Patients are being urged to avoid buying unlicensed medications such as Kenalog® online to treat hay fever symptoms this spring, as pharmacists report a sharp rise in public interest in the drug.The National Pharmacy Association (NPA), which represents over 6000 independent community pharmacies, has warned patients that buying medication from unregulated sellers, such as beauty salons and from social media sites, could serious health risks. “Medication from unregulated sellers could be fake, swapped for an alternative medication and not meet rigorous safety standards we have in the UK,” said Olivier Picard, chair of NPA. Common side-effects of Kenalog® can include joint pain, headaches, injection site reactions, and increased risk of infection, while uncommon side-effects can include serious mental health problems.Kenalog®, a steroid injection, is not licensed by the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to treat hay fever symptoms. Nevertheless, the NPA has reported more queries from patients about Kenalog®in pharmacies in recent weeks. A recent NPA survey of over 350 pharmacies found: 45% of pharmacies had recently received inquiries about using Kenalog® for hay fever. 96% reported a significant rise in patients seeking treatment for hay fever since early April. "Kenalog® is not licensed in the UK for the treatment of hay fever and we are clear that patients should not seek it online or request it from their community pharmacy,” Picard said. Instead, he urged people to speak with their pharmacist about other options for managing hay fever symptoms. "Pharmacists are well placed to provide safe licensed alternatives, such as antihistamines or steroid nasal sprays.”Picard emphasised that medicines should not be treated like ordinary goods for sale online.“They must be handled with great care because they have the power to harm as well as to heal,” he said. Picard also called on regulators to reintroduce rules—previously in place under EU law before Brexit— that made it mandatory for a list of regulated online UK medicine sellers to be made publicly available.“We think this will provide a helpful tool for patients to understand how to find a regulated, safe online pharmacy,” he said. If anyone is unsure about medication they’ve bought online, they are advised to check with their pharmacist.

The NPA has warned patients not to buy unlicensed hay fever drugs online after reports of a rise in queries about these medications.

The provision of weight-loss medication in NHS primary care will be delivered through general practice in the first instance, but there is an ‘ambition’ to explore other routes of delivery, England’s chief pharmaceutical officer (CPhO) has said. His comments follow media reports last week that suggested the government might pilot NHS delivery of weight-loss drugs The post CPhO: ‘Ambition’ to explore weight-loss meds through non-GP routes appeared first on The Pharmacist.

The pharmacy minister has revealed that one in four GP practices do not refer a single patient to the Pharmacy First service each month.

“Lovehoney prescriptions” has begun offering contraception, erectile dysfunction (ED) and urinary tract infection (UTI) medicines without the need “to visit a pharmacy or GP in person”.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) have been told to cut their running costs to £18.76 per head of population. This will include all ICB running costs and programme pay, but will exclude pharmacy, ophthalmic and dental (POD) services and specialised commissioning delegation. It comes as draft documents have circulated outlining how ICBs might delegate some functions The post ICB management cuts will exclude pharmacy commissioning appeared first on The Pharmacist.

