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Pharmacy First proves popular with public but supply issues cause concern New research has found high levels of public satisfaction with Pharmacy First in England, while also revealing significant problems with medication shortages. Healthwatch England sought the views of 7,029 adults, of which 3,104 (44%) had visited their pharmacy for help with one of the seven common conditions covered under the Pharmacy First initiative. ... Date: 04-07-2025 Categories: • Community • Latest News • News • Pharmacy First
Pharmacies spending ‘longer than ever’ managing medicines supply issues ... n supply issues since the poll was first launched in 2022. Key findings show the majority (95%) of pharmacy teams report that patients are still being inconvenienced by ongoing medicines shortages and almost three-quarters (73%) said this was putting patients’ health at risk. A further 96% suggested that patient frustration was a ‘common consequence’ of supply issues, with 79% reporting incidents of ... Date: 30-06-2025 Categories: • Community • Latest News • News
SSP for antidepressant medication issued ... ne would be suitable for the patient. This latest SSP comes after the DHSC revealed it has ‘no plans’ to conduct a review of the impact of medicine supply chain shortages on community pharmacies. Date: 25-06-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • In Practice • Latest News • Mental health and addiction • News
Supply notification issued for chronic pain patches The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification due to shortages of several buprenorphine transdermal patches, affecting both Relevtec and Bupeaze brands. According to the notice, Relevtec patches at 35micrograms/hour, 52.5micrograms/hour and 70micrograms/hour ... Date: 24-06-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • Latest News • News • Pain
Minister rules out review on impact of medicine shortages on pharmacies The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has ‘no plans’ to conduct a review of the impact of medicine supply chain shortages on community pharmacies, it has been revealed. Karin Smyth, secondary care minister, confirmed the government's stance in reply to a parliamentary question from Sadik Al-Hassan, Labour MP for North So ... Date: 23-06-2025 Categories: • Community • Latest News • News
Weight loss jabs and the role of community pharmacy ... 1 based injection (Saxenda and Wegovy) through Patient Group Directives (PGD) or private prescriptions, but costs can vary greatly, driving heath inequalities and even drug shortages. The private service is typically provided through online or face-to-face consultations with a pharmacist or prescribing pharmacist/clinician, with weight loss medications prescribed once the required BMI, comorbidities, an ... Date: 19-06-2025 Categories: • Analysis • Analysis • Clinical • Community • In Practice
DHSC issues supply notification for diabetes medication ... RT) medication, Creon, was described as the ‘worst stock shortage’ pharmacists have ever had to deal with last week. In recent months concerns have been raised around the impact of medicines shortages on pharmacists. A Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) survey revealed in February that more than half of pharmacy professionals felt medicines shortages had impacted their mental health and wellbeing. Ac ... Date: 09-06-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • Diabetes and endocrinology • In Practice • News
Cancer patients eating one meal a day to ration Creon amid ongoing shortage ... ey of 300 pharmacies by the National Pharmacies Association (NPA) warned of patients skipping meals, rationing doses and travelling distances of over 30 miles to get hold of supply due to ongoing shortages of the medication. The survey found that 96% of pharmacies reported challenges supplying Creon, with 89% also reporting difficulties in supplying PERT alternatives. PERT provides the enzymes needed ... Date: 02-06-2025 Categories: • Cancer • Clinical • Community • News
Community pharmacists report higher stress levels than those in general practice Community pharmacists report significantly higher work-related stress levels than those working in general practice, a snapshot survey has revealed. An exclusive poll by The Pharmacist suggests the stresses ... Date: 14-05-2025 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News
PDA unveils ‘six-step test’ for community pharmacy funding ... nity pharmacy.’ He added: ‘The profession is at a crossroads and without urgent reform, unsustainable workloads and workforce shortages could undermine the sector’s ability to deliver the safe, high-quality care that patients expect. ‘Whilst delivering care to patients, pharmacists should build on the untapped clinical potential that will integrate pharmacy services into wider healthcare delivery pla ... Date: 14-04-2025 Categories: • Community • News
Violence against pharmacy teams: leaders call for expansion of NHS staff support Community pharmacy teams should be afforded the same protection against violence as other members of the NHS workforce, pharmacy bodies have said. Yesterday, health secretary Wes Streeting announced a packa ... Date: 10-04-2025 Categories: • Community • News
NHS figures show further drop in spending on dependency-forming medicines ... deprived areas of the country compared to those in the least deprived. A recent report by the Company Chemists' Association suggested that ultra-low medicines pricing is driving medicines shortages and costing the NHS more in the long run. A version of this article was first published by our sister title Pulse. Date: 25-03-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • In Practice • Mental health and addiction • News
'Penny-pinching' on meds pricing is fuelling shortages, says CCA Ultra-low medicines pricing is driving medicines shortages and costing more in the long run, the Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has warned. In a recent report it suggested that the decision by the government to set ultra-low drug tariff prices was ca ... Date: 24-03-2025 Categories: • Community • News
