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Pharmacist Support, the independent charity dedicated to supporting pharmacists and their families, has launched a new fundraising campaign with a dual focus: addressing the immediate needs of pharmacists' families and securing future support for the pharmacy community. This campaign is timed to coincide with Remember a Charity Week (September 9-15) and World Pharmacists Day (September 25), aiming to underscore the importance of both immediate donations and long-term legacy giving. World Pharmacists Day is dedicated to celebrating the vital contributions of pharmacists and recognising the challenges they face. This year, Pharmacist Support is urging the pharmacy sector and its supporters to make a donation that will have an immediate impact on those in need. With growing concerns over rising levels of stress, mental health challenges, and financial difficulties within the profession, the charity emphasises that every contribution will help continue their crucial support services for those facing hardship.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Pharmacist Support have announced a formal agreement aimed at enhancing collaboration to better support RPS members and increase the impact of the charity. This partnership comes after years of working closely together, and formalising it will allow both organisations to reach a wider audience and focus on supporting the wellbeing of pharmacy professionals. The aim of the partnership is to establish a visible link between the professional body and the independent charity to increase awareness about the two organisations for greater focus on the support within the sector. Along with this, the key objectives also include identifying fundraising opportunities for Pharmacist Support, and collaborating on specific wellbeing projects.

A Middlesbrough pharmacy worker has raised nearly £1,000 for cancer support by participating in 'Brave the Shave,' a charity fundraising campaign organised in memory of some of her colleagues who lost their battle with cancer. Sam Smith, a trainee pharmacy technician at the University Hospital of North Tees shaved off her blue hair to support two cancer services: the cancer information centre at her hospital and Macmillan Cancer Support. The 34-year-old's brave decision began this summer after she commented about shaving her head to cope with the heat. A colleague jokingly offered her £5 to follow through, which sparked the idea to turn the gesture into a charity fundraiser - Brave the Shave. In a video shared by the University, Sam is seen getting her head shaved at the hospital while her pharmacy colleagues cheer her on. Teesside pharmacy worker raises nearly £1,000 for cancer support by shaving off her blue locks Sporting a bald head, Sam said: "It doesn't feel like my head right now but it's very liberating. "I said I wouldn't do it for anything less than £300 so to raise just shy of £1,000 is amazing. Thank you to everybody who has donated - you've made it all worth it."

UK-based consumer health company Kenvue has developed a series of tools and materials to support healthcare professionals - including pharmacy teams - with their conversations with smokers on their quit journey. This is part of their newly launched Smokefree Families initiative, which aims to help reduce the number of smoking households with children in England. Kenvue believes that pharmacists and their teams are vital to the success of this initiative, as they play a crucial role in supporting smokers in their quit journey. "As trusted sources of support and advice to families across the country, we firmly believe that community pharmacy teams are crucial to the success of our Smokefree Families initiative," Manoj Raghunandanan, Area Managing Director, Northern Europe at Kenvue, told Pharmacy Business. "To support them, we've created a series of tools and materials that can help pharmacists and other healthcare professionals tackle sensitive conversations with new and expectant parents, their partners and support networks, and ultimately motivate them on their quit journey."

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), professional membership body for pharmacists and pharmacy, has published its manifesto for the general election, highlighting key issues facing the next government after the election on July 4. Local candidates are urged to recognise and support the vital role pharmacists play in supporting people's health. The RPS teams are gearing up to influence government policy in various crucial areas. Their key asks include: Ensuring Secure Patient Access to Medicines Supporting a Better-Connected NHS Enhancing Accessible Prescribing in Local Communities Maximizing Health Improvement through Locally Accessible Pharmacy Teams Supporting the Workforce to Deliver Patient Care Unlocking the Potential of New Advances in Medicines Supporting the UK's Global Position in Science and Research Acknowledging the efforts of pharmacists and their teams, Professor Claire Anderson, President of the RPS, noted that they are "working incredibly hard to maintain patient access to care amid workforce challenges, medicines shortages and financial pressures."

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has warned of potential pharmacy closures in the coming months if long-standing funding cuts are not addressed and pharmacies are not supported with the National Insurance rise. With Downing Street suggesting that GP surgeries may receive extra support to offset the increase in employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) later this year, NPA chief executive Paul Rees has called on the government to extend similar support to pharmacies. A No 10 spokeswoman clarified that contracted workers, including GPs, were not eligible for an exemption from the NICs hike, which she said was consistent with the approach of previous governments. "There is a general process whereby departments, the Department of Health, for example, confirm their funding for general practices," the spokeswoman said, noting this process would occur later in the year. In response, Paul said that it would be "an insult" if GPs were provided support for the National Insurance rise but not hard-working pharmacies, who have faced nearly a decade of cuts in funding and are shutting at record rates.