When Hemant Patel was struck down by Covid, he was determined to discover what was it that led to the disease having a devastating impact on the lives of people who seemed be healthy – the culmination of his journey is the book, The Complete Anti-Inflammatory Guide.“I was gasping for breath and counting the number of days I might be alive when I was infected with Covid,” reveals Patel.“I was watching TV and two Covid-related stories came on the news. One was of a 70-year-old man returning home after spending time in hospital, and the other was of a 40-year-old marathon runner who died. “My brain couldn’t comprehend that. I would have expected outcomes to be a bit different as I'm sure most people would have done.” Patel was a colossal figure in the world of community pharmacy. He was the secretary of North East London’s Local Pharmaceutical Committee for 26 years and also served four terms as president of the then Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB). Hemant PatelHe passionately worked towards improving the health of patients, helping contractors develop new clinical services, including smoking cessation, sexual health, mental health support and the use of electrocardiogram devices within community pharmacy.He used his vast knowledge and experience to look into the impact of Covid and discovered the profound impact inflammation plays on a person’s health and well-being. In fact, chronic inflammation is linked to more than 50 per cent of all deaths worldwide and one in five cancers.“I started investigating and I realised in the West, particularly, we are confused between physical fitness and resilience,” he said. “What I learned from my extensive research is that you can be physically fit but immunologically not resilient. Then I said, ‘what do we need to do to become resilient? And the outcome is the book.”As first-line healthcare providers, Patel believes the book will be an excellent resource for community pharmacists advising their patients on living healthier lives.He’s received an overwhelmingly positive response from some pharmacists who have had an early read of the book which will be launched at the Sigma Conference in Baku next week. Pic credit: iStock“The Secretary of State (Wes Streeting) has said the government will be investing in prevention, not in treatment, because at the present time, there is more and more hospitals needed because we are being poisoned every single day. “Pharmacists can be the force in the community that helps patients to change their lifestyles.”Patel’s determination to write the book led him to become a certified health coach after he completed a course in integrative nutrition functional medicine.“The common link for vast number of long-term conditions is inflammation,” he said. “If you look at the prevalence of things like obesity, diabetes, blood pressure, mental illness - it has all increased since World War Two due to changes in our environment, food, water, the air we breathe, the stuff we spray on ourselves - all this is leading to toxicity and immunological response to it and it is slow and prolonged.“If you look at carrots for example, it is estimated that it only contains 40 per cent of the nutrients it had some 60 years ago because the soil is being depleted. That is affecting the food. The food is affecting our bodies. When people say, eat healthily, nobody actually knows what's going on in their body.” Pic credit: istockThere are 12 steps in the book that can be used to combat chronic inflammation and regain “internal balance”.Patel gives evidence-based advice on ways to reduce inflammation, such as going for a walk in the park, meditation, getting regular sleep, switching to organic foods, eating more vegetables, reducing meat - particularly red meat, drinking filtered water. He describes alcohol as “poison, – we use to clean our skin when we fall down and hurt”.Two areas, for example, of scientifically-proven ways to reverse chronic inflammation relate to exercise and intermittent fasting – something which Patel himself has seen the benefits of.“When you fast, instead of using energy to digest food, the body switches into clearing the mess in the body - it clears out the dead cells and recycles them. And much more importantly, new cells are produced when you are fasting through a process called autophagy.”Autophagy is a natural process by which a cell breaks down old, damaged, unnecessary, or dysfunctional components within a cell and then repurposes those components for fuel and to build or maintain cells. It also destroys disease-causing pathogens, like bacteria and viruses, that can harm cells and has been linked in playing a role in preventing and fighting diseases like Parkinson's disease and Crohn's disease.As for exercise, Patel explains you don’t have to run a marathon to see benefits.“When we use our muscles, the body releases a substance called myokines which is anti-inflammatory,” he said. Pic credit: iStockPatel has carried out extensive research into ancient cultures who he believes had a more holistic approach to health. “The book looks areas such as Chinese culture and Ayurvedic cultures, we have a lot to learn from them,” he said. “It’s a pity we have moved away from it because they look at the whole body. In the West, we look at each organ, so you've got a cardiologist, rheumatologist, you've got a kidney specialist, whereas in Ayurveda, they look at the whole body, and that is where the inflammation comes in. “The inflammation doesn't just affect one part. When you go to a dodgy knee, the symptoms are being shown in your knee, but there is inflammation going on in the other parts of the body as well.”Patel reveals he has seen first-hand the result diet and exercise has had on his own father’s life. “My father and my uncle were twins, but they had different lifestyles. My father did not drink alcohol, stuck to vegetarian diet, and he would start his day with yoga. He's 94-years-old and can still touch the back of his head with his toes,” said Patel.“My uncle put on a lot of weight. Ate nastas (wholesome breakfasts), salty foods. When you look at the health outcomes, my dad is healthy and alive, whilst my uncle died a year ago after being really ill for two years. “Investing in health does two things - it extends the life and it improves the quality of your life towards the end of your life.”As for Patel’s own health, at 71, he feels in the best shape he has for decades after implementing the strategies he has shared in the book. “I had long Covid and I was in a bad state,” he said.“When I got up in the morning, it was like I had drank a bottle of whiskey the night before. I was rested but my head wasn't clear. By lunchtime, I was fatigued and wanting to go to sleep. I was in so much pain constantly.“Now my head is clear. My pain has eased up a lot. I'm sleeping much better and probably a better person to be around than before because I was just so irritable.“Every single day, using my dad as an inspiration, I'm going to keep going.”The Complete Anti-Inflammatory Guide is available to download as a free e-book from Amazon only between May 12-13th. Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F6VLX2DC

The government launched its long-awaited pharmacy supervision consultation in 2023 but over a year since its conclusion, we are still waiting for a response to be published...