To be, or not to be? A Royal College of Pharmacy? ... ent’s true direction of travel? There are so many issues right here, right now, that need all of our focus, such as pharmacy closures and medication shortages. I was delighted to contribute to the RPS’s Medicines shortages: Solutions for empty shelves published in late November 2024. And this publication has been discussed by Parliamentarians - two of which are pharmacists. And so, my conclusion: To ... Date: 21-03-2025 Categories: • Views
Man who robbed pharmacy at knifepoint jailed after team member called police A 41-year old man has been jailed for robbing a Gloucestershire pharmacy at knifepoint last year. He was apprehended after one pharmacy staff member managed to escape and call the police. According to Av ... Date: 17-03-2025 Categories: • Community • News
GPhC ‘investigating concerns’ around death of patient unable to obtain epilepsy meds ... GPhC added: ‘We are aware of supply issues with some Tegretol products. ‘While we do not have a direct role in the manufacturing of medicines or wider issues such as supply and shortages, we understand that medicines shortages can cause problems for patients and carers. ‘We know that pharmacy professionals are also concerned and have to use their professional judgement and make decisions in challeng ... Date: 07-03-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • Neurology • News
Campaign for practice pharmacists to have 10% protected learning time Pharmacists should be given 10% of their hours as protected learning time, the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists (GHP) has suggested in a new national campaign. Speaking to The Pharmacist, GHP primary care ch ... Date: 05-03-2025 Categories: • In Practice • News
GPs agree 2025/26 contract deal with nearly £1bn funding uplift ... ont door isn't solved'. 'If pharmacies aren't there, then what happens to Pharmacy First, minor illnesses, pharmacy deserts, where people get their prescriptions back, support for medicine shortages? 'My plea would be: sort out this current year. We're into the very final month, and we still don't know what we're being paid, and that's been on the back of nine years with the frozen funding,' he added ... Date: 28-02-2025 Categories: • Community • News
'Vital' health secretary intervenes over medicines shortages, urge MPs Action on medicine shortages is ‘vital’ to prevent another tragedy, the health and social care secretary has been urged. Charities and MPs have said the death of a man with epilepsy whose pharmacy was unable to supply his med ... Date: 25-02-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • Neurology • News
DHSC surveying pharmacists in bid to improve medicines shortages response ... rom the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is asking pharmacy teams how they receive and respond to medicine supply notifications, as part of efforts to improve how it communicates medicines shortages. It also seeks to understand how well they are able to source or dispense the alternative medicine suggested, and how well-resourced they feel their organisation is to respond to medicine shortage ... Date: 21-02-2025 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News
Gisela Abbam reappointed GPhC chair until 2029 ... significant ongoing challenges for pharmacy and we will continue the listening exercise to provide whatever support we can. Patients and their carers have been impacted by issues such as medicines shortages, pharmacy teams are facing both workplace and financial pressures, and collective well-being has been affected,' she added. And she said she would 'ensure that the GPhC continues to use all of its ... Date: 20-02-2025 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News
Medicines shortages causing 'moral injury', suggests RPS survey Pharmacists are experiencing 'moral injury' with more than half of pharmacy professionals reporting that medicines shortages have impacted their mental health and wellbeing, according to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). Its most recent workforce wellbeing survey also found that inadequate staffing was affecting w ... Date: 18-02-2025 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News
Your voice, your evidence: Why the Pharmacy Pressures Survey is so important If you can find the time, do complete the Pharmacy Pressures Survey this month, says community pharmacy owner Anil Sharma The pharmacy sector has been at crisis point for some time. With staff shortages, rising operational costs, increasing workloads, and the need for more funding, pharmacies are struggling to stay afloat. These challenges impact patient care, team wellbeing, and the sustainability ... Date: 17-02-2025 Categories: • Community • Views
Mapped: Which areas have the most practice and PCN pharmacists? EXCLUSIVE: As part of our new major series exploring the impact of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) on the pharmacy landscape, we explore practice pharmacist staffing levels in different areas. ... Date: 05-02-2025 Categories: • Analysis • In Practice • Investigations • Workforce report
Staffing boost needed to meet Pharmacy First demands, suggests PDA ... 3%) said staffing levels had not been uplifted to support the new service, despite it meaning more work for pharmacy teams. This comes amid ongoing concerns about workload pressures and workforce shortages in the community pharmacy sector, with 49% of respondents to last year's PDA survey warning that they did not have sufficient staff to safely provide existing services, even before Pharmacy First was ... Date: 03-02-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First
