In response to Thursday (5 January)'s announcement on the proposal of new 'anti-strike' legislation, the Pharmacists Defence Association (PDA) has said that
it will work with other trade unions to defend the fundamental right for workers in the sector to strike.
The association believes that "industrial action should always be a last resort, especially for health professionals such as pharmacists, however having the option
to strike is a fundamental right for working people in a fair and free, civilised society."
"The right to strike is a fundamental right through which employees can act collectively to secure and protect pay and conditions."
It added: "The Trade Union Congress (TUC) are coordinating the challenge to these proposals."
The TUC said in a statement: "The Prime Minister should concentrate on fixing our public services, not attacking public sector staff. The proposed legislation would
make it harder for disputes to be resolved."
Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca said on Monday (January 9) that it had struck a deal to buy US-based drug developer CinCor Pharma for up to $1.8 billion
to increase its stock of heart and kidney drugs.
Core to the deal is CinCor's experimental therapy baxdrostat, which is in development to treat conditions including high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease.
AstraZeneca aims to combine baxdrostat with its own Farxiga, a diabetes drug whose sales ballooned after it was also shown to benefit patients with heart failure
and kidney disease.
Farxiga, whose sales jumped by almost 50 per cent during the first nine months of 2022 to reach $3.2 billion, belongs to a highly competitive class of drugs that
includes rivals such as Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly's Jardiance.
AstraZeneca gets about a third of its revenue from cancer drugs, but its heart, kidney and diabetes medicines are its second most lucrative business by sales,
generating roughly $6.9 billion of the drugmaker's total revenue of more than $33 billion in the first three quarters of 2022.
A community pharmacy, Barton Pharmacy located in Woolacombe, Devon has been sold to a local pharmacist and its previous employee, Harminder Chaggar,
announced Christie & Co.
The business has been owned by Mr Osman Hamid for the last seven years and was brought to market to allow him to concentrate on his other business interests.
Barton Pharmacy is dispensing an average of 2,440 items per month. It lies completely unopposed in the highly desirable North Devon coastal village of Woolacombe,
in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and is an ever-popular holiday destination which boasts 'Beach of the Year 2021' as voted for by The Sunday Times.
Osman Hamid, previous owner of Barton Pharmacy, comments, "Owning this business for the last seven years has been an enjoyable experience, as we have had full
support from the NHS as it has an attached LPS contract and receives an overwhelmingly generous OTC income which is more than the average pharmacy. The business
has huge potential to grow and diversify into other avenues that are yet to be explored, and it is lovely to know that it has been passed onto a new owner operator
that I trust will do well with the business moving forwards."
AAH Pharmaceuticals (AAH) has announced the appointment of Brain Chambers as Chief Commercial Officer.
"I'm proud to lead the commercial functions in AAH in my new role and broader area of responsibility." Said Brian. "I'm committed to delivering on great value for
our customers and building and strengthening our supplier partnerships."
Brain is associated with AAH Pharmaceuticals for more than 14 years. He joined the organisation as Business Development Manager in October 2008. His previous role
in the organisation was on Sales and Marketing Director.
He posted on LinkedIn: "This is a big move for me personally, but that's a side hustle. What is the main play here is AAH becoming a standalone independent wholesale
business focussed on only the AAH customer and our core business and this is just one part of that.
Kent based N.B. Pharmacy has been sold to first-time buyers, Venkat and Preeti Adama, from Essex for an undisclosed price.
N.B. Pharmacy is a standard hours community pharmacy that dispenses an average of 6,393 items per month.
The business has been owned by Nirmal Bajaria for 39 years and was recently brought to market to allow him to pursue a well-earned retirement. Following a
confidential sales process with Christie & Co, it has been purchased by first-time buyers, Venkat and Preeti Adama, from Essex.
Nirmal Bajaria, former owner of N.B. Pharmacy, comments, "Having run the pharmacy for around 39 years, it was a difficult decision to put the business up for sale.
