Pharmacy contracts: where the money goesSubscription
Funding for the national community pharmacy contracts in England, Scotland and Wales is distributed differently. Here is a breakdown of how the three countries fund pharmacy services.
Editorial
The public must be warned about the dangers of the online medicines free-for-allSubscription
The government needs to take action to stop prescription drugs, including opioids and slimming tablets, being obtained from online pharmacies that can avoid regulation.
Pharmacists need answers now on FMDSubscription
With less than six months to go until the Falsified Medicines Directive comes into force, pharmacists in the UK need to know how to prepare for its implementation and what financial impact it could have on their business.
Comment
Let’s be honest about the new medicine serviceSubscription
We need to be sure whether the community pharmacy service works or not before expanding it to new patients.
Q&A
'Patients could be seriously disadvantaged by Brexit, if we don’t get our act together'
UK drug regulator chair Sir Michael Rawlins on supplies of medicines after Brexit, POM-to-P switches and the legalisation of medical cannabis.
Learning article
Thrush: detection and management in community pharmacy
Pharmacists can provide treatment and advice for this common yeast infection.
How pharmacists can encourage patient adherence to medicines
This article outlines how community pharmacists can play an important role in medicines adherence, including examples of how to reinforce treatment.
Careers
GP pharmacist contracts: to sign or not to sign?Subscription
Pharmacists give advice to a colleague who has discovered something disturbing in the small print of their contract.
A day in the life of a GP pharmacistSubscription
Shivani Patel details a typical day as a newly registered GP pharmacist.
Graham Stretch: biking, climbing and power toolsSubscription
A minute in the company of the multi-award winning primary care pharmacist.
News
BMA warns of 'catastrophic' effect on health of no-deal BrexitSubscription
A no-deal Brexit could be a “catastrophe” for NHS services and workforce, patients and the health of the nation, the British Medical Association has warned.
Bawa-Garba wins appeal to be reinstated to medical register Subscription
A paediatric trainee who was found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter after the death of a six-year-old boy from sepsis has won her appeal to be reinstated to the medical register and continue to practise as a doctor.
FDA permits marketing of first mobile app for contraceptionSubscription
The first mobile medical application to be used as a method of contraception has been granted marketing approval by the US Food and Drug Administration.
CCG commissions new minor ailments schemeSubscription
Dudley clinical commissioning group has commissioned a minor ailments scheme to improve patient care and make cost savings for the NHS, bucking the trend of the schemes being wound down elsewhere.
Patient safety must not be risked by unannounced pharmacy inspections, says RPSSubscription
Inspectors should be given the power to close pharmacies if patient care is put at risk during unannounced pharmacy inspections, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society has said.
Do not buy new scanners before clarification on government funding, says FMD lead Subscription
Community pharmacists should not have to pay for scanners and other technology needed to implement the Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) without government assurances on funding, the chair of the UK FMD working group for community pharmacy has said.
Non-drug approaches should be prioritised when treating agitation in Alzheimer’s disease, says expert panel Subscription
EMA scales back functions and expects to lose a third of its staff Subscription
Switching to biosimilar and generic medicines saved the NHS over £300m in a yearSubscription
GPhC rates more than 600 pharmacies as 'poor'Subscription
Scottish Conservatives propose 24-hour pharmacy serviceSubscription
Boots wants to exclude 300 pharmacists from bargaining unit, says PDA UnionSubscription
Over half of GP pharmacists give lifestyle advice to patients every day, report showsSubscription
BPSA receives 'little to no positive feedback' on 2018 preregistration examSubscription
Pharmacy involvement in care of hypertensive patients could reduce GP workload, study findsSubscription
Brexit could lead to a significant shortage of pharmacists, says CCASubscription
Regulator to rewrite standards in drive to tackle inequalities for preregistration candidatesSubscription
News in brief
Oral contraceptives among top 10 most important medicines to be introduced in NHS history, say experts
Oral contraceptives, tamoxifen and the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine are three of the ten most important and impactful medicines to be introduced to the NHS during its history, according to a report funded by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry.
Pharmacies to get phased delivery of flu vaccines for over 65s from September
Community pharmacies will receive 40% of their supply of the trivalent flu vaccine in September 2018, with the rest following after that, in order to ensure an “equitable supply”.
Ravi Sharma appointed RPS director for England
Ravi Sharma has been appointed as the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s director of England.
Preregistration exam pass rate up to 79%
This year’s preregistration candidates increased their pass rate from last year to 79%.
HPV vaccination programme in England to be extended to boys
Boys aged 12–13 years in England will now be offered the human papilloma virus vaccine to protect them from cancer, health minister Steve Brine has announced.
Newly-registered community pharmacists experience high strain and professional isolation, study reveals
The transition to independent community pharmacy practice is associated with emotional stress and workplace isolation.
Medication reviews cut prescribing in older people with diabetes
A review of older people with diabetes who take sulfonylureas led to 58% being deprescribed the medication, according to results of research carried out by the West Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Group.
Probable carcinogen in heart drug may have been present since 2012, reveals EMA
An impurity found in valsartan-containing medicines manufactured in China could have been present since 2012, according to the European Medicines Agency.
More than 40 hay fever risk genes uncovered by international study
Researchers have discovered more than 40 risk genes associated with hay fever, including 20 not previously known about.
