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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.

The Department of Health (DoH) in Northern Ireland has published a new Strategic Plan for Community Pharmacy, highlighting the vision and key priorities for the sector over the next 10 years. Co-developed by the DoH and Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland (CPNI), the representative body for community pharmacy owners, the plan aims to fully realise the potential of community pharmacy services to support better health outcomes from medicines and prevent illness. The vision outlined in the plan sees community pharmacies offering more clinical services, leveraging the skills of their teams to provide the public with safe, convenient, and faster access to care. According to DOH, the vision will be realised through four major reform programmes focusing on services, legislation, workforce, and digital enablers, alongside six strategic priorities. Together, these initiatives are anticipated to transform the role of community pharmacy within the Health and Social Care (HSC). Health Minister Robin Swann has extended his support to the new Community Pharmacy Strategic Plan, which builds on the previously agreed 3-year community pharmacy commissioning plan.

In a significant move to address health disparities and enhance clinical research, community pharmacies across several regions are set to become central players in the Genes and Health study. Led by Queen Mary University of London and funded by the Wellcome Trust, this national initiative aims to improve health outcomes within British-Bangladeshi and British-Pakistani communities. Professor Mahendra Patel, Director of the Centre for Research Equity at the University of Oxford, highlighted the importance of this approach. "By engaging the broader pharmacy workforce, including technicians, we aim to establish a research-ready infrastructure within community pharmacies," Patel told Pharmacy Business. He shared that the initiative marks a transformative step in integrating pharmacies into the clinical research landscape. The Thames Valley and South Midlands Clinical Research Network (CRN) is managing a pioneering pilot program for this study, which will initially focus on pharmacies in Banbury, Oxford City, Reading, Slough, High Wycombe, and Aylesbury.

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 Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has been on the lookout for innovative ideas and suggestions that could transform the future of pharmacy practice in England over the next decade. The society's new project with the King's Fund to transform the future of pharmacy practice in England is at a consultation phase, seeking views and opinions of pharmacy teams from all areas of practice including primary, secondary, social and community care to ensure that the system gets the best out of pharmacy and the public receives seamless, joined-up care. "We want to build a vision that sets out the role of and value of pharmacists and pharmacy teams working across systems, providing patient care and NHS services," said RPS in a statement. "Transforming the future of pharmacy practice recognises the urgent need to build on new ways of working established across health and care systems during the pandemic to meet the increasingly complex health needs of people and improve patient outcomes."

On World Pharmacists' Day, the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society NI (PSNI) thanked pharmacists working in every sector of pharmacy in Northern Ireland (NI) for their continued service to the public. The theme of this year's International Pharmaceutical Federation's World Pharmacists' Day, (25 September 2022) was 'Pharmacy united in action for a healthier world'. In acknowledgement of the day, Dr. Jim Livingstone, president of the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society NI said: "The theme of this year's World Pharmacists' Day, 'Pharmacy united in action for a healthier world' highlights pharmacy's positive impact on health around the world and seeks to further strengthen solidarity amongst the profession. "In Northern Ireland, pharmacy played a prominent role in primary health care throughout the pandemic and remains the public's most trusted and accessible frontline health care profession. "As pharmacy continues to develop additional services for the public and encompasses broader roles for pharmacists than ever before, it is essential, no matter what pharmacy sector pharmacists practise in, that the Pharmaceutical Society NI's Code (Professional standards of conduct, ethics and performance for pharmacists in Northern Ireland) remains at the core of pharmacists' practice. It is through this adherence to the Code, that pharmacy remains a united profession, providing positive health outcomes for patients and maintaining public trust.

