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EMIS Pinnacle, the leading Pharmacy First IT supplier, has begun implementing the GP Connect Update Record feature to all community pharmacies in England that use PharmOutcomes. Starting June 28, this new feature was made available for use with the Hypertension case-finding service and the Pharmacy contraception service, as announced by the Community Pharmacy England (CPE). The GP Connect Update Record will enable community pharmacies to securely share "structured" information with GP practices regarding consultations conducted under the Pharmacy First programme, which includes minor illness and clinical pathways, along with Hypertension Case Finding and Pharmacy Contraception services Live testing is underway with EMIS Pinnacle for Pharmacy First minor illness and clinical pathways. There are plans to expand the system in the future to include updates for urgent supply of medicines under the Pharmacy First service. EMIS Pinnacle is the third CPCF IT system supplier to offer this functionality, following Cegedim's Pharmacy Services system and Positive Solutions' HXConsult system.

Community pharmacists across the UK are looking for ways to reduce operational costs and find new sources of revenue. This is a pressing issue for the sector: reversing a decade of cuts to pharmacy funding will be a mammoth task, while pharmacists have taken on new primary care responsibilities under Pharmacy First. This means that fresh sources of revenue and lower costs will overwhelmingly come from new technology and the efficiencies they can bring. As Britain's 11,500 community pharmacies assume a larger role on the frontlines of primary care, pharmacists should rapidly implement cost-effective tech solutions that provide pharmacies with a one-stop-shop to drive down costs and increase revenue. Opportunity in PGD reform New technology will be key for community pharmacists to benefit fully from reforms to PGDs. The scope of PGDs is now significantly expanding: as of June 26, pharmacy technicians are now on the list of registered healthcare professionals who can make use of PGDs. These reforms can benefit community pharmacies in several ways. For one, they will allow more pharmacy staff to administer 'frontline services' such as vaccinations - reducing costs and generating revenue. Further, the wider range of services that pharmacies can offer under Pharmacy First will make these procedures, as well as other kinds of preventative care, more accessible and convenient - increasing footfall. With international travel and tourism now growing apace, increased demand for travel vaccinations means that, according to research from Charac, the average UK community pharmacy can expect to generate £46,800 a year through travel health services.

Pharmacy minister Stephen Kinnock has pledged to enhance the role of community pharmacies, particularly in deprived areas, by making better use of the skills of pharmacy teams. In a video message at the SIGMA UK Community Pharmacy Conference 2024 on Sunday, Kinnock also announced plans to expand the Pharmacy First initiative and introduce an independent prescribing service, making prescribing an integral part of the service delivered by community pharmacies. He said: "Since taking on the role of minister of state for care in government, my message has been very clear: we must get our fantastic primary care sector back on its feet to be able to deliver for our patients. "This government is committed to shifting care from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention, and pharmacies will play a vital role in that." Kinnock acknowledged the pressures faced by the sector and expressed concerns that so many community pharmacies have exited the market over the past decade.

People in the UK have a high level of trust in pharmacies and many are keen on seeing the Pharmacy First initiative expanded, according to the 2024 STADA Health Report published today (24 June). The 10th annual health report by global healthcare leader STADA Arzneimittel AG, the parent company of Thornton & Ross, involved a survey of over 46,000 respondents across 23 countries, including 2,000 participants from the UK. The UK data showed an overwhelming trust in UK pharmacies, with 94 per cent of those surveyed (more than nine out of 10 Brits) saying they have only ever had good advice from a pharmacist. The report also indicated a strong desire for the Pharmacy First scheme to be expanded, with 44 per cent of respondents advocating for an increase in pharmacists' scope of responsibilities to support doctors.