I was very pleased with the high number of viewers and feel delighted that a young family bought my pharmacy."
What will it take to get help from the government before an individual or sector breaks? Pharmacists raised questions after the Pharmaceutical Services
Negotiating Committee (PSNC)'s 2023 Pharmacy Pressures Survey confirmed the ongoing pressures and health issues faced by the pharmacies.
Pharmacists are not all shocked by the PSNC's survey report as they feel the same as what has been reported related to their businesses and health. They hope
the government listens and work with them to find resolutions.
"We are bullied into a corner," said Salim Jetha Chairman, Avicenna.
"Unlike other industries, we can't increase our prices. Most of the daily calls I get from Independents is about financial health of their business and any cost
cutting would be detrimental to patient care. Urgent holistic review is required."
Bristol pharmacist Ade Williams said: "The report is a dire indictment, and I would also warn, likely an underestimate of the extent and detrimental impact of the
ongoings pressures and squeeze on Community pharmacies."
"If the closest interface of the NHS to communities and patients is so distressed, what does that mean for those that need and depend on us? We are notoriously very
stoic, so this is a warning light, which, taken with workforce pressures, market-exit activity, and other reports raising concern about wellbeing and stress, must
beg the question; what will it take to get help before the sector and individuals break?" he questioned.
The survey results don't surprise Kent-based community pharmacist Amish Patel. He said, "I have been feeling exactly what has been reported for far too long. I'm
burnt out and would say beginning to suffer with my own health because of it. Now it's for PSNC to talk to government, and government to listen and work with us to
find resolutions."
The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has announced the retirement of its Chief Executive, Mark Lyonette.
Mark will retire in 2024. The association has announced his retirement well in advance so that the Board can start work with a leading recruitment agency to search
for the new Chief Executive.
"The Board is keen to build on the strong foundations established and ensure there is a seamless transition and minimum disruption to the business once the new Chief
Executive is in post," said the association.
Mark said: "After five years at the NPA and 40 years working for and leading national membership organisations, I am looking forward to living a different life.
"I am pleased that in the time that I have been with the NPA we have grown both the membership and customer base and created a profitable, stable membership
organisation.
"Alongside our NPA Insurance company, the association is well set to help members face the future.
"Meanwhile there is much to do to ensure that 2023 is another good year in terms of the NPA delivering consistently for members. The process of changing Chief
Executive won't deflect us from our vital work."
British drugmaker AstraZeneca says it's confident that its new version of COVID-19 antibody treatment could protect immunocompromised patients against all
known virus variants.
Laboratory studies show the antibody, called AZD3152, neutralises all known variants of COVID-19 and AstraZeneca has support from regulators to make the treatment
available by the end of this year, the company's vaccines head Iskra Reic said on Tuesday (April 18).
AstraZeneca plans, pending more positive data and regulatory approval, to make the antibody available by the end of 2023.
These types of therapies are most needed for people with compromised immune systems, either because of underlying conditions or because they are undergoing immune
suppressing treatments. They account for nearly 2% of the global population.
AstraZeneca's AZD3152, it new COVID-19 antibody, was acquired through a $157 million deal last year with British biotech start-up RQ Bio.
The British drugmaker will likely make future investments like its current partnerships with RQ Bio but did not have any deals to announce, said Reic, a long-time
AstraZeneca executive who has led the company's vaccines and immune therapies unit since it was formed in late 2021, during the pandemic.
Community pharmacies will be able to deliver approximately 15 million blood pressure screenings by 2026, revealed the Company Chemists' Association (CCA)'s new
research.
This will also prevent 15,000 people from suffering heart attacks or strokes. CCA has called the Government to take up their offer and commission pharmacies as the
first port of call for cardiovascular care.
"Thousands of lives can be saved with ambitious commissioning and the investment to match," said CCA.
