Pharmacists should be part of out-of-hours teams

A new blueprint is needed for out-of-hours medical services in Scotland, the BBC has reported

An independent review has highlighted the need for multi-disciplinary teams working together at urgent care resource hubs across Scotland.

The teams would include GPs, nurses, physiotherapists, community pharmacists, social care workers and other specialists.

The 28 recommendations, made by Professor Sir Lewis Ritchie in the Primary Care Out-of-Hours Review, have been welcomed by Health Secretary Shona Robison.

Numark training in medication delivery

Employees of Numark’s member pharmacies will be offered a ‘Delivering Medication’ training module.

The training is part of a free programme focused on the essentials of key health and safety responsibilities of pharmacy employees delivering drugs.

Sharron Tommy, Numark’s learning and development co-ordinator, said: “We recognise what an important service the delivery of medication is, not just legal procedures and health and safety, but the person delivering is also the face of the pharmacy.

“As well as matters like controlled drugs, confidentiality, temperature control and return of medication, the training also covers the importance of customer service skills, dealing with different types of customers, complaint handling and promoting other pharmacy services.”

Pharmacy Voice respond to government calls for increased competition

Community pharmacy has possibly the highest level of competition among NHS service providers, Pharmacy Voice has said.

The comments follow the publication of ‘A better deal for families’ in which the government seeks to increase competition and productivity.

“We call on the Government to work with us to enable improvements that would make the biggest difference to patients. “We would be concerned that any changes to the pharmacy network would distance the relationship between pharmacy and patients,” a statement from Pharmacy Voice read.

Cost of chronic lung disease medication could be slashed

The cost of specific drugs to treat chronic lung disease could be cut by £2m is more innovative partnership working across the NHS was employed.

In 2014/15 the local NHS across London spent £67.6m on medication to treat the disease, but they could save millions according to a new study being presented at the British Thoracic Society’s Winter Meeting.

The study undertaken by Imperial College Healthcare Trust, Guys and St Thomas’ Foundation Trust and NHSE Procurement Partnership, looked at trends in Inhaled Corticosteroid (ICS) prescribing across London Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) and probed the reasons for variations.