The topic of death is often a sensitive and somber one, but it is also a reality that we must face. When someone passes away, there are many legal
considerations that come into play surrounding their assets, property, and final wishes.
Before delving into the specifics, you must first understand that laws and regulations surrounding death and inheritance can vary greatly depending on location.
Different countries, states, and even cities may have their own unique set of laws and procedures in place. involved. That's why you need a legal overview to
guide you through the process of protecting your rights in the case of death.
Wrongful Death Lawsuits and Compensation
In the unfortunate event of a wrongful death, where a person dies due to the negligence or misconduct of another, the bereaved family may seek compensation
through legal action. Hiring a lawyer for wrongful death is the best course of action to navigate the complex legal process and ensure that your rights are
protected. Wrongful death lawsuits can cover a wide range of incidents, from car accidents to medical malpractice. The compensation awarded in these cases may
include funeral expenses, lost wages, and loss of companionship. Know that each case is unique and the amount of compensation awarded will depend on the
deceased's income and potential earnings, their age, and the extent of their financial support to their dependents.
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.
NHS England will collaborate with "a number of system suppliers" to increase the number of trusts using electronic prescription service (EPS) over the next
few years.
Nishali Patel, clinical lead for digital medicines at NHS England, announced it during the Clinical Pharmacy Congress, held at the Excel, London, on Friday, 10 May
2024.
According to Nishali, at least half of all NHS secondary care trusts could be using EPS by 2026.
This digital service allows prescribers to send prescriptions electronically to a patient-nominated pharmacy. It is widely used in primary care, where over 95
per cent of prescriptions are now electronically generated. NHS recently extended the service to secondary care settings.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) on Wednesday announced that it is spearheading a new project, which aims to delve into the root causes of the
growing challenge of medicines shortages across the United Kingdom and provide solutions to mitigate its impact on patients and pharmacy practice.
A newly formed advisory group, chaired by RPS Fellow Dr. Bruce Warner, is set to convene later this month. The group will have experts from primary and secondary
care, patient advocacy groups, the pharmaceutical industry, suppliers, regulatory bodies, governmental representatives, and NHS officials.
The group aims to formulate a robust report to provide expert thought leadership and support for the wider debate on UK policy. Their work will be informed by a
thorough literature review, stakeholder interviews, online RPS member events, and patient stories.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will introduce new arrangements for the setting of Drug Tariff Category A reimbursement prices from April 2024.
Driven by ministers, DHSC's decision aims to equalise access to margin on Category A medicines and it's part of a series of drug reimbursement reforms proposed by
the department following a public consultation in 2019.
Currently, prices of medicines in Category A are subject to monthly adjustment. From 1 April 2024, these will be updated quarterly based on sales and volume data
obtained by DHSC under the Health Service Products (Provision and Disclosure of Information) Regulations 2018. The transition will conclude in July 2025 when the reimbursement prices will be exclusively determined by the new method.
Advance notice for contractors regarding the 'new arrangements' has been outlined on the NHSBSA website.
However, Community Pharmacy England (CPE) did not support the introduction of the changes at this time as pharmacies are currently grappling with "wider challenges"
and there is uncertainty about the potential impact of these changes on the already "turbulent" medicines supply chain
Reacting to recommendations from a UK-first independent review, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has outlined action to tackle potential
bias in the design and use of medical devices.
Professor Dame Margaret Whitehead, professor of public health at the University of Liverpool, was appointed to lead the review, which focused on three
areas - optical devices such as pulse oximeters, AI-enabled devices, and polygenic risk scores (PRS) in genomics.
The DHSC commissioned the medical devices review after concerns were raised that pulse oximeters - widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic to monitor blood
oxygen levels - were not as accurate for patients with darker skin tones. There were worries that this could cause delays in treatment if dangerously low oxygen
levels in such patients were missed.
However, no evidence was found from NHS studies indicating that this differing performance had an impact on patient care.
Accepting the report's conclusions, the DHSC has committed to several actions, such as ensuring the safe use of pulse oximeter devices across a range of skin
tones within the NHS and eliminating racial bias from data sets employed in clinical studies.
The National Health Service (NHS) is embracing new technology and innovations like artificial intelligence (AI) to reduce the number of missed hospital
appointments and improve waiting times for elective care.
Following a successful pilot in Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, the health service is set to roll out AI software to 10 more trusts across England in
the coming months.
The software, developed by Deep Medical in collaboration with a frontline worker and NHS clinical fellow, helps reduce the number of missed appointments by
offering patients convenient time slots and backup booking options.
Since the AI programme was piloted six months ago, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust has seen a 30 per cent fall in non-attendances.
During the pilot period, a total of 377 did not attends (DNAs) were prevented and an additional 1,910 patients were attended.