Who is the National Pharmacy Association’s (NPA) new chair? C+D gets to know “the French model”, his brand-new board and his history of Patagonian horse riding…

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has launched a new professional liability insurance policy, designed to empower pharmacists to work confidently and deliver high-quality care, knowing they are protected. Exclusively available to its members, the comprehensive and affordable insurance has been developed in collaboration with global professional services firm Aon. RPS stated that professional liability insurance, also known as professional indemnity insurance or clinical indemnity, is essential for pharmacists to practice with assurance and provide the highest standard of patient care, regardless of setting, without concerns about potential liability.The policy covers portfolio careers and prescribing as standard. The decision to launch the policy follows feedback from RPS members and research conducted by the organisation in 2022. The findings revealed that over half of the members surveyed had not switched their insurance provider in over a decade, as there are very few options in the market. Additionally, 76% supported the idea of RPS offering professional indemnity insurance.RPS CEO Paul Bennet said: “The pharmacy landscape is changing rapidly. Advances in practice mean pharmacists are taking on expanded responsibilities to enhance patient care and we are proud to offer this new indemnity policy as part of our commitment to supporting their professional development and confidence.”“By removing the barriers posed by uncertainty around liability, we aim to enable our members to practise at their full potential.”“This insurance supports safer practice and reflects our dedication to supporting pharmacists to deliver the highest standard of care for patients."Mark Riley-Pitt, UK head of health, social care and risk consulting, Aon added: “We have been pleased to collaborate closely with the RPS during the design of this insurance to ensure that it aligns with their members’ needs”.The insurance will be provided to members at cost, with no profit made by RPS. Existing RPS members (with some exceptions) will be covered wherever they work, whether or not they are prescribers, but can choose to opt out of the insurance. New members will be offered the policy as part of their membership package.This insurance package is not available to non-members.

The PDA has stressed that the government’s commitment to upgrade GP surgeries “must not be limited to supporting GPs” but must also be used to improve “inadequate” working conditions for pharmacists.

Pharmaceutical imports to the US surged in March as drugmakers stocked up ahead of potential US tariffs on their products, which have historically been exempt from such fees.Total imports of pharmaceutical products exceeded $50 billion in the month - the equivalent of 20 per cent of all pharmaceutical imports in 2024, according to data from a U.S. Commerce Department report on Tuesday.Imports jumped in particular from Ireland, the top drug exporter to the US. The country had a larger trade surplus than China with the US for the first time in March.Imports of all goods from Ireland rose by about $15.5 billion from February, with drugs accounting for most of that."While we had known consumer goods accounted for the bulk of March's rise, we can now see pharmaceutical products were $20 billion higher - almost all of which were imported from Ireland," Matthew Martin, senior US economist at Oxford Economics, wrote following the report.President Donald Trump has been threatening to levy tariffs on pharmaceuticals as part of a trade policy he says will increase domestic manufacturing of medicines.Last month, the Trump administration launched a probe into imports of pharmaceuticals ahead of possibly imposing tariffs on the grounds that extensive reliance on foreign production of medicine is a national security threat.Trump said on Monday he would make an announcement on the tariffs in the next two weeks. He also issued an executive order aimed at easing the regulatory burden in the US for producing drugs.In recent months, drugmakers told Reuters they had taken the unusual step of sending more medicines by air to the US. Two of the biggest US drugmakers said on recent investor calls that they had stepped up efforts to bring in inventory as part of their preparation for tariffs."As you can imagine, we have done everything that we have to do to make sure that we mitigate, so that includes inventory, of course, and many other things," Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said on a company conference call. He said the company was increasing that inventory each month to make sure "we are well positioned."Merck's primary exposure is through blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda, the world's biggest-selling prescription medicine, much of which is produced in Ireland. The company said last month it had moved enough inventory to the US to protect it through year-end.In addition to Ireland and other European Union countries, Oxford's Martin said the countries most at risk from the anticipated drug import levies include Singapore and Switzerland.