Sigma Pharmaceuticals, a leading pharmacy wholesaler and distributor in the UK, has once again demonstrated its commitment to supporting the local community by helping raise over £70,000 for local charitable causes. As per a statement from Watford-based industry leader, they raised £20,000 for Citizens Advice Watford, their selected charity of the year, during the recent Sigma annual conference held in Sun City, South Africa. Additionally, Sigma played a vital part in raising more than £52,000 for 'Team George' at the London Marathon Charity run held on Sunday, 21 April 2024 to support cancer charities. Throughout the year, Sigma will continue to partner with Citizens Advice Watford, a local charity that provides frontline service to the community, giving free, expert and impartial advice and support to 8,000 people a year, many of whom are facing crisis situations. Applauding the work done by this charity, Dr Bharat Shah CBE, Founder and Managing Director at Sigma, said: "It has been eye-opening to learn about the life-changing impact the charity has on the lives of so many people. "We have seen how their expert team works day in and day out to speak up for people who have nowhere else to turn, ensuring they receive the support and services they're entitled to."

Pharmacist Support has announced the launch of its fifth annual Pharmacist ACTNow Wellbeing Campaign, set to run from 18 October to 8 November 2024. This year's campaign will focus on three critical themes: workplace culture, loneliness and professional isolation, and physical health. Danielle Hunt, Chief Executive of Pharmacist Support, emphasises: "Our pharmacy family is at the heart of everything we do. Through ongoing research and feedback, we understand the challenges facing people across the profession. "This year's ACTNow campaign is designed to meet these evolving needs, offering free, accessible wellbeing resources that address key concerns." Participants who sign up for the three-week campaign will gain access to a range of free resources, including practical guidance for managing workplace wellbeing and creating supportive environments.

To support NHS, clear the backlog created by the Covid-19 pandemic and help community pharmacies support more people, the Welsh government has announced an allocation of further £12.5 million funding. Of the total amount, £10mn will be distributed across the 22 local authorities to buy equipment to help people to live independently in their own homes post hospital stay. The remainder, £2.5mn, will be used to support community pharmacists and patients to improve access to treatment and advice for a range of common ailments. The move is aimed at alleviating waiting times and reducing winter pressures on the NHS. Commenting on the announcement, Elen Jones, Royal Pharmaceutical Society director for Wales said: "We are delighted that the Welsh government continue to recognise the value of pharmacists in patient care and we welcome this additional investment and support for Community Pharmacy teams across Wales.

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.

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.

Over the last few years pharmacy and the role of pharmacy teams has changed dramatically. The introduction of technology and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within systems that provide healthcare and support to pharmacies holds great promise; for improving access to health, supporting patient outcomes, and optimising operational efficiency. Currently, the potential use of AI could span the whole of the medicines value chain, from AI-driven drug discovery to personalised medicines and automated dispensing systems. However, the rapid advancement of AI technology does raise several ethical concerns. This article will explore these concerns and how they can be addressed. In previous articles, I have discussed what underpins artificially intelligent machines and the importance of data. Datasets are the foundation on which AI algorithms learn and generate conclusions. The first step to understanding the potential ethical implications of AI across the pharmacy sector is to understand the data that is held within these foundational datasets. Patient privacy and data security AI systems in and outside of the pharmacy sector, which support patient care, rely heavily on vast amounts of medical data (patient medical records, PMR data, etc). However, the collection, storage, and use of such sensitive data can possibly bring significant privacy concerns. GDPR compliance is essential within the UK and ethical questions arise around data ownership, patient consent, and the possibility of data and cybersecurity breaches. As frontline healthcare professionals, we need to be able to support our patients when questions are asked about their data. For example, how can patients be sure their data is used only for its intended purposes? Is anonymised data truly safe from de-identification techniques that could expose private information?