There is an opportunity to use the expertise of community pharmacy to go further and provide the care these newly identified patients' need. To do this the sector
needs funding and workforce.
The association said: "Community pharmacy is under great financial pressure, suffering a real term funding cut of over 30% over 8 years. With funding, the sector can
transform to deliver this critical need for patients.
Whilst there are plans to train Independent Prescribers (IPs), there are no clear roles for them to use these skills. There is a need to accelerate training plans to
allow pharmacists to deliver the service described here and play their part in CVD management."
Salrook Healthcare, a family-run pharmacies in Chester has sold its two well-established community pharmacies named Westminster Park Pharmacy on Castle Croft
Road and Owen's Chemist on Chester Street. Together, they dispense circa 13,000 items per month.
The business has been owned by the Persaud family since 2014 and was recently brought to the market as a retirement sale. Following a confidential process with
Christie & Co, it has been purchased by Aqib Sheikh, an existing operator with a pharmacy in Walsall, West Midlands. Aqib plans to enhance the business's service
offering and grow his portfolio in the region.
Chloe Yadav (nee Persaud), previous owner of Salrook Healthcare Limited, comments, "As a family, we are delighted to have completed the sale of the business to Aqib.
Whilst we will miss our team who have become like family, it is good to know that the two sites have been acquired by a forward- thinking Pharmacist who will enhance
the offering to the benefit of the patients and the community which they serve. My family and I wish Aqib and the whole team the very best of luck with the future."
Aqib Sheikh, new owner of Salrook Healthcare Limited, comments, "I am delighted to have inherited such a well-run and profitable pair of pharmacy businesses in the
charming city of Chester. I'd like to wish John Persaud the very best with his retirement and look forward to building on the work of the Persaud family."
John Dawson, the founder and former CEO of Alliance Pharma, has donated £5million to the University of Sunderland towards the creation of a new drug
research centre.
The donation - the biggest in the university's history - will create the John Dawson Drug Discovery and Development Research Institute to improve health and
wellbeing of millions of people worldwide.
The new centre has been named after the pharmaceutical entrepreneur and Sunderland graduate who, alongside wife Sam, has provided the funding.
He and Sam were on Thursday (April 20) joined by specially invited guests from across the region's health, education, and business communities, to launch the
Institute housed in the University's Sciences Complex.
Unveiling a plaque inside the building, John said: "It's an absolute honour and privilege to be able to launch the new Drug Discovery and Development Research
Institute at the University of Sunderland today.
"It's been wonderful to be back on the campus and see the incredible developments that have taken place since I studied pharmacy here more than 50 years ago.
"I was immediately impressed at what has been achieved in that intervening half-century and I've been delighted to assist the University continue its development,
particularly in the health arena.
"I hope the launch of this institute will mark the next phase in the University's evolution and I'm very much looking forward to working with the team as they bring
their projects to fruition."
This event provides an excellent opportunity for companies and organizations to showcase their products, services, and expertise to an engaged audience of pediatric neurologists and healthcare professionals.
"We need to fix the front door to our NHS by investing in community pharmacy," asserts Daisy Cooper as more and more pharmacies "worry about the future of
their business."
Reflecting on the challenges faced by pharmacists during the pandemic, she emphasised their pivotal role in launching vaccination schemes across communities and
the larger role pharmacies play in complementing traditional NHS facilities.
Cooper recalls her collaboration with local pharmacies in St. Albans, where she worked hand in glove with them to address challenges faced by pharmacists to obtain
information from NHS England regarding protocols and procedures.
She told Pharmacy Business reporter that she had to work out something "hand in glove to help them get those vaccinated schemes up and running, as pharmacies were
desperate to take part in the vaccination scheme" in her constituency.
Describing their unique selling point (USP), Cooper emphasised the convenience and immediacy of pharmacies located in high street areas and warned that pharmacy
closures "should be a real wake up call for the government."