The famed US diet company originally known as WeightWatchers said it has filed for bankruptcy but will continue operations while its $1.15-billion debt is restructured.The company, now known as WW International, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection that it said "will eliminate $1.15 billion in debt from the company's balance sheet, and position WeightWatchers for long-term growth and success.""Operations continue with no impact to more than three million members worldwide for its members," it said in a statement on Tuesday.WeightWatchers has faced mounting debt as it struggled to keep pace with competition, including weight loss drugs such as Ozempic.The company said it "expects (the) reorganisation plan to be confirmed in approximately 40 days and to emerge as a publicly traded company."WeightWatchers, founded in 1963, renamed itself "WW" in 2018 as it shifted to a broader marketing strategy promoting wellness beyond weight-loss programs.

An increase in funding for community pharmacies in Scotland needs to lead to a greater focus on supporting pharmacists rather than “simply sustain business models”, according to the Pharmacy Defence Association (PDA).Earlier this week, Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS) accepted the Scottish government’s initial financial offer for the 2025/26 fiscal year, securing a guaranteed minimum reimbursement of £120 million for community pharmacies — up from £110 million from 2024/25.The PDA insisted the additional investment needs to be used to support the “wellbeing, professional development, and fair treatment of employed and locum pharmacists working on the front line”. “Any new deal needs to work for the whole community pharmacy sector, not just pharmacy owners but pharmacists too. We need investment that reaches those of us who deliver services to patients every day, so pharmacists and their teams can do their jobs safely, confidently, and with proper support,” said Maurice Hickey, head of Policy for PDA-Scotland.The agreement marks the first phase of ongoing negotiations surrounding community pharmacy funding for the upcoming financial year.CPS and the Scottish government agreed to begin negotiations with the initial focus on reimbursement arrangements to prevent a delay on this part of the deal, whilst discussions on the Global Sum element of remuneration continue.The guaranteed reimbursement figure has seen steady increases in recent years, previously rising from £100 million in 2023/24 to £110 million in 2024/25.In addition, the value mapped from the Scottish Drug Tariff has been increased by £20 million, from £80 million to £100 million, which CPS confirmed will be delivered as “guaranteed service income.”“Scotland’s pharmacists continue to deliver essential community care under increasing pressure. Funding announcements must be measured not only by the figures involved but by their real-world impact on those providing patient-facing services,” the PDA said in a statement. “Frontline pharmacists must feel the benefit of increased funding through improved working conditions, adequate staffing levels, protected time for clinical development, access for all pharmacists to independent prescriber training and recognition of their professional contribution.”

New government-funded training will support community pharmacy teams to meet the healthcare needs of veterans and their families. On the anniversary of VE day today, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced £1.8 million to support healthcare providers in England to: improve identification of Armed Forces personnel, deliver more personalised care, and improve The post New training for pharmacists to support veterans appeared first on The Pharmacist.

No integrated care boards (ICBs) in England have reported commissioning community pharmacies to provide ear wax removal services, despite two pilots evaluating the success this model, according to data obtained by a charity. Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted by the national hearing loss charity RNID also reveal that six ICBs do not commission ear The post No ICBs report commissioning pharmacy ear wax services appeared first on The Pharmacist.

Aspire Pharma Limited, one of the UK’s fastest-growing specialty niche generics companies, has announced the acquisition of UK distribution rights to a number of products from Tetris Pharma, a subsidiary of Arecor Therapeutics.These include products used in the treatment of bacterial infections—such as injectable and intravenous antibiotics—as well as a medicine indicated for acute myocardial infarction (MI) and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Aspire Pharma CEO Richard Condon described their latest acquisition as “a strategic move that not only strengthens our portfolio but also supports our central mission to meet patient needs, in terms of enhancing supply and access to essential, affordable, medicines.”“By integrating these important products into our existing portfolio, we are reaffirming our commitment to supporting patient care by offering true value to the NHS, payors and healthcare professionals.”The agreement will see Aspire Pharma take on the existing inventory of the acquired products, along with UK distribution rights. In 2021, Aspire Pharma became majority-owned by an affiliate of H.I.G. Capital, a leading global alternative investment firm, in 2021. The company aims to make a difference to the lives of patients through the development and supply of innovative products and medicines.