Global consumer healthcare company Haleon has launched a new centre of excellence for a global leader in consumer health which will bring together world leading academics in human behaviour and frontline healthcare professionals including community pharmacists. Unveiled at the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Congress in 'sunny' Seville, Spain on September 20, the Centre will operate as a community of healthcare professionals and specialists in behavioural science, health psychology and the social sciences to solve some of the most pressing everyday health challenges. Named the Centre for Human Sciences (CHS) the initiative will be the first major programme for healthcare professionals since the Haleon's launch on July 18 as an independent, global leader in consumer health. The Centre's mission is to support practising health professionals - pharmacists, pharmacy assistants and dental professionals - in serving their patients and communities. Combining science with deep human understanding, CHS will bring expertise in physiology together with human sciences to deliver real world-solutions and tangible interventions, resulting in measurable improvements in health outcomes through sustained behavioural change. The Centre is facilitated by Robert Horne, professor of Behavioural Medicine at UCL School of Pharmacy, who started his career as a practising pharmacist but later chose to become a behavioural scientist when he saw an opportunity to address issues around psycho-social factors that acted as a hindrance in pharmacy practice. Speaking to me in an exclusive three-way conversation alongside Tess Player, the global head of healthcare professional & health influencer marketing at Haleon, on the sidelines of the FIP Congress 2022, Prof Horne expanded on what the Centre was all about and how it would work. "We've got some good ideas, but it's not a pre-filled prescription that we're going to deliver at scale from the start. What Haleon is t

The Department of Health and Social Care has updated the list of community pharmacies eligible for the Pharmacy Access Scheme (PhAS) and approved 43 cases out of 63 applications, bringing the the total number of eligible pharmacies in England to 1,445. Earlier this year, NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) invited community pharmacy contractors to apply for a review if they believed there were any inaccuracies in relation to pharmacy premises addresses or unforeseen circumstances affecting access, such as a permanent roadblock. Submitted applications were reviewed by the relevant NHSE&I regional pharmacy contract team, and determined by the relevant pharmaceutical services regulations committees (PSRC). Due to the workload pressures seen over winter, the review deadline was extended, giving contractors applying for a review two full months to complete their applications. This also pushed back the announcement of the outcome of the review, but where an application has been successful, PhAS payments will be backdated to the start of the scheme.

Pharmacies serve as vital hubs for health information and community support, making cancer awareness campaigns particularly impactful within these settings. By utilising professionally designed cancer awareness poster templates, pharmacies can effectively educate customers, encouraging proactive health measures and fostering an informed community. These visually engaging materials are incredibly useful. They serve to inform and are instrumental in reinforcing the pharmacy's role as a trusted healthcare provider. This approach aligns with public health initiatives, ensuring that crucial information reaches a wide audience. The Importance of Cancer Awareness Campaigns in Pharmacies Pharmacies are strategically positioned to serve as cancer prevention and education centres. As accessible healthcare destinations, they provide a unique opportunity to reach individuals who may not regularly visit other healthcare facilities. By disseminating information on the importance of early detection and screening, pharmacies can significantly influence local health outcomes. For instance, posters that highlight the importance of regular mammograms for women over 40 can encourage patients to make appointments, directly impacting breast cancer survival rates.

A recently published report on medicines optimisation highlights the urgent need for transformative changes across all pharmacies to unlock their full potential in delivering integrated care. The report by Public Policy Projects (PPP) is first of the four in the series that emphasises the significant benefits that medicines optimisation can bring to integrated care systems (ICSs). This includes reducing health inequalities and improving population health. Pointing to the "untapped opportunity" that medicines optimisation presents for ICSs facing financial challenges, the report underscores the vital role of pharmacies in enhancing patient outcomes. The launch of the Pharmacy First services has already demonstrated the essential contribution of pharmacies to the health and care system. With "medicines being the second highest cost to the NHS," the report recommends ways "to achieve better value for money while improving patient outcomes".

