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.
The Labour Party's election manifesto, unveiled with a focus on bolstering community pharmacy services and enhancing localised healthcare, has sparked
responses from key pharmacy bodies across England.
A standout pledge within the manifesto is the commitment to establish a Community Pharmacist Prescribing Service, aimed at granting more pharmacists independent
prescribing rights.
This initiative is viewed as pivotal in recognising the clinical capabilities of pharmacists and their potential to alleviate pressures within primary care.
Additionally, Labour's plan advocates for broader healthcare access improvements, including enabling opticians to directly refer patients to specialist services
and expanding self-referral options where suitable.
The manifesto also introduces proposals to trial Neighbourhood Health Centres, designed to consolidate various healthcare services under one roof, such as family
doctors, district nurses, and mental health specialists.
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Pharmacies lead among the list of 16 'most essential' services required for a neighbourhood, as revealed by the 2023 Community Barometer survey commissioned
by the Association of Convenience Stores.
In June, ACS commissioned Yonder Consulting to conduct a poll surveying the opinions of 1,000 people across the UK. The survey assessed how these individuals value
16 different services in their local area, defined as the region within a 15-minute walk from their homes.
The survey's essential services included pharmacies, post offices, convenience stores, banks, petrol stations, restaurants, coffee shops, pubs, specialist food
shops, non-food shops, fast food shops, vape shops, charity shops, pawnbrokers, hairdressers, and gyms or sports facilities.
Pharmacy bodies are "bitterly disappointed" that the latest deal on the national contract makes no commitment to "fresh funding", with one organisation calling
it "the biggest dis-service ever done" to community pharmacy.
The only commitment made in monetary terms was one in which NHS England agreed to write off a sum of £100m in excess margin earned by contractors in previous years.
This allowance, which can't be seen as new cash injection, was said to have been made in recognition of the pressures facing the sector.
The figure - reached after what the the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee called "a tense period of negotiations" with the Department of Health and Social
Care and NHS England - will cover the final two years of the current five-year Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework.
The deal was announced by PSNC chief executive Janet Morrison at an annual LPC Conference in Manchester on Thursday (22 September). Welcoming the attendees, she
assured everyone that the committee was well aware of the pressures the sector was facing.
"I heard how contractors are feeling and their frustrations over growing pressure and lack of financial support from the government. They confirmed that many now
are unable to deliver the full range of Services, and others are struggling to maintain core levels of Services. And the ongoing impact of capacity and workforce
crisis is critical, leading to temporary closures.
Community Pharmacy England (CPE) is aiming to reach an agreement with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England (NHSE) on negotiation
with regards to expanded services and payment model in the pharmacy sector.
Chief Executive Janet Morrison, said: "We are working at pace in negotiations with DHSC and NHSE. The process remains on track with the Government's original
timescale - i.e. aiming for agreement in July, with cross-government clearance later in July, and implementation from July through to September."
CPE is involved in working groups on service expansion of Hypertension Case-Finding and the Pharmacy Contraception Scheme and service design for the Common
Conditions Service; and are in in-depth negotiations on Payment models.
These discussions critically look at the balance between funding core capacity and activity payments, how the funding streams will be distributed and how CPE
will measure delivery and impact.
NHSE has been leading on the development of the PGD pathways for each of the 7 conditions, with external medical, pharmacy and other experts feeding into the
process - pharmacy owners from the Community Pharmacy England Committee have also been involved but the discussions are clinically led to ensure they comply with
NICE principles and concur with Antimicrobial Stewardship policy.
The Department of Health (DoH) Northern Ireland is reminding the public to think Pharmacy First this winter to stay well and reduce demands on other parts
of their health service.
Under this new advanced service, a local pharmacy can provide treatment and advice on a range of health conditions including common colds, stomach upsets, ear
aches, diarrhoea, head lice, mouth ulcers and thrush.
Pharmacies will also directly provide emergency contraception and advice and treatment for uncomplicated Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) for women aged 16 to 64
years without the need for a GP appointment, the department said.
Further the public are informed that 42 community pharmacies across the country will be providing a sore throat service this winter, involving advice, testing for
infection and treatment, if necessary.
Superdrug has unveiled its new fertility test service to help women to easily access information about their own fertility and enables them to take greater control of their reproductive health.
The service comprises a Superdrug online doctor consultation and personalised fertility test recommendations to help women make more informed decisions about the options available to them.
Superdrug's fertility test initial consultation requires customers to fill out a quick online questionnaire. This is then reviewed by Superdrug's team of online doctors, who will work with the patients to identify which fertility tests are best suited to the individual. The new service also sees Superdrug introduce three new fertility blood tests to its portfolio, ensuring greater choice and accessibility.
Dr Sara Kayat, Superdrug's medical ambassador comments, "For women that have been trying to get pregnant and not succeeding, or for those who are just curious about their fertility, easy access to blood tests may help provide answers and signpost them in the right direction."
The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has urged pharmacy contractors to use Manage Your Service (MYS) portal only for all monthly FP34C
submissions.
To secure access to earlier advance payments on 11 April 2022, the committee has advised pharmacy contractors to submit their claims for NHS pharmaceutical Services
delivered in March 2022 no later than 5 April 2022.
PSNC said: "The Manage Your Service (MYS) portal is now the ONLY route available to contractors for all monthly FP34C submissions. From March 2022, contractors will
no longer receive the paper FP34C submission document through the post. However, the NHSBSA will continue to post out red separators for contractors to submit
relevant forms each month.