Over 1,000 GP surgeries will have their premises modernised to meet the needs of a further 8.3 million appointments each year, the government has announced. Backed by a cash injection of over £102 million, the surgeries will have additional space to “see more patients, boost productivity and improve patient care”.The government said this latest step is part of its £26 billion investment into the NHS and a part of its Plan for Change campaign to shift care out of hospital and into the community.“It will be a long road, but this government is putting in the work to fix our NHS and make it fit for the future,” said health and social care secretary, Wes Streeting, said:“These are simple fixes for our GP surgeries but for too long they were left to ruin, allowing waiting lists to build and stopping doctors treating more patients.“It is only because of the necessary decisions we took in the Budget that we are able to invest in GP surgeries, start tackling the 8am scramble and deliver better services for patients. “The extra investment and reform this government is making, as part of its Plan for Change, will transform our NHS so it can once again be there for you when you need it.”Lord Darzi’s independent report found that outdated, inefficient buildings create barriers to delivering high-quality patient care and reduce staff productivity. “Our last survey of members found that 2 in 5 GPs considered their premises unfit for purpose. This not only makes for a poor experience for both patients and practice staff, but it restricts the care and services a practice can provide. Nearly 90 per cent of respondents to our survey said their practice did not have enough consulting rooms, and three-quarters did not have enough space to take on additional GP trainees” said professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs. “Today’s announcement is an encouraging interim measure that shows the government is listening and acknowledges that inadequate GP infrastructure needs to be addressed. We now need to see this followed up by further long-term investment.”The investment will allow GP surgeries to create new consultation and treatment rooms whilst also making better use of existing space.Projects will be delivered during the 2025 to 2026 financial year, with the first upgrades expected to begin in summer 2025.In Norwich, Prospect Medical Practice - serving nearly 7,000 patients in some of the city’s most deprived areas - will create new clinical rooms to deliver more patient consultations.In the Black Country, vacant office spaces in Harden Health Centre will be converted into clinical consulting rooms, allowing more patient access to primary care.“Bringing GP premises up to a similar condition across England is important to improve patient experience of NHS services, while making primary care a better working environment as we seek to retain and recruit more staff,” said Dr Amanda Doyle, national director for primary care and community services.“It will also help to create additional space and extend the capacity of current premises as we improve access further and bring care closer to the communities where people live as part of the 10 Year Health Plan.”

Health secretary Wes Streeting confirmed that the government has started detailed operational and legislative planning for the abolition of NHS England. Streeting was responding to a question from Gregory Stafford, the Conservative MP for Farnham and Bordon, who asked the health secretary what progress had been made on the abolition of NHS England during a debate in the House of Commons on Tuesday (6). “As the Prime Minister and I announced, NHS England will be brought back into the Department to put an end to the duplication, waste and inefficiency resulting from two organisations doing the same job,” he said. “That is the final nail in the coffin of the disastrous 2012 reorganisation, which led to the longest waiting times, lowest patient satisfaction and most expensive NHS reorganisation in history.”“Since the announcement, we have set up a joint board, assessed resources and responsibilities across existing organisations, developed proposals about the role, functions and structure of the new centre, and started detailed operational and legislative planning.”However, Stafford raised concerns about delays in the merger process.“The Secretary of State claims to support change, yet delays to NHS reorganisation, including to the promised abolition of NHS England, suggest otherwise.” “Is it not the truth, as he outlined in his Guardian article, that he is bogging the system down in a slow, top-heavy restructuring, while resorting to tax rises, instead of delivering the decentralised, locally delivered, value-for-money healthcare that our constituents deserve?”Streeting hit back, saying: “A lot of words and not a lot of sense.”“We are reforming the NHS and, as a result of these changes, redirecting hundreds of millions of pounds to the frontline.”