Pharmacy contract must minimise risk of dispensing at a loss, MPs told ... ial loss on the purchase of medicines, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has said. In response to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Pharmacy's call for written evidence on medicines shortages, the RPS warned pharmacy funding must support a stable supply of medicines to patients. 'The current contractual framework remuneration system for community pharmacy means that it is imperative fo ... Date: 22-01-2025 Categories: • Community • News
New series: Has the ARRS been a positive or a negative? A new and exclusive series set to be released over the coming weeks will explore how the ARRS has altered the pharmacy landscape – both in practices and community settings – while shining a light on the workfo ... Date: 22-01-2025 Categories: • Community • In Practice • Investigations • News • Workforce report
Views sought to help support ‘critical’ pharmacy funding negotiations ... indings from last year suggested almost two-thirds (62%) of pharmacy team members had a reduced ability to offer services or advice to patients because of staffing shortages. Nearly all (95%) of pharmacy team members surveyed said that staff shortages had led to increased pressure on remaining staff, while 61% said that remaining staff had to increase their working hours and 86% said staff shortages had ... Date: 20-01-2025 Categories: • Community • News
Government considering prescription substitution following child sepsis death ... hief executive of the pharmacy regulator had met with DHSC to discuss whether pharmacists could be allowed to make substitutions or minor amendments to prescriptions in the case of medicines shortages. The government had previously said it had ‘no plans’ to allow community pharmacists to amend prescriptions, in a written answer from then pharmacy minister Dame Andrea Leadsom in February 2024. She sai ... Date: 15-01-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Paediatrics
Community pharmacists spend ‘a day a week’ dealing with medicines shortages EXCLUSIVE: Community pharmacists across the UK are spending eight hours every week trying to alleviate medicines shortages, a snapshot survey by The Pharmacist has suggested. Sourcing medication is taking time that would otherwise be spent on direct patient care, while the issue is impacting pharmacy teams' wellbeing ... Date: 14-01-2025 Categories: • Community • News
Patient death after pharmacy unable to supply epilepsy medication sparks call for action ... medication, rather than the pharmacy searching for supplies. And he reported comments made at the inquest that 'the pharmaceutical profession should have clear designated systems to deal with any shortages of supply encountered; for example, reference to hospital departments to ensure patients are not left without medications'. 'Leaflets explaining the role of those concerned in this situation were ... Date: 13-01-2025 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News
'Lack of urgency' in government's response to key pharmacy challenges ... funding was not made. And the Health and Social Care Committee (HSCC), which authored the report, has raised concerns about the 'lack of urgency' in the government's response on funding, medicines shortages and workforce challenges. In its response, published on Friday (10 January), the government 'partially accepted' recommendations on community pharmacy funding, but rejected recommendations such as ... Date: 13-01-2025 Categories: • Community • News
Majority of practice pharmacists plan to stay in sector in five years' time ... they can use that skill.' Pressures in community pharmacy could drive portfolio working In addition to a lack of prescribing opportunities, Ms George suggested that other issues, like medicine shortages and lack of funding were causing pharmacists to look outside the community pharmacy sector. 'Burnout, as we know, is a big issue within the profession,' she said. 'As a pharmacist, you've got to as ... Date: 09-01-2025 Categories: • In Practice • Investigations • News • Workforce report
Working with community pharmacy as primary care engagement lead ... nity pharmacy can enhance general practice. This collaboration is a notable achievement. This closer working relationship has also facilitated the resolution of prescription queries, such as stock shortages, and has enabled community pharmacies to engage in active clinical discussions with practice clinicians regarding medication-related inquiries and recommendations. Ultimately, these efforts contribut ... Date: 09-01-2025 Categories: • Cardiovascular • Clinical • Community • In Practice • Interviews • Interviews
Medicines to Gaza fundraising begins supported by PDA The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has partnered with Salam Charity to begin fundraising for the 'Medicines to Gaza' initiative. Following the launch of the initiative earlier this year, pharmacies ... Date: 23-12-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News
The ins and outs of transporting medical supplies via drones ... nicians, patients and healthcare systems, as well as the remaining challenges and future potential of drone transportation within the healthcare landscape. With rising waiting lists, ongoing staff shortages and mounting pressure on hospital teams, it is increasingly vital that care is delivered faster and more efficiently to patients. Greener, more sustainable care is also a priority, with the drive to ... Date: 23-12-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • Views • Views
Atomoxetine and stimulants best treatments for adult ADHD, study suggests ... P practice to set up its own service, enabling patients to access diagnosis, titration and alternative prescriptions in the case of shortages through primary care. Earlier this year, The Pharmacist spoke to one practice pharmacist involved. Shortages have affected ADHD medications this year, while the cost to the NHS of mental health drugs overall has soared. A version of this article first appeared ... Date: 19-12-2024 Categories: • Clinical • In Practice • Mental health and addiction