Health secretary Wes Streeting has pledged to stabilise the community pharmacy system before enabling it to take on a broader role in healthcare, as he addressed the Health and Social Care Select Committee in Parliament on Wednesday (18 December). "Now that we have got the budget set, we will be consulting with Community Pharmacy England shortly in the New Year," Streeting stated. "I do want to reassure pharmacists across the country that we are taking into account the enormous pressures they are under when thinking about allocations so that we can stabilise the system and create the foundations from which to recover." The health secretary emphasised that his top priority is to "stabilise the [community pharmacy] system" before expanding initiatives such as Pharmacy First and independent prescribing. He also expressed a vision for community pharmacies to play "a bigger role… as part of the shift from hospital to community," but stressed that immediate steps are required to address the sector's current financial strain. The announcement that Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) negotiations will commence early in the New Year was reaffirmed by Streeting, echoing a statement made earlier in the week by minister for care Stephen Kinnock during a Westminster Hall debate.

Scotland's first minister, John Swinney, has announced the expansion of the NHS Pharmacy First Service as part of the government's strategy to shift more care into communities. However, Numark chairman Harry McQuillan has stressed the need for additional funding to support this expansion effectively. Speaking at the National Robotarium in Edinburgh on 27 January 2025, Swinney outlined the government's plans for enhancing public services and renewing the NHS, promising a significant boost in NHS Scotland's capacity to reduce waiting times. Recognising the importance of identifying new approaches, Swinney underscored the critical role of community pharmacies in easing pressure on GP services. He said: "I want to see the NHS Scotland Pharmacy First Service expand so that community pharmacies can treat a greater number of clinical conditions and prevent the need for a GP visit in the first place." McQuillan welcomed the announcement, stating that this advancement will "empower pharmacists to provide even greater value, leveraging their clinical expertise to deliver comprehensive care directly to patients." However, he noted that the sector should be provided with extra funding to support this expansion.

Marking Pharmacy First's first anniversary in England, the Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has called on policymakers to expand the service, highlighting that there's still "significant room for growth." In a report released today, the association estimates that expanding the service could free up 40 million general practice (GP) appointments every year - more than four times the current potential - and around a tenth of all GP appointments. In its current form, the service is expected to free up more than 9 million GP appointments annually. The CCA has recommended expanding the criteria and treatments available for the existing seven conditions and introducing new conditions. According to the report, community pharmacies provided nearly 1.5 million consultations for the seven covered conditions -earaches, urinary tract infections, sore throats

The former Bensons for Beds store on Brock Street, which has been closed for over a decade, is set to be transformed into a new healthcare hub and pharmacy for the local community. Husband-and-wife team Tariq and Nabila Malik, practising pharmacists in Lancaster for over 20 years, have confirmed that they are relocating and expanding their services from their two existing city centre pharmacies to the historic Oddfellows Hall, built in 1844. The couple currently operate two pharmacies-one on Dalton Square and the other on King Street. Their new venture, Brock Street Pharmacy (Health and Travel Clinic), is scheduled to open on November 4, with the entire team from both closing pharmacies making the move. Extensive renovation and building work have been carried out to save and restore the heritage Victorian building in recent months. "It's the biggest project we've ever been involved in, but the whole team are really excited about bringing this heritage building back to life, making more services even more easily accessible to our community," said Nabila.

Armstrong's Pharmacy in Sheffield, South Yorkshire has been sold for the first time in 67 years for an undisclosed price. Located on the corner of Gleadless Road, three miles south-west of Sheffield City Centre, the pharmacy dispenses an average of 11,332 items per month, according to Christie and Co, the broker that facilitated the sale. Owned and operated by the Armstrong family since 1957, the business has been acquired by a husband-and-wife team of first-time buyers. The new owners, whose identities were not disclosed, plan to expand the pharmacy by adding more consultation rooms and increasing services offered to the local community. Chris Armstrong, the previous owner, ran the business with his wife Jane before deciding to sell in preparation for their retirement. Commenting on the sale, Chris said: "It was a big decision to sell our multigenerational business but, when it was time to retire, we were glad that Christie and Co were able to quickly market the business successfully."

The Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has urged NHS England to expand the Pharmacy First service by increasing treatment options, adding more conditions, and integrating Independent Prescribing into the service. This would further promote pharmacists as antimicrobial stewards while enhancing patient access to urgent care, it said. Managing patient demand for antibiotics remains a challenge for healthcare professionals, including pharmacists. However, a new report by CCA confirms that pharmacists are acting as responsible providers of antibiotics, in line with Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) guidelines. The service allows pharmacies to provide advice and treatment, including prescription-only medication, for seven common conditions: earache, uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women, sore throat, sinusitis, infected insect bites, impetigo, and shingles. Patients can access the service via GP referrals or by visiting or contacting a pharmacy directly.

Community pharmacy is integral to accelerating the three shifts envisaged by the government, but concrete action is needed to address the current funding crisis - the Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has stated in its response to the 10-year plan consultation. The CCA highlighted a wide range of pharmacy services that could contribute to achieving the government's vision shifting care from hospitals to community, from analogue to digital, and from treating sickness to prevention. To strengthen the sector's role in prevention, it proposes expanding the pharmacy's role in vaccination, screening, emergency hormonal contraception (EHC), and smoking cessation services. Furthermore, the CCA's submission noted that the expansion of Pharmacy First as "key to moving more care into the community."

As the general election campaign heats up, major political parties - including Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats - have released their manifestos, detailing their plans and visions for the future of community pharmacy. While the Conservative Party promises to expand Pharmacy First initiative, Labour pledges support for small businesses, with plans to overhaul the business rates system. The Liberal Democrats' election manifesto commits to developing a fairer and more sustainable long-term funding model for pharmacies. Announcing their plans recently, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated that they are investing in community care services to secure the future of the NHS and make healthcare more accessible. The Conservatives plan to fund these initiatives by cutting NHS managerial positions back to pre-pandemic levels and halving the government's management consultancy expenditure.

NPA Insurance, a wholly owned subsidiary of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), has updated its professional indemnity policy for locum pharmacists to better support their expanding roles in healthcare. The enhanced policy now includes private and NHS prescribing cover for weight loss and other areas of competence, which is available for locums working in pharmacy, general practice and hospital settings. Policyholders will benefit from an extended range of cover, which includes, as standard, the delivery of the NHS Pharmacy First service, the expanded pharmacy contraception service, and the re-launched hypertension case-finding service. Moreover, NPA Insurance has removed charges for vaccine administration, including COVID-19, flu, and travel. Locum pharmacists will also have access to NPA Insurance's award-winning claims team as part of the new policy.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has awarded marketing authorisation to CStone Pharmaceuticals for sugemalimab (Eqjubi) as a first-line treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in the UK. NSCLC is the most common form of lung cancer, accounting for around 80 to 85 out of 100 cases. Sugemalimab is now approved as a first-line treatment, in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy, for adult patients with metastatic NSCLC who do not have EGFR-sensitive mutations or ALK, ROS1, or RET genomic alterations. This UK approval follows its recent authorisation by the European Commission, marking the second international approval for sugemalimab. CStone's CEO Dr. Jason Yang described the UK's approval as a significant milestone in their global expansion strategy. "Sugemalimab is the first domestic anti-PD-L1 antibody to receive approval outside of China and has already entered the world's second-largest pharmaceutical market, the EU. "Now, with the UK approval, sugemalimab continued to expand its presence in the European market. The long-term survival data, recently presented at this year's ESMO Congress, further confirmed sugemalimab's value in the frontline treatment landscape for metastatic NSCLC," he said.

The UK government on Thursday (8 May) launched a new plan to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a global issue that makes infections difficult or impossible to treat. This is the second phase of a series of 5-year national action plans, aimed at supporting the government's 20-year vision to contain and control AMR by 2040. With the launch of this new national action plan, the UK commits to reducing its use of antimicrobials - such as antibiotics, antifungals and antivirals - in humans and animals. Additionally, it aims to strengthen surveillance of drug-resistant infections before they emerge and incentivise industry to develop the next generation of treatments. There are also plans to expand initiatives such as the world-first 'subscription model' for antimicrobials, launched in 2019 as a pilot.