Opella has officially become a standalone company, following the completion of Sanofi’s sale of a controlling 50.0% stake to private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R). Sanofi retains a significant shareholding with a 48.2% stake while Bpifrance holds the remaining 1.8% stake. Headquartered in France, Opella is the third-largest global player in the global Over-The-Counter (OTC) and Vitamins, Minerals and Supplements (VMS) sector, now valued at €190 billion. Its 100 brands – including Allegra/Allevia, Dulcolax, Buscopan and Cialis Together – are already trusted names in homes around the world.As an independent company, Opella is set to redefine the future of self-care with a clear mission: “Health in Your Hands.” “Going independent is not just a milestone. It is our moment,” said Julie Van Ongevalle, President and CEO of Opella. “I am proud of our talented team of 11,000 who made this happen. With the right partners and a sharp focus, we are set to reshape how people everywhere manage their health – simply, confidently, and on their terms.” Nick Linton, head of Opella UK, emphasised the company's ambitions to simplify self-care. “Self-care in the UK is being redefined — fast. The responsibility for health is shifting, and people are stepping up. At Opella UK, we’re not just responding to that change — we’re driving it.”“Today’s announcement marks our moment of independence, and we’re using it as a launchpad to innovate harder, connect deeper, and move faster.”“Our mission is clear: to simplify healthcare to put health into people’s hands. We’re here to shake things up — and we’re just getting started.” David Taylor, former chairman and CEO of Procter & Gamble and current chairman of the Board of Delta and senior advisor to CD&R funds, has been appointed chairman of Opella’s Supervisory Board. Taylor commented: “What drew me to Opella is a mission with meaning, a company with courage, a talented team, and a business ready to break new ground.”“Opella is not here to tweak the system – but to reimagine it.” As it steps into the next chapter with powerful backing, Opella plans to focus on strengthening its trusted brands and deepening its presence in key markets.“This is more than independence. It is the freedom to act. The power to simplify. And the drive to redefine the future of selfcare,” the company noted.

Two key clinical services will be available in 99 per cent of community pharmacies across Wales after a boost in funding. The sore throat test (STTT) and treat service and the urinary tract infection (UTI) service have both benefitted from contractual negotiations between the Welsh Government and Community Pharmacy Wales (CPW)."This is fantastic news for patients, improving access to trusted, convenient care through their local community pharmacy. Community pharmacists already play a vital role in supporting their communities, and it’s encouraging to see that role increasingly recognised through investment in services such as STTT and the UTI,” said, Elen Jones, Royal Pharmaceutical Society director for Wales and England, said:“Patient feedback on both services has been overwhelmingly positive. They not only provide care closer to home but also make the best use of pharmacists’ clinical expertise.”Research has suggested that the treatments of STTT services in pharmacies has led to better use of antibiotics. Research led by Dr. Efi Mantzourani found that 24 per cent of consultations through the Welsh pharmacy-led STTT service resulted in an antibiotic supply, compared to 39 per cent of GP consultations. For every 100 patients presenting with a sore throat at an STTT pharmacy, there was a reduction of approximately 15 to 18 antibiotic prescriptions.Jones said this highlighted the critical role community pharmacy plays in the public health and called for that to reflected in improved funding for the sector. "While this announcement is very welcome, it’s important to acknowledge that community pharmacy is under significant pressure,” she said.“As we highlighted to politicians, together with CPW at the Senedd in 2024 and earlier this year following the results of our workforce wellbeing survey, pharmacy teams must be supported with adequate resources, protected time for training, and sustainable workloads to ensure these services can be delivered effectively and safely."

PHOENIX has announced the opening of a new depot in Aberdeen to support its growing customer base in Scotland. The pharmaceutical wholesaler already operates 13 depots across the UK, collectively delivering over 250 million packs of medicines each year.The company stated in a press release that it has experienced significant growth in its customer base in Scotland, and that the expansion is “a direct response to the increasing demand for our services and the need to support our growing network of healthcare professionals and patients.” The new facility is part of the company’s ongoing investment in infrastructure aimed at maintaining the reliability and speed of its service delivery.“At PHOENIX, our mission is to ensure that our customers and patients receive the highest standard of service.”“The Aberdeen depot will play a crucial role in this mission by enhancing our logistical capabilities and allowing us to serve our customers with even greater efficiency.” The opening of the new depot reinforces the company’s commitment to supporting the healthcare sector in Scotland. “By expanding our footprint, we can better meet the needs of healthcare providers, ensuring they have consistent access to the medications and supplies they need to deliver exceptional standards of care to their patients,” it said.