Pharmacist Support has released its 2023 Impact Report, revealing significant growth in digital access and well-being initiatives. The report shows a 49 per cent increase in website visits and a corresponding 47 per cent rise in pages viewed compared to the previous year. These improvements reflect the charity's investment in digital infrastructure to enhance access to critical services for pharmacists nationwide. Additionally, calls to the peer support scheme, Listening Friends, increased by 74 per cent , aided by the introduction of an online referral form. The charity also reported a 23 per cent rise in financial grants awarded, amounting to £193,528, through a new online grants portal.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, presented the Labour government 's Autumn Budget 2024 in the House of Commons on Wednesday, describing it as "a Budget to fix the foundations of the economy and deliver change by protecting working people, fixing the NHS and rebuilding Britain." The Budget, the first from a Labour government in 14 years, introduces some significant measures to boost small businesses and deliver crucial support to the NHS amid challenging economic conditions. In a move to support businesses, the government has announced a fairer business rates system by permanently lowering the business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties from 2026-27. Additionally, £1.9 billion has been allocated to support small businesses and the high street in 2025-26, including freezing the small business multiplier and providing a 40% relief on RHL property bills, up to a £110,000 cash cap. To repair the public finances and raise funding for public services, the government has decided to increase the employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) rate by 1.2 percentage points to 15%, with effect from 6 April 2025.

With the UK General Election set for 4 July, pharmacy bodies are actively engaging with all political parties to secure support for the community pharmacy sector. They are pressing parties to address urgent issues such as pharmacy closures and medicine shortages. "The upcoming general election is a critical opportunity for us to strengthen supporters of community pharmacy in readiness for the new Parliament," said Janet Morrison, chief executive of Community Pharmacy England (CPE). She stressed the need for unity within the sector in advocating for community pharmacy and raising awareness of the issues with election candidates from all parties. As the general election approaches, CPE has called upon all political parties to support pharmacies by "introducing a long-term sustainable funding model and reviewing the medicines supply chain, including much-needed short-term relief measures."

The UK GDP Association has been established as a non-profit organisation, operating as a Community Interest Company (CIC), with a focus on providing a broader support network, particularly for small and medium business enterprises and pharmacy wholesalers. In addition to delivering commercially viable Good Distribution Practice (GDP) consultancy services for simple models with smaller budgets, the association aims to function as a networking platform for Responsible Persons in the UK. As members of the association, companies and individuals can gain multiple benefits that will add value to their business through access to knowledge, discounted training, consultancy services, audit and inspection support, as well as resources like document templates for risk assessments, CAPA, deviations, and more. Moreover, members can enjoy the benefit of a like-minded support network via a dedicated GDP community hub, providing a platform for discussions, seeking advice, and fostering new relationships. "Our mission is to ensure that patient safety, GDP compliance, and excellent quality is paramount in all organisations, regardless of budget," the company said.

A group of 20 parliamentarians has written to health secretary Wes Streeting MP, calling for urgent government action to address the growing financial crisis facing community pharmacies. In the cross-party letter, supported by Community Pharmacy England (CPE), the MPs warned of a real risk of more pharmacy closures, with one in six pharmacy owners saying that they are unsure if their pharmacy will survive the year. They have urged the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England (NHSE) to prioritise long-term planning for pharmacies, including the implementation of the Community Pharmacist Prescribing Service. The MPs have also highlighted the need for more effective marketing for Pharmacy First to increase both walk-ins and referrals to this critical service. CPE chief executive Janet Morrison welcomed the support of 20 cross-party parliamentarians and recognising the vital role pharmacies play in the local community. She stressed the urgent need for immediate government intervention to ensure the survival of the sector and to maximise its potential in providing accessible care.

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.

Trainee pharmacists across Great Britain are preparing to participate in Pharmacist Support's annual Trainee ACTNow Wellbeing Campaign, scheduled from May 20th to 24th. Organised by the charity, this initiative aims to provide essential support as trainees approach the culmination of their placements and gear up for the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) assessment. Danielle Hunt, Chief Executive of Pharmacist Support, highlighted the campaign's focus on addressing the significant stress and pressure trainees may experience during this critical period. She stated: "We understand the anxiety and pressure they may feel, not only in preparing for the assessment but also in stepping into their roles as registered pharmacists."

"If the Government does not support community pharmacies with the relevant funding, then we will see a massive number of closures," warns Dr. Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the Independent Pharmacies Association (IPA). The Fight4Pharmacies campaign, led by the IPA, is urging prime minister Rishi Sunak to address a critical £1.2 billion funding shortfall that threatens the survival of independent pharmacies across the UK. This urgent plea comes as 1,000 community pharmacies have closed since 2019 due to rising operational costs and insufficient reimbursements. On May 21, supporters of the Fight4Pharmacies campaign, along with 50 MPs including prominent figures like Priti Patel and Gavin Williamson, delivered a petition to Downing Street. The petition, Prescription to Save Our Pharmacies outlines how independent community pharmacies can be supported to ensure smooth running of pharmacies.