Labour's Paulette Hamilton has raised concerns regarding the increasing reliance on pharmacy technicians in clinical practice due to staffing shortages
within pharmacies.
At the recent Pharmacy Inquiry session, Hamilton highlighted the mounting pressure on technicians to take on more responsibilities beyond their qualifications,
attributing it to the launch of Pharmacy First in January.
With almost 50,000 Pharmacy First consultations conducted in the first month alone as per a report by the Company Chemists' Association, Hamilton expressed
apprehension about technicians being classified under the broad term of "pharmacy professionals," blurring the distinction between their roles and those of
clinical pharmacists.
She further drew parallels between this situation and the scrutiny faced by physician associates (PAs) in GP practices following a patient's death due to
misdiagnosis and cautioned against technicians performing tasks beyond their expertise and urged policymakers to prevent similar incidents in pharmacy settings.
Health Minister Dame Andrea Leadsom responded by defending the current approach, denying any "blurring of the edges" and emphasizing patient safety as the
top priority.
In what could be the longest consecutive strike action ever taken in the history of the National Health Service (NHS), junior doctors are set to begin their
six-day walkout from tomorrow (Wednesday 3 January) at 7am, until 7am on Tuesday 9 January.
As the record industrial action has come in the middle of growing winter pressures, the NHS England has warned that this week could be one of "the most difficult
starts to the year" for health services across the country.
With consultant busy covering urgent and emergency cases, the strikes could have a significant impact on almost all routine care.
NHS National Medical Director, Professor Stephen Powis said: "This January could be one of the most difficult starts to the year the NHS has ever faced.
Derriford Hospital is set to move its outpatient pharmacy to a bigger unit, which will be twice as big as the current size.
The new pharmacy, due to open in Spring 2024, is located adjacent to the hospital's on-site Costa Coffee shop in the multistorey car park building.
University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust said work is ongoing on the new 155 square metres pharmacy, but measures such as covered seating has been implemented.
Additionally, the pharmacy's opening times would be extended during the weekends to benefit patients who are unable to attend during the week, the Trust said,
noting that demand for its services has grown by 25 per cent.
Kandarp Thakkar, Chief Pharmacist & Clinical Director of Medicines Optimisation, said the pharmacy serves thousands of outpatient appointments each week.
Pharmacy Business and Haleon jointly hosted a practical Pain Management webinar on 5 December 2023.
The webinar was specially designed to empower community pharmacies with effective strategies for understanding, managing, and reducing pain in their patients'
daily life.
Pharmacist Faheem Ahmend, director at Health Clinic & MEDLRN, and Linda Perry, account relationship manager OTC at Haleon, engaged in an insightful and
informative conversation, highlighting real issues in the pharmacy setting and practical solutions to support community pharmacists.
After a year-long divestment spree, LloydsPharmacy has entered into liquidation and appointed Turpin Barker Armstrong Accountants to handle the process.
In its statement of affairs report, the liquidators confirmed that the pharmacy group owes £293m to 514 creditors.
This includes £228m owed to the group's former owner Admenta UK and £50m to Aurelius Crocodile - a holding company that was used to control the pharmacy business.
However, creditors are set to lose out on approximately £255m as only about £8.2m can be recovered for preferential creditors and £800,000 for its unsecured
creditors, the liquidators said.
The healthcare chain was acquired by Aurelius when the investment firm took over its parent company, McKesson UK in 2022 for £477m.
The hybrid professional and leadership session underscores the Sigma Conference's significance in offering hope and inspiration to its delegates. This
pioneering venture unfolds following meticulous planning, months of deliberation, and the collaboration of experts from various health disciplines across the UK.
This session, rich in diversity and expertise, aims to elevate the role of community pharmacy in the ever-evolving landscape of the NHS.
It comprises three key components and delves into multi-professional collaboration, insights from NHS Chief Professional Officers from the four devolved nations
complimented by the Royal College of Nursing Directorate Wales, and the evolving landscape of Pharmacy Professional Leadership.
Multi-Professional Collaboration: Breaking Boundaries
The crux of this ground-breaking session lies in appreciating and fostering greater multi-professional collaboration to set the stage for a thought-provoking
session on how community pharmacy can be recognised as an important cog in the wheel of an integrated NHS. This convergence creates a dynamic platform for community
pharmacy to form wider partnerships and explore opportunities, particularly with the recently launched NHS Pharmacy First Service.
Thirteen people were arrested following raids at four drug manufacturing units in the Indian states of Gujarat and Rajasthan, resulting in the seizure of
mephedrone valued at Rs 230 crore (approximately 22.30 million GBP), according to a news agency report.
The Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) and Narcotics Control Bureau conducted the raids jointly on Friday, prompted by a tip-off received by the ATS indicating
that Ahmedabad resident Manoharlal Enani and Kuldeepsinh Rajpurohit from Rajasthan had set up mephedrone manufacturing units, PTI reported on Saturday, quoting
an official.