Call for evidence as MPs examine medicines shortages in England MPs have asked pharmacy teams in England to share how medicines shortages have impacted them, as part of an inquiry led by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on pharmacy. The inquiry will explore the impact of medicines shortages in England, as well as contributin ... Date: 18-12-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News
Five things you can do when there’s a medicines shortage Dr James Davies, co-author of Medicines Shortages: Solutions for Empty Shelves from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, suggests steps to take when dealing with medicines supply problems Medicines shortages occur for all sorts of different reasons ... Date: 16-12-2024 Categories: • Views
Government commits to new workforce plan with 'laser-focus' on community ... does not support the delivery of quality patient care. If the Government truly wants to meet is healthcare ambitions around prevention, we must address the workforce shortages, as well as the critical funding constraints and capacity issues, in community pharmacy,' she said. Graham Stretch, president of the Primary Care Pharmacy Association, also noted the need for 'properly resourced training capacity ... Date: 09-12-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News
Cost of mental health drugs soars by £12 million despite slight increase in patient numbers NHS England paid 7% more for mental health drugs this summer than it did in the preceding three months, the latest data release from the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) shows. But the number of pat ... Date: 05-12-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News
'Concerning reports' of scam websites targeting weight loss and other shortage meds ... eneral Pharmaceutical (GPhC) warned that there was 'no way of knowing' what drugs from these websites contained, which could cause serious harm. Fake online pharmacies 'increasing' In its medicines shortages report published last week, the RPS said it had heard 'concerning reports about the increasing numbers of websites that appear to the public to be reputable pharmacies providing medicines but are not ... Date: 03-12-2024 Categories: • Community • News
Scottish parliament urged to tackle medicines shortages Pharmacy representatives are calling on Scottish Parliament to tackle medicines shortages, as a report outlining potential solutions is presented at Holyrood today. The report, authored by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), explored supply and demand issues contributing to shortag ... Date: 28-11-2024 Categories: • Community • News
Call for government strategy to tackle 'devastating impact' of medicines shortages The government has been urged to intervene over the ‘devastating’ and ‘growing’ impact of medicines shortages across the UK. Some 20 pharmacy and patient groups have written to health and social care secretary Wes Streeting calling for a ‘cohesive cross-government’ strategy that would help strengthen the medicine ... Date: 27-11-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News
Medicines shortages 'increasing tensions' between GPs and pharmacists Medicines shortages are increasing professional tensions between pharmacy teams and other healthcare providers, a new report from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has warned. In both primary and secondary care ... Date: 26-11-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News
Pharmacy First won't tempt practice pharmacists back into community yet, survey suggests ... The community pharmacy negotiator has previously suggested that the recruitment of pharmacists currently working in GP surgeries and PCNs from community pharmacy has exacerbated workforce shortages in the sector. It had asked the NHS to consider the impact of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) on community pharmacy. As of July 2024 there were 5,330 pharmacists and 1,914 pharmacy techni ... Date: 21-11-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • Investigations • News • Pharmacy First • Workforce report
Finding hope and purpose as a millennial pharmacist ... to navigate. As a millennial healthcare professional, I often find myself caught between two conflicting worlds. On one hand, there’s the relentless pressure of healthcare — burnout, staff shortages and the, often thankless, task of working in a crumbling system. On the other hand, there's a deep, unshakable commitment to the patients we serve, the communities we belong to, and the promise of improvin ... Date: 19-11-2024 Categories: • Views • Views
GP leaders to debate community pharmacy funding ... ‘Without increased funding for dispensing and the drug tariff, we risk slipping into a rolling cycle of pharmacy closures, shortages and concessions which serves nobody’s interests.’ Mr Harrison added: ‘We also agree that general practice and community pharmacy should always work in a collaborative and complementary manner in the best interests of their collective patients. ‘The reality is that pres ... Date: 08-11-2024 Categories: • Community • News
'Regional spikes' in scabies reported ... The Pharmacist understands, although children under two years old must always see a GP to treat scabies. Last autumn, the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) warned that ongoing shortages of scabies treatments were posing a ‘significant threat’ to public health. However, Mr Freige told The Pharmacist that he was not experiencing any supply issues this year. He also said that in his local are ... Date: 28-10-2024 Categories: • Clinical • Community • Dermatology and wound care • News • Sexual health
Pharmacies ‘losing out’ while government unsure how many dispense at a loss ... g. Malcolm Harrison, CCA chief executive, told The Pharmacist that the whole of the CPCF was 'suffering from a decade of underfunding'. And he said that growing concerns about medicines shortages were 'driven in a large part by insufficient investment in the Drug Tariff'. 'This is impacting the resilience of the supply chain,' he added. And he said the CCA was 'working hard with partners across the m ... Date: 25-10-2024 Categories: • Community • News

