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.

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."

As part of its centenary celebrations, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has raised more than eleven thousand pounds for mental health charity Mind. A total of £11,583 was raised for Mind and the Association continues to encourage members to support the charity. The NPA marked its 100th birthday in 2021 and partnered with Mind in England and Wales, and equivalent charities in Scotland and Northern Ireland - SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health) and Inspire Wellbeing - to raise awareness of pharmacy services for people with mental health problems and to generate funds for the work of these charities. The NPA held set-piece events, such as sponsored walks, and pharmacists, colleagues and their families and friends were encouraged to organise their own activities. Chief executive of the NPA, Mark Lyonette, said: "I was delighted to be at our sponsored walk in St Albans, home of our head office, last year. This and other fundraising events all underlined the message that community pharmacies are concerned with the wellbeing of the whole person - mind as well as body."

Ceuta Group has appointed Michael Yates as chief operating officer (COO). In his new role, he will focus on the exploration of future acquisitions to support the Group's growth plans and ensure it continues to provide innovative services and unlock new opportunities for its clients. Prior to joining Ceuta Group, Yates was associated with Procter & Gamble (P&G) for more than 25 years. His career started in the UK and progressed through senior commercial and managing director roles across Europe, Africa and Asia. During his time at P&G, Yates gained insight and experience in building brands in the UK and globally. He has broad category experience across food & drink as well as health, wellness and personal care, having worked with brands such as Pringles, Sunny Delight, Oral B, Vicks, Head & Shoulders and Pantene. With extensive international experience, Michael brings client-side knowledge and insight of successfully expanding brands and adapting business models for markets across the globe. His appointment bolsters Ceuta Group's leadership structure and will support the Group's growth plans and delivery of superior client service.

At the recent 'Locum Matters' online event held on June 25, 2024, members of the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) discussed critical issues facing locum pharmacists, with a disturbing trend taking center stage: employers pressuring locum pharmacists to accept lower rates under the threat of potential pharmacy closures. The event, organised in response to feedback from PDA locum members, addressed a range of significant topics including training for the recent Pharmacy First Services, respect for professional autonomy, and the need for adequate rest breaks. However, the issue of rate pressure and pharmacy closures was a focal point. Several locum pharmacists reported that some employers were leveraging the possibility of pharmacy closures to coerce them into working for lower pay. This unethical practice has raised alarm within the locum community, highlighting the precarious working conditions many face.

Dr Amanda Doyle has been appointed as NHS England as director of primary and community care. Prior to her new role, Amanda had joined NHS England and NHS Improvement as North West Regional Director on 2 August 2021 and previously she was the Chief Clinical Officer for West Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Blackpool CCG and Fylde and Wyre CCG. Amanda was also the Integrated Care System Lead for Lancashire and South Cumbria, leading a large health and care transformation programme across the patch. She has been a GP for more than 20 years, practising in a large practice in a deprived area of Blackpool, which, in addition to primary medical services, provides a range of urgent care services for patients across the Fylde Coast. Amanda was the Co-Chair of NHS Clinical Commissioners from 2013 to 2018. She was Senior Responsible Officer for the primary care component of the Long Term Plan and was involved in the leadership of the health inequalities, prevention and personalisation elements.

While responding to the consultation on hub and spoke dispensing, trade unions for pharmacists have emphasised that the patient safety and care must be the priority in hub and spoke dispensing. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has welcomed the opportunity provided by a change in legislation to enable community pharmacies to make use of hub and spoke dispensing but reaffirmed that patient care must be at the heart of future changes. With regards to patient safety, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) considers that only Model 1 is appropriate, with manageable risks related to patient safety, and is a model that has the potential to allow the whole sector to benefit fairly. In its response to the consultation on Hub and Spoke dispensing, PSNC highlighted that Model 2 in the consultation, a hub direct to patient supply of dispensed medicines, raises patient safety issues and it cannot be supported. RPS President Professor Claire Anderson said: "In all models, patients need to continue to have access to a pharmacist at the time of supply of medicines so they have the opportunity to discuss, ask questions or raise concerns, and receive appropriate information with counselling and advice.

NHS Somerset is aiming to grow its referral rate through GP Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (GP CPCS) to between 4,000 to 6,000 patients a month. Since June 2021 GPs in Somerset have successfully referred around 1,000 patients a month through the Somerset GP Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (GP CPCS) Currently, 59 of NHS Somerset's 64 GP practices and all of Somerset's 102 community pharmacists are using the Somerset GP CPCS. NHS Somerset found that providing the right training for GPs and for reception staff and practice managers was key to a smooth rollout and uptake of the service. As was making sure the technology worked when making referrals from general practice to community pharmacists. NHS Somerset is using software called Patient Access Connect, which seamlessly integrates with the EMIS Web GP system used in Somerset, to give practices a quick and easy way to capture the patient information needed to deliver a referral.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has published its general election manifesto highlighting some of the key challenges the next Government will face to support patients and the NHS. The manifesto calls on general election candidates to show their support to securing patient access to medicines, a better-connected NHS, enhancing accessible prescribing in local communities, and maximising health improvement through locally accessible pharmacy teams. Candidates are urged to called on the next Government, if elected, to support the pharmacy workforce to deliver patient care, unlock the potential of new advances in medicines, and continue to support funding for the UK science and research community. The manifesto highlights the need for investment in IT infrastructure to support a better-connected NHS to enable all health professionals to access and update a patient's record.

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has reminded Community pharmacy contractors to ensure that the correct flu vaccines are being used for each patient cohort. The pharmacies have also been asked to ensure that they recorded accurately in the patient's clinical record for the NHS Flu Vaccination Service. The move was followed by PSNC after the cases where the standard egg-cultured quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIVe) was administered in the 65 years and over patient cohort. PSNC said: "On investigation, it appears that a number of these errors are due to data input errors; however, it is important to be careful when selecting a flu vaccine for this patient cohort as there is no provision for the use of the QIVe vaccine in patients aged 65 years and over in the NHS Flu Vaccination Service." The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised it is not an effective intervention for patients aged 65 years and over.

The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) has issued a new policy statement which encourages a "life-course" approach to vaccination by pharmacists. In the statement, published on September 27, FIP backed expansion of vaccine schedules and strategies so that patients of all age groups could be vaccinated throughout their entire lifespan, from infancy to old age. A life-course approach in public health and healthcare focuses on an individual's health and well-being, including vaccination, administered throughout their entire lifespan, from infancy to old age. FIP urged governments and policymakers to eliminate regulatory barriers, enabling pharmacists to prescribe and administer all relevant vaccines throughout the life-course. Additionally, FIP recommended that policymakers develop remuneration models for pharmacies to deliver sustainable life-course vaccination services within the private and public sectors.

Opella Healthcare, trading as Sanofi Consumer Healthcare, said it has entered into a dual partnership agreement with Alliance Healthcare and Phoenix Healthcare Distribution for the wholesale supply of its products to UK pharmacies. In effect from the start of February, the new dual partnership will ensure Sanofi Consumer Healthcare 'continues to provide its customers with exceptional customer service', the company said, adding that the increased efficiency will facilitate improved service levels and stock availability of Cialis Together, Allevia, Buscopan, Dulcolax and Phenergan to community pharmacies in the UK. "At Sanofi Consumer Healthcare we are committed to supporting the self-care agenda in the UK," Nick Linton, head of UK country operations, commented. "Making healthcare as simple as it should be to bring health and wellbeing to all is a key priority for us in 2024 and beyond. Our new wholesale model reflects our deep commitment to working as efficiently as possible in close partnership with pharmacists to shape a healthier future."