In a bid to bolster the educational experience for undergraduate pharmacy students across London, Kingston University has embarked on a groundbreaking
project in collaboration with University College London and King's College London.
This initiative, fueled by a substantial £1.5 million investment from National Health Services England (NHSE), aims to elevate the quality and consistency of
pharmacy placements throughout the capital for new pharmacy entrants.
The project is designed to address the evolving standards set forth by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GphC), ensuring that newly-trained pharmacists
are well-prepared to meet the demands of their profession.
By standardizing and expanding pharmacy placements, the three universities seek to provide students with a comprehensive and diverse range of "experiential
learning opportunities".
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.
Oquprime is a natural medicine with clinical proof that greatly enhances visual acuity and safeguards eyesight when doing visually taxing jobs like looking at a computer screen. The special properties of the bioactive substances included in its composition allow for this.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, during today's (15th May ) Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs), reiterated his commitment to supporting community pharmacies amidst
growing concerns over pharmacy closures.
Addressing questions regarding the Pharmacy First initiative, Sunak assured the House of Commons of his dedication to bolstering resources for these vital healthcare
providers.
In response to a query raised by Member of Parliament, St Ives MP Derek Thomas, citing statistics from the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) about "committing to
directing funds towards Community Pharmacy to alleviate financial pressure and prevent closures, Sunak remarked that he "cares deeply about the future of community
pharmacies."
Sunak acknowledged the indispensable role played by community pharmacists in alleviating pressure on urgent care services, emphasising the importance of initiatives
like Pharmacy First in government's commitment to supporting community pharmacies.
"There are over 10 and a half Community pharmacies across the country working incredibly hard to serve their patients," Sunak said praising the community pharmacists
and highlighted the concerning trend of pharmacy closures, citing a significant increase compared to the previous year.
"Our main concerns are that the use of what they call an asynchronous supply, where the prescriber neither sees nor talks to the patient at the time they
issue the prescription, does lay itself open to perhaps people getting hold of medication that they shouldn't," the Head of Policy, PDA said.
The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) engages in a critical conversation on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, shedding light on the online prescribing of weight
loss drugs and advocating for safer practices.
The PDA's spokesperson, Head of Policy Alima Batchelor, emphasised the importance of adhering to professional guidelines to ensure patient safety and mitigate
regulatory concerns.
During the feature, the PDA highlighted the complexities and risks associated with online supply chains, stressing the necessity for direct clinical consultations
and pharmacist involvement in medication management.
""There are guidelines and advice about verification within the DiCE guidance, but it doesn't go quite far enough for us. We are concerned when patients decline
to allow the online prescriber to advise their GP of what they're taking," Batchelor highlighted.
A recent report by the Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has revealed a significant disparity in patient engagement with the Pharmacy First service across
the UK.
In response, Santosh Sahu, Founder and CEO at Charac, has emphasised the need for technological reform to address "the interoperability gap between pharmacists
and GPs".
Sahu identified the lack of GP referrals for Pharmacy First consultations as a key issue, attributing it to inadequate IT infrastructure.
He urged the sector to "implement technological reforms to enhance interoperability between pharmacists and GPs, enabling them to share patient records, identify
care pathways, and address health needs more effectively".
Ensuring comprehensive healthcare services for the community necessitates collaboration between pharmacies and GP surgeries. However, several pharmacists
have voiced concerns about a lack of cooperation from their local GPs in implementing the Pharmacy First (PF) service.
In a survey conducted by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) covering 470 pharmacies across England, three-quarters of pharmacists (77 per cent) indicated
that local GP practices are not appropriately referring patients to the new service.
The survey highlighted instances of patients either not being referred or being referred but found ineligible for support through Pharmacy First. Additionally,
one in five NPA members (19 per cent) felt that their local GP practices were not engaging with the initiative at all.
Commenting on the issue, NPA chair Nick Kaye said: "Feedback from across our network suggests that the rollout of Pharmacy First varies considerably from area
to area.
