Alitam has announced that it has merged with clinical skills training provider MHRx to upskill UK pharmacists so that its chain of community pharmacies in the
UK can diagnose and treat minor medical ailments "quickly and safely".
This is a second merger deal announced by the group that has 100-plus pharmacies, just days after its merger with Pharmadoctor to "radically transform the UK and
Ireland's community pharmacy sector" into a truly preventative healthcare system.
Following the merger with MHRx, Alitam will now be providing a career development platform for its pharmacy teams, which also include nurses and other healthcare
professionals.
MHRx's training incorporates every aspect of general practice alongside relevant topics including making appropriate patient consultation records in line with NHS
guidelines.
This, Alitam believes, will allow community pharmacies to carry out formal diagnoses, formulate differential diagnosis plans, and perform full clinical examinations.
According to the founder and CEO Feisal Nahaboo, mergers such as these will lead to "a healthcare revolution predicated on building the world's first truly
preventative healthcare model".
Almost all community pharmacies in the West Midlands and East Midlands have begun treating people for seven common conditions, as part of the newly launched
Pharmacy First scheme.
NHS England on Sunday (4 February) revealed that more than 95 per cent of community pharmacies in the West Midlands (1130) and over 97 per cent in the East
Midlands (840) have joined the ground-breaking initiative.
The scheme allows highly trained pharmacists to assess and treat patients for sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and
uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (under the age of 65) without the need for an appointment or prescription.
With this major expansion of pharmacy services, the health service is aiming to free up 10 million GP appointments a year, while making it easier and more
convenient for people to access care.
More than 1000 pharmacies in England, including Boots stores, are now delivering the newly launched NHS Pharmacy First Service.
Launched on Wednesday (31 January), the new service enables pharmacists to provide advice and treatment, if appropriate, for seven common conditions, which
include sinusitis, sore throat, earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, or an uncomplicated urinary tract infection in women.
Instead of going to a GP surgery, patients can go to their community pharmacists to get treatment for these common conditions, without the need for an appointment.
Patients who may need additional support will be referred to a GP or another healthcare provider by the pharmacist.
Seb James, managing director of Boots UK and ROI, has described their launch of Pharmacy First service as "one of the most significant changes in how we can
serve our customers and patients in our 175-year history."
Growing up with a family that worked in pharmacy, our dinner time conversation was not like that of other families. Ours would centre around medicines,
prescriptions, and the health challenges within our local community.
I quickly came to understand the importance of the role played by community pharmacists. So I can't help but be concerned that the current direction being taken by
digital health innovation threatens to leave community pharmacies behind.
Whilst it is brilliant that patients can easily access their prescriptions through the rise of online pharmacies, many of these cut out the vital knowledge and
expertise of local community pharmacists, and threaten to end the traditional close ties between local community pharmacists and their patients.
Nine out of 10 NHS users believe that pharmacists play an unrivalled role when it comes to keeping patients in the community safe. We must ensure that digital health
does not replace this important source of advice for health problems and injuries, but instead preserves and enhances this vital, personal role and enables
pharmacists to continue delivering care in new and effective ways.
A vital connection with patients
Community pharmacies provide crucial support to local patients with managing their medicines safely, particularly older and more vulnerable people. The specific
expertise and knowledge held by pharmacists can help inform the long-term management of a patient's condition and ensure they are kept safe from potential side
effects and complications.
A new Attention-Deficit-Hyperactive disorder (ADHD) taskforce has been launched by National Health Services England (NHSE) to counter the challenges faced
by many suffering from the neurodevelopmental condition.
The ADHD taskforce aligns with the NHS Long Term Plan's vision to revolutionise mental health services, with a specific emphasis on bolstering community-based
care and reducing reliance on inpatient services.
The NHS has partnered with the government to tackle the escalating demands including increasing funding, improving system efficiency, altering the service
provision model, and clinical prioritisation by bringing together expertise from across a broad range of sectors, including the NHS, education and justice,
to help provide a joined-up approach in response to concerns around rising demand.
Over the past two decades, there has been a significant expansion in the acknowledgement and successful medical interventions for ADHD, leading to a steady
rise in clinical requests throughout the UK.
With the upcoming general election on the horizon, Proprietary Association of Greater Britain (PAGB) is leading the charge to integrate self-care into the
core of all political party manifestos.
The aim is to ease strains on the NHS and forge a sustainable healthcare system for the future.
In a significant move, PAGB unveiled a comprehensive general election toolkit on Wednesday, laying out a compelling argument for the prioritisation of self-care
among stakeholders.
The toolkit underscores the importance of public interest, potential NHS cost savings, and the economic advantages of the over-the-counter (OTC) sector.
Aimed at unlocking the full potential of self-care and nurturing an enabling environment for its implementation, PAGB's toolkit advocates for greater integration
of pharmacy services into primary care.