Pharmacy First proves popular with public but supply issues cause concern New research has found high levels of public satisfaction with Pharmacy First in England, while also revealing significant problems with medication shortages. Healthwatch England sought the views of 7,029 adults, of which 3,104 (44%) had visited their pharmacy for help with one of the seven common conditions covered under the Pharmacy First initiative. ... Date: 04-07-2025 Categories: • Community • Latest News • News • Pharmacy First

Pharmacies spending ‘longer than ever’ managing medicines supply issues ... n supply issues since the poll was first launched in 2022. Key findings show the majority (95%) of pharmacy teams report that patients are still being inconvenienced by ongoing medicines shortages and almost three-quarters (73%) said this was putting patients’ health at risk. A further 96% suggested that patient frustration was a ‘common consequence’ of supply issues, with 79% reporting incidents of ... Date: 30-06-2025 Categories: • Community • Latest News • News

SSP for antidepressant medication issued ... ne would be suitable for the patient. This latest SSP comes after the DHSC revealed it has ‘no plans’ to conduct a review of the impact of medicine supply chain shortages on community pharmacies. Date: 25-06-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • In Practice • Latest News • Mental health and addiction • News

Supply notification issued for chronic pain patches The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification due to shortages of several buprenorphine transdermal patches, affecting both Relevtec and Bupeaze brands. According to the notice, Relevtec patches at 35micrograms/hour, 52.5micrograms/hour and 70micrograms/hour ... Date: 24-06-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • Latest News • News • Pain

Minister rules out review on impact of medicine shortages on pharmacies The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has ‘no plans’ to conduct a review of the impact of medicine supply chain shortages on community pharmacies, it has been revealed. Karin Smyth, secondary care minister, confirmed the government's stance in reply to a parliamentary question from Sadik Al-Hassan, Labour MP for North So ... Date: 23-06-2025 Categories: • Community • Latest News • News

Weight loss jabs and the role of community pharmacy ... 1 based injection (Saxenda and Wegovy) through Patient Group Directives (PGD) or private prescriptions, but costs can vary greatly, driving heath inequalities and even drug shortages. The private service is typically provided through online or face-to-face consultations with a pharmacist or prescribing pharmacist/clinician, with weight loss medications prescribed once the required BMI, comorbidities, an ... Date: 19-06-2025 Categories: • Analysis • Analysis • Clinical • Community • In Practice

DHSC issues supply notification for diabetes medication ... RT) medication, Creon, was described as the ‘worst stock shortage’ pharmacists have ever had to deal with last week. In recent months concerns have been raised around the impact of medicines shortages on pharmacists. A Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) survey revealed in February that more than half of pharmacy professionals felt medicines shortages had impacted their mental health and wellbeing. Ac ... Date: 09-06-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • Diabetes and endocrinology • In Practice • News

Cancer patients eating one meal a day to ration Creon amid ongoing shortage ... ey of 300 pharmacies by the National Pharmacies Association (NPA) warned of patients skipping meals, rationing doses and travelling distances of over 30 miles to get hold of supply due to ongoing shortages of the medication. The survey found that 96% of pharmacies reported challenges supplying Creon, with 89% also reporting difficulties in supplying PERT alternatives. PERT provides the enzymes needed ... Date: 02-06-2025 Categories: • Cancer • Clinical • Community • News

Community pharmacists report higher stress levels than those in general practice Community pharmacists report significantly higher work-related stress levels than those working in general practice, a snapshot survey has revealed. An exclusive poll by The Pharmacist suggests the stresses ... Date: 14-05-2025 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News

PDA unveils ‘six-step test’ for community pharmacy funding ... nity pharmacy.’ He added: ‘The profession is at a crossroads and without urgent reform, unsustainable workloads and workforce shortages could undermine the sector’s ability to deliver the safe, high-quality care that patients expect. ‘Whilst delivering care to patients, pharmacists should build on the untapped clinical potential that will integrate pharmacy services into wider healthcare delivery pla ... Date: 14-04-2025 Categories: • Community • News

Violence against pharmacy teams: leaders call for expansion of NHS staff support Community pharmacy teams should be afforded the same protection against violence as other members of the NHS workforce, pharmacy bodies have said. Yesterday, health secretary Wes Streeting announced a packa ... Date: 10-04-2025 Categories: • Community • News

NHS figures show further drop in spending on dependency-forming medicines ... deprived areas of the country compared to those in the least deprived. A recent report by the Company Chemists' Association suggested that ultra-low medicines pricing is driving medicines shortages and costing the NHS more in the long run. A version of this article was first published by our sister title Pulse. Date: 25-03-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • In Practice • Mental health and addiction • News

'Penny-pinching' on meds pricing is fuelling shortages, says CCA Ultra-low medicines pricing is driving medicines shortages and costing more in the long run, the Company Chemists' Association (CCA) has warned. In a recent report it suggested that the decision by the government to set ultra-low drug tariff prices was ca ... Date: 24-03-2025 Categories: • Community • News