Over the last few years pharmacy and the role of pharmacy teams has changed dramatically. The introduction of technology and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within systems that provide healthcare and support to pharmacies holds great promise; for improving access to health, supporting patient outcomes, and optimising operational efficiency. Currently, the potential use of AI could span the whole of the medicines value chain, from AI-driven drug discovery to personalised medicines and automated dispensing systems. However, the rapid advancement of AI technology does raise several ethical concerns. This article will explore these concerns and how they can be addressed. In previous articles, I have discussed what underpins artificially intelligent machines and the importance of data. Datasets are the foundation on which AI algorithms learn and generate conclusions. The first step to understanding the potential ethical implications of AI across the pharmacy sector is to understand the data that is held within these foundational datasets. Patient privacy and data security AI systems in and outside of the pharmacy sector, which support patient care, rely heavily on vast amounts of medical data (patient medical records, PMR data, etc). However, the collection, storage, and use of such sensitive data can possibly bring significant privacy concerns. GDPR compliance is essential within the UK and ethical questions arise around data ownership, patient consent, and the possibility of data and cybersecurity breaches. As frontline healthcare professionals, we need to be able to support our patients when questions are asked about their data. For example, how can patients be sure their data is used only for its intended purposes? Is anonymised data truly safe from de-identification techniques that could expose private information?

A leading pharmacist and member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Scottish Pharmacy Board has been chosen to share her experiences of working in a community pharmacy in Scotland. Catriona Sinclair FRPharmS will speak at a roundtable entitled 'International Experiences in Professional Pharmaceutical Health Services' in Madrid on Thursday (May 5). Catriona, who owns and runs a pharmacy in the Highlands, is expected to give her take on community pharmacies' significant contribution towards achieving improved health outcomes and reducing health inequalities for local populations in Scotland. As an active independent prescriber, she is at the cutting edge of the profession in Scotland. Speaking ahead of her visit to Madrid, Catriona said: "I'm honoured to have the opportunity to collaborate with pharmacists from across Europe, and to share my experiences of working as a community pharmacist in Scotland.

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has expressed disappointment as the government continued to refuse to "a much-needed broader funding uplift" for the community pharmacies in England. This follows conclusion of the first Annual Review of the progress of the five-year Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) deal by PSNC, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England & NHS Improvement (NHSE&I). "We remain deeply frustrated by government's refusal to agree a much-needed broader funding uplift for the sector, but we are determined to continue to look for better ways forward for the sector throughout 2022 and beyond," said Bharat Patel, PSNC vice-chair, negotiating team member and an independent contractor. Patel noted that despite some important wins such as recognition of key challenges faced by pharmacies, the commitment to consider these as part of our Year 4 negotiations, and agreement to take forward work on service fee and other regulatory changes, the PSNC is disappointed that the review did not lead to "immediate and tangible outcomes and improvements for contractors." The negotiator had put forward data and analysis showing the capacity and cost constraints faced by pharmacies.

At this year's pharmacy show and many recent conferences, I have given presentations on behavioural economics. People's health outcomes are greatly determined by behaviours outside the pharmacy or other health settings. Whether they take their medicines, give up smoking or eat healthily, these choices are made at home in the course of their daily lives. How many minutes of the 168 hours in a week, are your customers in contact with you? For many pharmacists, behavioural economics is a 'new' discipline and often flies in the face of what we learned at university years ago. People had symptoms, often traced back to a disease, which led to a treatment, which the patient took (as instructed) and got better. If only! In the context of healthcare, behavioural economics shows that people do not always make decisions based purely on rational cost-benefit analysis. Instead, our choices are often shaped by factors like cognitive biases, social influence, and environmental cues. Once you've left university and started practicing in the real world, this should not come as a surprise. The fact is people do not always act in their own best interest and people do not always do the "right" thing, even if they know what the right thing is. Intention can be a poor predictor of actual health behaviour change-now termed the intention-behaviour gap. In other words, although patients intend to change and maintain their behaviour, the data suggest that many will not follow through with their intention.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society's (RPS) second roundtable on workforce wellbeing resulted in a series of collaborative actions to address pharmacy professionals' mental health and wellbeing challenges. The roundtable brought together key stakeholders from the pharmacy sector, including organisations like the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), Community Pharmacy England (CPE), the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), and the profession's independent charity Pharmacist Support (PS). A report detailing the outcomes of the meeting was published on Friday, highlighting the key areas of discussion and the agreed-upon actions by the participants. During the roundtable, participants discussed the importance of understanding the workforce demographics, both nationally and locally, and using data to address wellbeing issues effectively. They also emphasised the need for using supportive standards set by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) quality statement to support and empower pharmacists' wellbeing positively.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has published a new strategy pledging to deliver equality, improve diversity and foster inclusion in all aspects of its work. The strategy was updated after a public consultation held between April and July. It's key themes are: To make regulatory decisions that are demonstrably fair, lawful, and free from discrimination and bias. To use our standards to proactively help tackle discrimination and to make sure everyone can access person-centred care, fostering equality of health outcomes.To lead by example and demonstrate best practice within our organisation, holding ourselves to the same high standards we expect of others. GPhC chair Nigel Clarke said having a strategy is vital as the pandemic has exposed "the scope and scale of inequities in society, in healthcare outcomes and in pharmacy." "Inequality and exclusion are bad for people's health. Therefore, this strategy is fundamental to our core purpose as a regulator and our vision for safe and effective pharmacy care at the heart of healthier communities."

