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A tribunal has ordered Boots to pay over £58,000 in compensation and costs to a pharmacist who was racially profiled at work. S.Famojuro, a black pharmacist of Nigerian national origin, experienced racial harassment from pharmacy team members during a shift on 18 July 2020. The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA), the independent trade union for pharmacists, represented the pharmacist throughout the internal grievance processes and at the Employment Tribunal hearing. In a detailed written judgment, the pharmacy team members and company managers were heavily criticised by the Tribunal, after finding that a pre-registration pharmacy technician and a pharmacy advisor had undermined Famojuro in his professional role as the Responsible Pharmacist (RP) and insulted him. The pharmacist lodged a grievance with Boots regarding his treatment, but it took the company over four months to initiate the investigation and set a meeting date, and this was only done after the PDA intervened to address the unacceptable delays.

Recent NHS data sheds light on the evolving landscape of fit note certification, indicating a gradual expansion of roles beyond traditional medical practitioners to pharmacists and nurses. This uptake in numbers coincides with the Department of Work and Pensions's (DWP) call for evidence in relation to fit note reform which will remain open till 8 July 2024. According to figures published by NHS Digital, during the nine-month period from April 2023 to December 2023, pharmacists certified a significant number of fit notes. Approximately 1.4 per cent of fit notes of the 8 million were issued by pharmacists while the rest were issued by the GP surgeries reflecting the impact following legislative amendments in July 2022, which extended certification authority to pharmacists, nurses, occupational therapists, and physiotherapists. In June 2022, the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) advised pharmacists not to sign fit notes where the required therapeutic, diagnostic, or examination skills lie outside their scope of competence. The association remarked that healthcare professionals needed mandatory training under the Health Education England before they are fit to issue fitness notes to the public.

Hallo Healthcare has announced its decision to exit from its hospital pharmacy sites, currently operated by LloydsPharmacy Healthcare Services (LP HCS Limited), which primarily provides outpatient services. Pharmacists and their teams at its 64 pharmacy sites were informed on Monday, 19 August 2024, about the company's plans to withdraw from this sector. The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA), the recognised trade union representing pharmacists at these sites, was also notified. The association has assured its support for members impacted by the decision, although it noted that the process of branch transfers could take several months. "It is expected to be several months before all such branch transfers are agreed and undertaken," the PDA said. The association noted that contracts to provide such services "do change hands periodically with some hospital outpatient departments (OPDs) operated by pharmacy multiples and others operated by hospital-owned subsidiaries" and highlighted its experience in supporting pharmacists when employers change in this way. PDA Union Director Paul Day is hopeful that there will be no job losses in outpatient services and that all pharmacists will be able to continue in their current roles.

Pharmacists, who are working on the frontline of healthcare, can play an important role in raising awareness about mental health and helping those experiencing poor mental health. With this belief, the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) is encouraging its representatives at Boots to participate in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training offered by the company. Nicola Rees, PDA Rep and Boots pharmacist from Solihull, who has recently undertaken training as a Mental Health First Aider, said that trained pharmacists can help in reducing the stigma associated with mental health and identifying the early warning signs that someone may be experiencing poor mental health. Mental Health First Aid training enables pharmacists to "support individuals and signpost to sources of advice and support." Rees expressed that becoming a mental health first aider has empowered her and greatly increased her confidence in being able to support someone dealing with a mental health issue, such as having thoughts of suicide or self-harm.

At the recent 'Locum Matters' online event held on June 25, 2024, members of the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) discussed critical issues facing locum pharmacists, with a disturbing trend taking center stage: employers pressuring locum pharmacists to accept lower rates under the threat of potential pharmacy closures. The event, organised in response to feedback from PDA locum members, addressed a range of significant topics including training for the recent Pharmacy First Services, respect for professional autonomy, and the need for adequate rest breaks. However, the issue of rate pressure and pharmacy closures was a focal point. Several locum pharmacists reported that some employers were leveraging the possibility of pharmacy closures to coerce them into working for lower pay. This unethical practice has raised alarm within the locum community, highlighting the precarious working conditions many face.

In a bid to amplify the role of pharmacists in clinical services and vaccination programs, the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has embarked on a groundbreaking collaboration with Aston University. This initiative, funded by Innovate UK Business Connect, aims to explore the feasibility and impact of integrating additional healthcare interventions within community pharmacies. "The Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) research project represents an exciting opportunity to advance the role of pharmacists in patient care," remarked Alison Jones, Director of Policy at PDA. "This project will be an important part of that evolution, supporting individual pharmacists to have more opportunities to practice and so develop more fulfilling careers." Led by the PDA and Aston University, the project will commence imminently, focusing on the Priory Community Pharmacy in Dudley.