To be, or not to be? A Royal College of Pharmacy? ... ent’s true direction of travel? There are so many issues right here, right now, that need all of our focus, such as pharmacy closures and medication shortages. I was delighted to contribute to the RPS’s Medicines shortages: Solutions for empty shelves published in late November 2024. And this publication has been discussed by Parliamentarians - two of which are pharmacists. And so, my conclusion: To ... Date: 21-03-2025 Categories: • Views

Man who robbed pharmacy at knifepoint jailed after team member called police A 41-year old man has been jailed for robbing a Gloucestershire pharmacy at knifepoint last year. He was apprehended after one pharmacy staff member managed to escape and call the police. According to Av ... Date: 17-03-2025 Categories: • Community • News

GPhC ‘investigating concerns’ around death of patient unable to obtain epilepsy meds ... GPhC added: ‘We are aware of supply issues with some Tegretol products. ‘While we do not have a direct role in the manufacturing of medicines or wider issues such as supply and shortages, we understand that medicines shortages can cause problems for patients and carers. ‘We know that pharmacy professionals are also concerned and have to use their professional judgement and make decisions in challeng ... Date: 07-03-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • Neurology • News

Campaign for practice pharmacists to have 10% protected learning time Pharmacists should be given 10% of their hours as protected learning time, the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists (GHP) has suggested in a new national campaign. Speaking to The Pharmacist, GHP primary care ch ... Date: 05-03-2025 Categories: • In Practice • News

GPs agree 2025/26 contract deal with nearly £1bn funding uplift ... ont door isn't solved'. 'If pharmacies aren't there, then what happens to Pharmacy First, minor illnesses, pharmacy deserts, where people get their prescriptions back, support for medicine shortages? 'My plea would be: sort out this current year. We're into the very final month, and we still don't know what we're being paid, and that's been on the back of nine years with the frozen funding,' he added ... Date: 28-02-2025 Categories: • Community • News

'Vital' health secretary intervenes over medicines shortages, urge MPs Action on medicine shortages is ‘vital’ to prevent another tragedy, the health and social care secretary has been urged. Charities and MPs have said the death of a man with epilepsy whose pharmacy was unable to supply his med ... Date: 25-02-2025 Categories: • Clinical • Community • Neurology • News

DHSC surveying pharmacists in bid to improve medicines shortages response ... rom the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is asking pharmacy teams how they receive and respond to medicine supply notifications, as part of efforts to improve how it communicates medicines shortages. It also seeks to understand how well they are able to source or dispense the alternative medicine suggested, and how well-resourced they feel their organisation is to respond to medicine shortage ... Date: 21-02-2025 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News

Gisela Abbam reappointed GPhC chair until 2029 ... significant ongoing challenges for pharmacy and we will continue the listening exercise to provide whatever support we can. Patients and their carers have been impacted by issues such as medicines shortages, pharmacy teams are facing both workplace and financial pressures, and collective well-being has been affected,' she added. And she said she would 'ensure that the GPhC continues to use all of its ... Date: 20-02-2025 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News

Medicines shortages causing 'moral injury', suggests RPS survey Pharmacists are experiencing 'moral injury' with more than half of pharmacy professionals reporting that medicines shortages have impacted their mental health and wellbeing, according to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). Its most recent workforce wellbeing survey also found that inadequate staffing was affecting w ... Date: 18-02-2025 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News

Your voice, your evidence: Why the Pharmacy Pressures Survey is so important If you can find the time, do complete the Pharmacy Pressures Survey this month, says community pharmacy owner Anil Sharma The pharmacy sector has been at crisis point for some time. With staff shortages, rising operational costs, increasing workloads, and the need for more funding, pharmacies are struggling to stay afloat. These challenges impact patient care, team wellbeing, and the sustainability ... Date: 17-02-2025 Categories: • Community • Views

Mapped: Which areas have the most practice and PCN pharmacists? EXCLUSIVE: As part of our new major series exploring the impact of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) on the pharmacy landscape, we explore practice pharmacist staffing levels in different areas. ... Date: 05-02-2025 Categories: • Analysis • In Practice • Investigations • Workforce report

Staffing boost needed to meet Pharmacy First demands, suggests PDA ... 3%) said staffing levels had not been uplifted to support the new service, despite it meaning more work for pharmacy teams. This comes amid ongoing concerns about workload pressures and workforce shortages in the community pharmacy sector, with 49% of respondents to last year's PDA survey warning that they did not have sufficient staff to safely provide existing services, even before Pharmacy First was ... Date: 03-02-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