The rising focus on the "Social" component of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is prompting UK pharmacies, particularly independent pharmacies, to take a more active role in social responsibility. Beyond just meeting regulatory requirements, pharmacies can strengthen their communities while building trust and supporting business growth by aligning their practices with social initiatives. The importance of social responsibility in ESG Research shows 77% of consumers are motivated to purchase from companies committed to making the world a better place, while 73% of investors state that efforts to improve the environment and society contribute to their investment decisions. As customers, employees and investors increasingly expect businesses to contribute positively to society, the "Social" aspect of ESG is gaining importance. In healthcare, trust, accessibility, and community engagement are essential, giving pharmacies a unique opportunity to lead by prioritising social responsibility. By aligning with community needs and values, pharmacies can positively influence local health outcomes, while strengthening their reputation as trusted healthcare providers.

Rachna Chhatralia, superintendent pharmacist at Day Lewis, has suggested that obesity should be a key focus area of the upcoming 10-year health plan. She advocated for a weight loss service to be commissioned through community pharmacies to address this growing public health issue effectively. "Obesity is a big problem in the UK, and it has progressively worsened as a result of COVID, with people being at home, unable to access gyms, and developing unhealthy eating habits," Rachna told Pharmacy Business. Rachna, the winner of the Pharmacy Business' Aspiring Pharmacy Leader of the Year, emphasised the urgent need to tackle obesity as it can lead to other long-term conditions in the long run and cost the NHS a lot of money. "If you don't try and tackle the obesity rate, you're then looking at treatment for other comorbidities, such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular issues, including heart attack and strokes. It just spirals out of control," she explained.

The King's Fund has published an in-depth analysis highlighting the priorities that the government's new 10-year health plan should address to combat health inequalities. This plan, currently being developed by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England, will significantly shape the long-term future of the NHS. The independent think tank emphasises that a core focus of this new plan should be to enable the NHS to better address health inequalities and support people with the worst health outcomes. Sarah Woolnough, CEO of The King's Fund, explained: "Health inequalities are avoidable, unfair, and systematic differences in health between different groups of people, and they reflect broader societal issues such as those related to income, housing, gender, ethnicity or disability." "Supporting the health and care system to do more to tackle these differences has been a strategy priority for the Fund over the past five years." Drawing on its extensive work on health inequalities in the last five years, the charity has outlined seven key priorities that should shape the 10-year health plan:

The Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA), in collaboration with the Association of Optometrists (AOP), the British Dental Association (BDA) and the NHS Confederation has written to health secretary Wes Streeting, urging him to ensure sustainable investment in primary care to strengthen the NHS and better serve patients. In their letter, the group congratulated Streeting on his recent appointment as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and requested a meeting to provide their joint constructive input towards improving health outcomes. They expressed concern that recent administrations have failed to follow through on promises to properly integrate and fund primary care, leading to deteriorating health outcomes. "Our collective experience is that our National Health Service (NHS), and health outcomes generally, have suffered at the hands of recent administrations that have talked much about the importance of properly integrating and funding primary care but not followed through with action," they wrote. The associations emphasised the need to transition the NHS to a Neighbourhood Health Service, where more care is delivered within local communities to identify problems earlier.