As stated in an ATS release obtained by the news agency, the raids were conducted at the units in Sirohi and Jodhpur in Rajasthan and Piplaj village in Gandhinagar
and Bhaktinagar industrial area of Amreli district in Gujarat.
"The ATS recovered 22.028 kilograms of mephedrone (in solid form) and 124 kilograms of liquid mephedrone, collectively valued at Rs 230 crore(approximately
22.30 million GBP).
"Rajpurohit was nabbed during the raid in Gandhinagar and Enani was held from Sirohi," it said.
For the first time, Covid-19 vaccines will be available for purchase from pharmacies in Britain from April 1.
As revealed by The Times, Boots is set to launch a private vaccination service next week to ensure that people "remain ready to respond to this constantly
evolving and unpredictable virus."
Under the NHS national immunization programme (NIP), Covid booster vaccines are only offered to those at high risk, including over-65s or patients with weakened
immune systems.
From April 1, anyone aged 12 or over can get the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine at 50 Boots stores for £98.95.
While it's highly unlikely for healthier young adults to experience severe Covid-19, getting the single-dose vaccine can protect them from discomforting symptoms
like coughs and sore throats.
A spokesperson for Boots told the publication that their private service is the extension of their existing delivery of Covid-19 vaccinations for the NHS.
The National Health Services England (NHSE) is poised to revolutionise diabetes management with the introduction of the 'artificial pancreas', also known
as the Hybrid Closed Loop system, to treat type 1 diabetes. This pioneering initiative, endorsed by the National Institute of Health Care and Excellence (NICE),
represents a global first in healthcare innovation.
With 269,095 individuals grappling with type 1 diabetes in England, the Hybrid Closed Loop system is set to cater to tens of thousands of children and adults across
the nation.
This cutting-edge device operates by seamlessly monitoring blood glucose levels and autonomously adjusting insulin dosage through a pump, by eliminating the need
for regular insulin injections.
Furthermore, it holds the promise of averting life-threatening hypoglycaemic and hyperglycaemia episodes, mitigating significant risks associated with the condition.
To facilitate the identification of beneficiaries, NHSE has allocated a substantial sum of £2.5 million, ensuring that those who could benefit from this innovative
solution receive the necessary support.
The outbreak of Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) in the UK, which is associated with contaminated eye gels imported from India, has led to the death of
one person, and many others falling ill, according to a government report.
Bcc is a group of antibiotic-resistant bacteria that are widely found within the environment. Although it rarely causes infection, it can result in severe ones in
individuals with compromised immune systems and those living with cystic fibrosis, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.
Between January 2023 and February 2024, there were 52 confirmed and six probable cases across the UK linked to the bacteria outbreak, as revealed in the Health
Protection Report published by UKHSA.
Forty-one of these cases were hospital inpatients, 38 of which were in critical-care settings.
Twenty-five cases were considered to have "clinically significant infections attributable to Bcc", out of which 11 had eye infections, nine had respiratory
infections and four had bacteremia (bacteria entering the bloodstream).
Two individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) were infected, and while one was treated, the other died, with the report indicating Bcc infection to have "contributed
to the death."
In a recent announcement, the British supermarket chain, Asda has launched its first online prescription service becoming the first self-serving shop
to offer prescribed medicine supply at the doorsteps through its latest healthcare accessibility venture.
The NHS certified online pharmacy service, Asda Online Pharmacy, is set to offer patients a digital platform designed to simplify the prescription process for
patients, offering the convenience of online management and home delivery with their partnership with Pharmacy2U.
Effective immediately, new patients can register for an account on the platform via pharmacy.asda.com.
Once registered, they gain access to a seamless prescription ordering system that facilitates home delivery, along with the ability to monitor the progress of
their orders.
Prescriptions submitted through Asda Online Pharmacy will undergo rigorous scrutiny by qualified pharmacists before being dispatched directly to patients'
doorsteps, all without any additional charges.
Patients suffering from chronic and episodic migraine attacks are set to benefit from a groundbreaking recommendation by the National Institute for Health
and Care Excellence (NICE) regarding a new medication.
The atogepant, a first-of-its-kind preventive drug for migraine, offers hope for those grappling with this debilitating condition and can be taken orally.
Published as part of the final guidance draft, NICE has greenlit the atogepant, also known as Aquipta and manufactured by AbbVie, as an option for preventing both
chronic and episodic migraines in adults.
Specifically, this recommendation is for individuals who have experienced at least four migraine days per month and have failed to find relief with at least three
previous preventive treatments.
With approximately 4.5 million people in the UK affected by various forms of migraine, this new recommendation marks a significant advancement in migraine management
as the condition significantly impacts patients' day-to-day activities as well as places a heavy burden on the NHS and the wider economy.