Pharmacy contract must minimise risk of dispensing at a loss, MPs told ... ial loss on the purchase of medicines, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has said. In response to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Pharmacy's call for written evidence on medicines shortages, the RPS warned pharmacy funding must support a stable supply of medicines to patients. 'The current contractual framework remuneration system for community pharmacy means that it is imperative fo ... Date: 22-01-2025 Categories: • Community • News

New series: Has the ARRS been a positive or a negative? A new and exclusive series set to be released over the coming weeks will explore how the ARRS has altered the pharmacy landscape – both in practices and community settings – while shining a light on the workfo ... Date: 22-01-2025 Categories: • Community • In Practice • Investigations • News • Workforce report

Views sought to help support ‘critical’ pharmacy funding negotiations ... indings from last year suggested almost two-thirds (62%) of pharmacy team members had a reduced ability to offer services or advice to patients because of staffing shortages. Nearly all (95%) of pharmacy team members surveyed said that staff shortages had led to increased pressure on remaining staff, while 61% said that remaining staff had to increase their working hours and 86% said staff shortages had ... Date: 20-01-2025 Categories: • Community • News

Government considering prescription substitution following child sepsis death ... hief executive of the pharmacy regulator had met with DHSC to discuss whether pharmacists could be allowed to make substitutions or minor amendments to prescriptions in the case of medicines shortages. The government had previously said it had ‘no plans’ to allow community pharmacists to amend prescriptions, in a written answer from then pharmacy minister Dame Andrea Leadsom in February 2024. She sai ... Date: 15-01-2025 Categories: • Community • News • Paediatrics

Community pharmacists spend ‘a day a week’ dealing with medicines shortages EXCLUSIVE: Community pharmacists across the UK are spending eight hours every week trying to alleviate medicines shortages, a snapshot survey by The Pharmacist has suggested. Sourcing medication is taking time that would otherwise be spent on direct patient care, while the issue is impacting pharmacy teams' wellbeing ... Date: 14-01-2025 Categories: • Community • News

Patient death after pharmacy unable to supply epilepsy medication sparks call for action ... medication, rather than the pharmacy searching for supplies. And he reported comments made at the inquest that 'the pharmaceutical profession should have clear designated systems to deal with any shortages of supply encountered; for example, reference to hospital departments to ensure patients are not left without medications'. 'Leaflets explaining the role of those concerned in this situation were ... Date: 13-01-2025 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News

'Lack of urgency' in government's response to key pharmacy challenges ... funding was not made. And the Health and Social Care Committee (HSCC), which authored the report, has raised concerns about the 'lack of urgency' in the government's response on funding, medicines shortages and workforce challenges. In its response, published on Friday (10 January), the government 'partially accepted' recommendations on community pharmacy funding, but rejected recommendations such as ... Date: 13-01-2025 Categories: • Community • News

Majority of practice pharmacists plan to stay in sector in five years' time ... they can use that skill.' Pressures in community pharmacy could drive portfolio working In addition to a lack of prescribing opportunities, Ms George suggested that other issues, like medicine shortages and lack of funding were causing pharmacists to look outside the community pharmacy sector. 'Burnout, as we know, is a big issue within the profession,' she said. 'As a pharmacist, you've got to as ... Date: 09-01-2025 Categories: • In Practice • Investigations • News • Workforce report

Working with community pharmacy as primary care engagement lead ... nity pharmacy can enhance general practice. This collaboration is a notable achievement. This closer working relationship has also facilitated the resolution of prescription queries, such as stock shortages, and has enabled community pharmacies to engage in active clinical discussions with practice clinicians regarding medication-related inquiries and recommendations. Ultimately, these efforts contribut ... Date: 09-01-2025 Categories: • Cardiovascular • Clinical • Community • In Practice • Interviews • Interviews

Medicines to Gaza fundraising begins supported by PDA The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has partnered with Salam Charity to begin fundraising for the 'Medicines to Gaza' initiative. Following the launch of the initiative earlier this year, pharmacies ... Date: 23-12-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News

The ins and outs of transporting medical supplies via drones ... nicians, patients and healthcare systems, as well as the remaining challenges and future potential of drone transportation within the healthcare landscape. With rising waiting lists, ongoing staff shortages and mounting pressure on hospital teams, it is increasingly vital that care is delivered faster and more efficiently to patients. Greener, more sustainable care is also a priority, with the drive to ... Date: 23-12-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • Views • Views

Atomoxetine and stimulants best treatments for adult ADHD, study suggests ... P practice to set up its own service, enabling patients to access diagnosis, titration and alternative prescriptions in the case of shortages through primary care. Earlier this year, The Pharmacist spoke to one practice pharmacist involved. Shortages have affected ADHD medications this year, while the cost to the NHS of mental health drugs overall has soared. A version of this article first appeared ... Date: 19-12-2024 Categories: • Clinical • In Practice • Mental health and addiction