In a bid to bolster professional leadership within the pharmacy sector, the four government Chief Pharmaceutical Officers (CPhOs) have embarked on a significant initiative, forming the UK Pharmacy Professional Leadership Advisory Board (UKPPLAB). In a recent communication, all pharmacists and pharmacy technicians received confirmation of the board members selected by the CPhOs, alongside a note from the board's appointed chair, who was chosen collectively by the four CPhOs and reports directly to the CPhO for England. Over three years, the 21-member Board will implement recommendations from the UK Commission on Pharmacy Professional Leadership's report aimed to enhance professional fulfillment among pharmacists while simultaneously augmenting patient safety standards. This announcement also follows with the appointment of Sir Hugh Taylor as its Independent Chair and the appointment of Independent Expert Members who expressed his delight over the role's "potential to lead and support collaboration across the professions in the UK". However, the move has been met with cautious optimism from the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA), urging the new board to uphold transparency and openness to garner trust among pharmacists.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has reported growing concerns among its members regarding their safety at work as the far-right, anti-immigration riots escalate across the UK. "We have received calls from members who are concerned about their safety at work and feel vulnerable in communities where the violence and disorder are taking place," the organisation told Pharmacy Business. The PDA also reported that some hospital outpatient departments and GP surgeries were forced to close their doors to allow staff to get home safely, which may impact services to patients. In light of these challenges, the PDA is calling on employers to ensure that they are adequately communicating with pharmacists in locations at risk of conflict and to prioritise the health and safety of staff and patients. "We are aware that pharmacists and their teams working in areas where this criminal activity is taking place are feeling vulnerable but that they also want to ensure that their communities are safe and have access to the vital services pharmacies provide.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has secured the right to negotiate and agree on proposed changes to the NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) terms and conditions for its members. This milestone follows an agreement with other NHS trade unions, enabling the PDA Union to join the NHS Staff Side. As part of this group, the PDA can now actively participate in the NHS National Joint Council, which oversees changes to AfC. Participation in the NHS Staff Side brings significant benefits for PDA members, especially those employed in the NHS under AfC. In addition to providing the PDA the right to negotiate and agree proposed changes to AfC, it empowers the trade union to advocate for pharmacists at the highest levels in the NHS, participate fully in the NHS Social Partnership Forum, and collaborate with other unions on critical issues such as NHS pay. It also gives PDA members the right to be represented at local trust level on matters handled by local staff sides.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has emerged as a key player in international humanitarian efforts, delivering millions of pounds worth of medical aid to disaster-hit regions. This marks a significant evolution for the PDA, which has embraced a leadership role in global relief initiatives. The PDA, a member of the Employed Pharmacists of Europe (EPhEU), responded to an urgent appeal from its Ukrainian members following the extensive damage to Ukraine's healthcare infrastructure during the military invasion. As the elected Secretary General of EPhEU, PDA Chairman Mark Koziol orchestrated a campaign encouraging public donations through 'Medicines to Ukraine' posters displayed in pharmacies across Europe. The campaign successfully raised over £4.5 million, which was used to procure and deliver essential medicines directly to Ukrainian Ministry of Health pharmacists.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has welcomed the Chancellor's announcement of a 5.5 percent pay increase for NHS pharmacists. Following the acceptance of the NHS Pay Review Body's (PRB) recommendations, Chancellor Rachel Reeves shared the announcement in a speech to Parliament on 29 July. She confirmed that the pay review bodies' recommendations for health and education for 2024-25 would be fully implemented. Reeves' speech came alongside the release of her audit into public finances, a commitment she made shortly after the recent election. The audit confirms that the recommendations from various PRBs, including those for NHS staff, doctors, dentists, teachers, and other public servants, have been approved and will be acted upon. "That is the right decision for the people who work in and most importantly the people who use our public services…giving hardworking staff the pay rise they deserve while ensuring we can recruit and retain the people we need," Reeves announced.

