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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.

In a significant development, the British Medical Association's (BMA) consultants committee has voted to accept the government's offer on pay for senior doctors in England, along with proposed reforms to the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB). This decision follows a prolonged dispute between consultants and the government, which spanned over a year, involving unprecedented industrial actions. Committee Chair Vishal Sharma described the agreement as "the end of the beginning" in consultants' endeavors to restore their pay levels to those of 2008. Stressing the importance of the review body's independence in averting future pay disputes, Sharma emphasized the imperative role of utilizing this autonomy effectively. A staggering 83% of consultants participating in the three-week referendum voted in favor of accepting the offer, signaling a widespread endorsement of the agreement within the profession.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has written to the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) to highlight several important points regarding their proposed "day of action" on 20 June 2024. The NPA describes this initiative as a response to the "emergency across the community pharmacy sector." In a letter addressed to NPA Chair Nick Kaye and Chief Executive Paul Rees, the PDA's director of pharmacy, Jay Badenhorst stressed the need for NPA members to consider their obligations to staff and patients before participating in the planned actions. He stated, "We are supportive of a new contractual framework for the community pharmacy sector." "However, any actions taken must ensure the safety of patients and the operational integrity of pharmacies." The PDA's letter also expressed concerns over the safety and operational impact of the proposed symbolic gestures, including turning off lights and blacking out windows.