Call for evidence as MPs examine medicines shortages in England MPs have asked pharmacy teams in England to share how medicines shortages have impacted them, as part of an inquiry led by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on pharmacy. The inquiry will explore the impact of medicines shortages in England, as well as contributin ... Date: 18-12-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News

Five things you can do when there’s a medicines shortage Dr James Davies, co-author of Medicines Shortages: Solutions for Empty Shelves from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, suggests steps to take when dealing with medicines supply problems Medicines shortages occur for all sorts of different reasons ... Date: 16-12-2024 Categories: • Views

Government commits to new workforce plan with 'laser-focus' on community ... does not support the delivery of quality patient care. If the Government truly wants to meet is healthcare ambitions around prevention, we must address the workforce shortages, as well as the critical funding constraints and capacity issues, in community pharmacy,' she said. Graham Stretch, president of the Primary Care Pharmacy Association, also noted the need for 'properly resourced training capacity ... Date: 09-12-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News

Cost of mental health drugs soars by £12 million despite slight increase in patient numbers NHS England paid 7% more for mental health drugs this summer than it did in the preceding three months, the latest data release from the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) shows. But the number of pat ... Date: 05-12-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News

'Concerning reports' of scam websites targeting weight loss and other shortage meds ... eneral Pharmaceutical (GPhC) warned that there was 'no way of knowing' what drugs from these websites contained, which could cause serious harm. Fake online pharmacies 'increasing' In its medicines shortages report published last week, the RPS said it had heard 'concerning reports about the increasing numbers of websites that appear to the public to be reputable pharmacies providing medicines but are not ... Date: 03-12-2024 Categories: • Community • News

Scottish parliament urged to tackle medicines shortages Pharmacy representatives are calling on Scottish Parliament to tackle medicines shortages, as a report outlining potential solutions is presented at Holyrood today. The report, authored by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), explored supply and demand issues contributing to shortag ... Date: 28-11-2024 Categories: • Community • News

Call for government strategy to tackle 'devastating impact' of medicines shortages The government has been urged to intervene over the ‘devastating’ and ‘growing’ impact of medicines shortages across the UK. Some 20 pharmacy and patient groups have written to health and social care secretary Wes Streeting calling for a ‘cohesive cross-government’ strategy that would help strengthen the medicine ... Date: 27-11-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News

Medicines shortages 'increasing tensions' between GPs and pharmacists Medicines shortages are increasing professional tensions between pharmacy teams and other healthcare providers, a new report from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has warned. In both primary and secondary care ... Date: 26-11-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • News

Pharmacy First won't tempt practice pharmacists back into community yet, survey suggests ... The community pharmacy negotiator has previously suggested that the recruitment of pharmacists currently working in GP surgeries and PCNs from community pharmacy has exacerbated workforce shortages in the sector. It had asked the NHS to consider the impact of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) on community pharmacy. As of July 2024 there were 5,330 pharmacists and 1,914 pharmacy techni ... Date: 21-11-2024 Categories: • Community • In Practice • Investigations • News • Pharmacy First • Workforce report

Finding hope and purpose as a millennial pharmacist ... to navigate. As a millennial healthcare professional, I often find myself caught between two conflicting worlds. On one hand, there’s the relentless pressure of healthcare — burnout, staff shortages and the, often thankless, task of working in a crumbling system. On the other hand, there's a deep, unshakable commitment to the patients we serve, the communities we belong to, and the promise of improvin ... Date: 19-11-2024 Categories: • Views • Views

GP leaders to debate community pharmacy funding ... ‘Without increased funding for dispensing and the drug tariff, we risk slipping into a rolling cycle of pharmacy closures, shortages and concessions which serves nobody’s interests.’ Mr Harrison added: ‘We also agree that general practice and community pharmacy should always work in a collaborative and complementary manner in the best interests of their collective patients. ‘The reality is that pres ... Date: 08-11-2024 Categories: • Community • News

'Regional spikes' in scabies reported ... The Pharmacist understands, although children under two years old must always see a GP to treat scabies. Last autumn, the British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) warned that ongoing shortages of scabies treatments were posing a ‘significant threat’ to public health. However, Mr Freige told The Pharmacist that he was not experiencing any supply issues this year. He also said that in his local are ... Date: 28-10-2024 Categories: • Clinical • Community • Dermatology and wound care • News • Sexual health

Pharmacies ‘losing out’ while government unsure how many dispense at a loss ... g. Malcolm Harrison, CCA chief executive, told The Pharmacist that the whole of the CPCF was 'suffering from a decade of underfunding'. And he said that growing concerns about medicines shortages were 'driven in a large part by insufficient investment in the Drug Tariff'. 'This is impacting the resilience of the supply chain,' he added. And he said the CCA was 'working hard with partners across the m ... Date: 25-10-2024 Categories: • Community • News

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