The Pharmacist's Defence Association (PDA) has raised concerns over the adoption of Digital Clinical Excellence (DiCE) guidelines for online prescribing of GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight management in adults. This follows a clash with expert recommendations commissioned by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) as the PDA "believes the final guidance conflicts with the expert opinion underpins the GPhC's prosecution strategy towards pharmacist prescribers under investigation." In a recent statement, the PDA highlighted the discrepancy between DiCE's guidance and the expert report employed by the GPhC to prosecute pharmacist prescribers using a questionnaire-based consultation model. This conflict has prompted the PDA to withhold its endorsement of the DiCE guidance as it differs from an expert report commissioned by the GPhC. The PDA's reservations stem from the inherent risks associated with questionnaire-based prescribing.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has raised concerns about inaccuracies in media reports regarding a campaign launched by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) to ballot members in protest over funding issues. The PDA clarified that only trade unions, like the PDA Union, can conduct ballots for industrial action. Therefore, it argued that the NPA's action should not be "inaccurately described as a strike or industrial or collective action." The PDA further explained that NPA's proposed ballot pertains to a contractual dispute between businesses operating community pharmacies and the NHS commissioners in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Additionally, the PDA noted that the NPA is not conducting a ballot for its members in Scotland. While some reports have stated that 'pharmacists' are being balloted for the first time to take collective action, the PDA pointed out that many NPA members are, in fact, business owners and investors, not pharmacists.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPHC), Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), Company Chemists Association (CCA), Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK), National Pharmacy Association (NPA), Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists, Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA), and Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA) have released a joint statement in response to the far-right riots across the UK. They emphasised their united stance, declaring zero tolerance for racism towards colleagues or the public in any form. The joint statement reads: "We are shocked and saddened by the violent public disorder events in recent days. "We acknowledge how all sectors of the pharmacy profession may be impacted and recognise the challenges that this level of overt aggression can have on people's ability or willingness to live their daily lives. "The pharmacy workforce deserves peace and safety, not fear and harm. We stand united in having a zero tolerance of racism towards our colleagues or the public in whatever form it takes." Meanwhile, Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has expressed concerns that protests and violent disorder in various towns and cities across England may impact the ability of community pharmacies to operate.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) is advising locum pharmacists to take screenshots of online agreements due to an increasing number of reports where community pharmacy businesses are unilaterally amending agreed-upon terms after a contract has been confirmed. The PDA highlighted one recent case where a locum was informed at short notice by the community pharmacy business that they would no longer pay the agreed hourly rate. The business then re-advertised the shift, falsely claiming that the booked locum was unwell. Unable to secure a locum at the new rate before the shift, the pharmacy closed, leaving patients and the local community without access to services. In such circumstances, the PDA advises affected locums to notify the relevant health boards or Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) of such breaches of NHS terms of service.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has written to the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) to highlight several important points regarding their proposed "day of action" on 20 June 2024. The NPA describes this initiative as a response to the "emergency across the community pharmacy sector." In a letter addressed to NPA Chair Nick Kaye and Chief Executive Paul Rees, the PDA's director of pharmacy, Jay Badenhorst stressed the need for NPA members to consider their obligations to staff and patients before participating in the planned actions. He stated, "We are supportive of a new contractual framework for the community pharmacy sector." "However, any actions taken must ensure the safety of patients and the operational integrity of pharmacies." The PDA's letter also expressed concerns over the safety and operational impact of the proposed symbolic gestures, including turning off lights and blacking out windows.

A judicial review claim launched by the British Medical Association (BMA) against the General Medical Council (GMC) has parallelly intensified Pharmacists' Defence Association's (PDA) scrutiny over the use of the term 'pharmacy professionals'. PDA has criticised the evolving definition of 'pharmacy professionals,' and the potential risks to patient safety amidst regulatory ambiguity as part of "a far wider agenda." Concerns stem from what the PDA perceives as a blurring of distinctions between pharmacists and pharmacy technicians as "attempted homogenisation" by bodies like the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), NHS, and Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). Raising similar issue as the BMA against the GMC over its use of 'medical professionals for doctors and Medical Associate Professions (MAPs), Mark Koizol, Chairman of the PDA has said:

"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.

In significant development, the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has advised its Boots members to challenge the "trustees' decision to end the ability to take an unreduced pension from age 60 by submitting complaints through the scheme's two-stage internal disputes procedure". The issue centers around the alterations made to pension scheme rules without the adequate disclosure to scheme members or their representatives. The PDA has drafted template letters to assist scheme members in response to undisclosed changes during a buyout process, sparking legal challenges and demands for transparency from Boots and scheme trustees. Paul Moloney, National Officer of the PDA Union leading the campaign, expressed concern over the sudden withdrawal of the right to an unreduced pension from age 60. "We have always maintained that members had a right under the rules to draw an unreduced pension from age 60," Moloney stated.

The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) has announced its support for the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA)'s Safer Pharmacies Charter, which aims to improve safety and care for patients, through better working conditions in UK pharmacy practice. The Charter establishes basic standards to ensure safe practices across all pharmacy settings. It outlines seven commitments that, according to the PDA, "must be standard practice whenever and wherever pharmacy work is carried out." Dr Catherine Duggan, FIP CEO, said: "We are pleased to support the PDA's Safer Pharmacies Charter which defines basic standards to ensure safe practice wherever pharmacists work. "The overall objectives of the Charter align with FIP's development goals and overall mission." FIP, the global body representing pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences, plans to distribute the Charter among its members and share it with its Community Pharmacy Section for information purposes.