The Pharmacy First service, set for launch in England at the end of January, is expected to help reduce some of the pressure on the National Health Service (NHS).
But the question is - Are pharmacists ready to take the extra workload amidst many issues community pharmacies are currently facing?
Nearly 50 per cent of pharmacy workers surveyed by ITV News said they do not feel confident they can provide the new services.
Pharmacy leaders told the British news channel that the industry is already in crisis, and they are facing a "potentially fatal cocktail" of rising prices, major
supply problems and a lack of funding.
Researchers from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) have been tasked to evaluate the impact, safety and effectiveness of the
Pharmacy First service, which was launched across England in January 2024.
They have been awarded £2.4million by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to generate evidence on the new service that allows
pharmacies to provide advice and treatment for seven common conditions without the need for a GP appointment.
After consultation, if necessary, a community pharmacist can supply some prescription-only medicines to treat earache, sore throat, sinusitis, impetigo,
shingles, infected insect bites or uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women.
The LSHTM researcher team will be working together with experts at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Universities of Oxford, Manchester and
Nottingham on the project.
Dr Rebecca Glover, assistant professor in Antimicrobial Resistance at LSHTM, who will lead the three-year project, said they will evaluate "Pharmacy First's
impact on GPs and the wider NHS, pharmacy services and patients."
NHS England on Monday (19 February) unveiled a new multichannel campaign to inform the public about the additional services offered at their local pharmacy
under the recently launched Pharmacy First service.
The extended service allows patients to get treatment and medicines from their local pharmacy for seven common conditions, including sinusitis, sore throat,
earache, infected insect bite, impetigo, shingles, and uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women, without needing to see a GP.
As part of its 'Help Us, Help You' campaign, NHS England has started running adverts across on-demand TV services, radio, bus stops and billboards as well as
social media, encouraging people to use their high street pharmacies for treatment of these common illnesses.
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.
Released on Monday morning, the election manifesto shared by the Liberal Democrats pledges to "strengthen patients' rights" by tackling public health
inequalities and providing early access to community services.
The Liberal Democrats Party's manifesto promises to address the issues at both the "front and back doors" of the National Health Service (NHS), which the party
claims has been plunged into crisis by the Conservatives.
Pledging to invest in public health and early access to community services, the party aims to "work towards a fairer and more sustainable long-term funding model
for pharmacies and build on the Pharmacy First approach to give patients more accessible routine services and ease the pressure on GPs."
The pledge also includes making prescriptions for people with chronic mental health conditions free on the NHS, as part of a wider commitment to review the entire
schedule of exemptions for prescription charges.
With the Labour Party now in power, there is keen interest in the healthcare initiatives they pledged during their election campaign and how these proposals
will shape the future of NHS.
One of the key pledges in their healthcare reform is the introduction of the Community Pharmacist Prescribing Service, which aims to empower pharmacists with
independent prescribing rights where clinically suitable.
While pharmacists appreciated Labour's acknowledgment of their role in patient care through expanded prescribing rights, they foresee some challenges in
implementing the service.
"Budgets will be a key issue," said Pharmacist Thorrun Govind, also a Healthcare Lawyer (Brabners LLP).
However, she noted that, given the success of pharmacist prescribing services in the devolved nations, there is "a road map in place."
The Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has responded positively to the Labour Party's manifesto, which outlines plans to bolster community pharmacy
services and shift the NHS towards a more localized, prevention-focused model.
Key proposals include the creation of a Community Pharmacist Prescribing Service and the enhancement of care delivery in local communities.
Malcolm Harrison, Chief Executive of the CCA, expressed strong support for these initiatives and said:
"We welcome the Labour Party Manifesto's clear focus on moving to a 'Neighbourhood Health Service', prevention, and the return of the 'family doctor'."
"Harnessing community pharmacy is crucial to delivering each of these," Harrison added.
In his address to both Houses of Parliament today (17 July), King Charles III highlighted the new government's commitment to enhancing the National Health
Service (NHS), reducing waiting times, focussing on preventive care, and improving mental health services.
Marking the first State Opening of Parliament under the Labour government, the King unveiled a raft of bills and draft bills, including the Mental Health Bill
and the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
King Charles III said: "My government will improve the National Health Service as a service for all, providing care on the basis of need regardless of the ability
to pay.
"It will seek to reduce the waiting times, focus on prevention and improve mental health provision for young people."
Furthermore, the King stated that mental health would be given the same attention and focus as physical health. He announced the introduction of the Mental Health
Bill, which aims to modernise the Mental Health Act to better meet contemporary needs.
In a stirring address at the recent conference on Pharmacy at the Westminster Health Forum, Director of NHS Services at Community Pharmacy England (CPE),
Alastair Buxton presented a stark assessment of the community pharmacy sector's challenges.
Highlighting years of financial constraints imposed by the NHS and government, Buxton warned of a sector teetering on the edge of survival.
"There have been no years of financial and operational squeezes applied by the NHS and
government to the community pharmacy sector, so as a consequence, there are a lot of pharmacies that are on the on the brink of survival -battling for survival,"
he said.
Buxton underscored the critical and indispensable role of community pharmacies in delivering essential NHS Services, from dispensing medications to innovative
initiatives like the Discharge Medicine Service and Contraception Service.
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