Features
Are universities failing pharmacy trainees?Subscription
Graduates from some pharmacy schools achieve significantly higher final assessment pass rates than others.
Before the dawn: the tough regulatory climate holding back insomnia reliefSubscription
A new class of sleep medicines, could provide relief for people living with insomnia, but pharmaceutical companies are struggling to bring them to the market.
Secrets of success: the hospitals slashing their antibiotic useSubscription
Despite the rise of resistant infections, national figures show that antibiotic use continues to grow in hospitals. However, some trusts in England are stepping up their stewardship efforts and achieving significant reductions. Here, three trusts share the secrets to their success.
2019: trending topics in pharmacySubscription
We take a look at the biggest stories of the year and summarise some of your reactions to them.
Comment
Governments must make tackling AMR worth pharmacy's whileSubscription
Pharmaceutical companies won’t develop fast, cheap and effective diagnostic tools on their own — incentives are the missing piece to tackling antimicrobial resistance.
Q&A
Regan McCahill: 'The mental health of students is of the utmost importance'Subscription
Regan McCahill, president of the British Pharmaceutical Students’ Association, explains how her organisation will support newly qualified pharmacists in 2020.
CPD article
Polypharmacy: putting the framework into practiceSubscription
This article describes how to apply the polypharmacy framework at individual patient level through the use of a case study.
Learning article
Test yourself: the 2019 CPD and learning quiz Subscription
Take this quiz, with questions based on 2019’s CPD and learning articles, and test your knowledge of subjects ranging from dermatological conditions to infectious diseases.
Research
Reducing inappropriate polypharmacy in primary care through pharmacy-led interventionsSubscription
A pharmacy-led medicines optimisation team in a GP surgery setting reduced inappropriate polypharmacy, achieved cost savings of £103,975 and improved quality of prescribing for patients.
Careers
Scaling new career heights in 2020Subscription
We asked some of this year’s contributors to The Pharmaceutical Journal’s Careers section to recap their biggest career highlights of 2019 and share their goals for the coming year.
Editorial
A year of change for pharmacySubscription
The profession is likely to undergo significant changes over the forthcoming year.
'Paperless NHS' drive ignores community pharmacySubscription
A lack of funding and the effects of the electronic prescribing system have meant that pharmacies are using more paper than ever.
News
Confidential government documents reveal names of 209 medicine shortages in 2019 Subscription
The Department of Health and Social Care reported 209 medicines shortages in 2019, over half of which occurred for three months or more, according to monthly updates sent to NHS providers.
Revised prescription forms with Universal Credit tick box to be introducedSubscription
Pharmacists can expect to see new FP10 prescription forms from the end of January 2020.
'Reporting illicit drug reactions' pilot to close following lack of useSubscription
A pilot of a national system for reporting unexpected or severe illicit drug reactions has been stopped because of a lack of use by healthcare professionals.
NHS launches movie-inspired campaign to encourage public to visit their pharmacist Subscription
Patients are being encouraged to “take the drama out of minor illnesses” by visiting their pharmacist, as part of a movie poster-inspired campaign to encourage greater use of community pharmacies.
More than 2,300 complaints to Ofcom following This Morning comments about pharmacists Subscription
The UK’s communications regulator, Ofcom, has received more than 2,300 complaints following comments made about pharmacists on ITV’s This Morning.
Pharmacists could be asked to advise patients on drinking and smoking under NICE proposalsSubscription
Community pharmacists could be asked to strike up a conversation with patients about their general wellbeing, to encourage them to stop smoking, cut down on drinking and/or lose weight.
Pharmacist-led atrial fibrillation screening service cuts stroke numbers by 20%Subscription
Pharmacy sector criticises 'unrealistic' NHS England primary care proposals Subscription
Oriel application process should take more note of work experience and extracurricular activities, BPSA report finds Subscription
Pharmacies are facing 'notable' financial fragility, Ernst and Young report findsSubscription
Melatonin should not be available through NHS for treatment of jet lag, experts saySubscription
Tens of thousands of severely frail older people miss out on vital medicines checksSubscription
PSNC denies claims the five-year contract could see a fifth of pharmacies closeSubscription
'Urgent review' of medical cannabis access needed to curb use of street drugs, says trade bodySubscription
LloydsPharmacy reports loss of £165m in 'exceptionally challenging' 2018/2019Subscription
Pharmacists provide one consultation per week under NHS 111 referral serviceSubscription
Pharmacy2U reports £16m loss in 2018/2019Subscription
Pharmacists could be expected to conduct millions of medication reviews, under NHS England plansSubscription
Half of NHS trusts outsource outpatient pharmacy services to avoid VATSubscription
Hospital pharmacist time spent on clinical activities stalls at 75%Subscription
Research briefing
Antidepressant use soars despite static depression prevalence, study findsSubscription
Combination immunotherapy for melanoma improves long-term survival ratesSubscription
Omega-3 supplements can improve ADHD symptoms in some young peopleSubscription
Antihypertensive medicines most effective when taken at nightSubscription
Oral spray delivers vitamin D as effectively as capsules, research suggestsSubscription
Books and Arts
Original Victorian pharmacy recreated in full at the Science MuseumSubscription
One of London’s flagship museums invites visitors to Gibson and Son’s, a Victorian chemist’s shop preserved in time.
Useful look at the wider societal effects of the contraceptive pillSubscription
How the Pill Changes Everything: Your Brain on Birth Control by Sarah Hill