Independent prescribing will be a “significant point” in the history of community pharmacy, according to Royal Pharmaceutical Society chief executive Paul Bennett. Last month, the RPS announced the launch of a comprehensive new prescribing development programme to support pharmacists across all stages of their prescribing careers.The initiative comes ahead of the NHS mandate that every newly qualified pharmacist will be an independent prescriber by 2026 — a change set to transform the future of pharmacy practice.“It will be a significant point in our profession’s history when we look back on it,” said Bennett. “The latest figures suggest 30 per cent of registrants are now independent prescribers. There has been a building cohort of independent prescribers, which will get a boost in 2026 when more come on stream.”Open to RPS members, the programme will begin on 23 June 2025 and run for 18 months.It will offer practical, ongoing support for pharmacists who are new to prescribing, returning to practice, or looking to expand their scope.The programme will cover six themes, changing the theme every three months.Each quarter, participants will explore a new theme through flexible, bite-sized learning formats, including podcasts, blogs, webinars, and e-learning modules available via RPS Learn.They will also be able to build a personalised prescribing portfolio and track their development using the RPS Competency Framework for Prescribers. “It was an area of organisational focus for us significantly last year - building this prescribing competency framework that outlines the skills and the behaviours that are needed for safe and effective prescribing.“It's full of very helpful advice, points you to where other support can be obtained from, as well as our own materials. I highly commend it to anybody who is considering becoming an independent prescriber and needs support and guidance and advice on their journey.”Last month, the government announced the new Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) for 2025/26 in England. With an annual funding commitment of £3.073 billion, an increased medicines margin, and improved service fees, the new contract provides security and potential opportunities for community pharmacies to expand their role in delivering high-quality healthcare.As a community pharmacist, Bennett he realises the importance of the contract providing a level of much-needed security for the sector. “The royal pharmaceutical society readily recognises pharmacists as being crucial to supporting the best use of medicines across the whole of the system. The government and the NHS, we believe must ensure that that value is recognised through appropriate community pharmacy funding,” he said.“We have a legitimate interest in a vibrant community pharmacy sector being maintained out, some would say, now to be re-established because of the challenges of the last few years, in particular in order to support patient and public access to professional advice and to medicines. “As the Department of Health and NHS England work to develop the 10 Year NHS plan, we've continued to make representations that warnings of pharmacy closures must be addressed so that patients can continue to access a resilient community pharmacy network.”As part of the discussions around a Royal College of Pharmacy, the RPS undertook a series of face to face events that ranges from Aberdeen to Plymouth. There were 15 face to face events country and a series of webinars.“Every single one of those road shows, without exception, there was a recognition from those who attended, a need for support for career progression, post registration, education and credentialing was a very hot topic,” said Bennett.He added that a Royal College would continue to develop clear pathways to support pharmacists from foundation level through to consultant level practice. The RPS currently sets national standards with a core, advanced pharmacist curriculum that helps pharmacists develop advanced skills across the domains of care, leadership, education, research and practice. Pharmacists can achieve RPS advanced credentialing to demonstrate advanced level practice and become consultant ready. “It's not only about that advanced level, it's at various career stages which people say they need and rightly deserve support to enable them to be the best they can be at that point in their career with an eye on where they want to go, where they want to develop their professional practice in the future,” said Bennett.“We also support that through our training and mentoring services that are thriving, and we'll be providing a new learning platform soon that enables on demand, access to skills development in a wide range of clinical topics at a time that is convenient for our members. “We will be providing a career pathway - the support, the assessment and the credentialing infrastructure to enable people to demonstrate their competence which I hope will be rewarding for them, rewarding for the profession, and beneficial to patients in the public too. This feels like a really important area for us to be investing in.”Bennett is confident that community pharmacists have the skills and knowledge to play a key role in the government’s 10 Year NHS plan.“I'm excited by the prospects for community pharmacy and it's clinical evolution,” he said. “I have become increasingly interested in the application of tools such as artificial intelligence, and also really excited by the notion of personalised medicines and pharmacogenomics, and how community pharmacists as practitioners with that really close relationship with their patients, can help make sure that personalised medicines have the greatest possible beneficial effect.”

US president Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday that aims to reduce the time it takes to approve pharmaceutical plants in the country, as part of new regulations to encourage domestic manufacturing.The order directs the US Food and Drug Administration to streamline reviews and work with domestic manufacturers to provide early support before facilities come online.It also directs the health regulator to improve enforcement of active-ingredient source reporting by foreign producers and "consider publicly displaying a list of facilities that do not comply".FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said during the signing of the executive order that the FDA plans to start doing surprise inspections of overseas plants, a move he said would bring the oversight more in line with the United States.The order also directs the Environmental Protection Agency to speed up the construction of facilities.The actions are the latest by Trump to shift manufacturing of drugs to the United States. In recent months, he has repeatedly threatened tariffs on the pharmaceutical imports, which have long been spared from trade wars due to potential harms.Analysts and companies have estimated that a new manufacturing plant could take at least five years to build.In a statement, the White House said that such a long timeline was "unacceptable from a national-security standpoint.""As we invest in the future, we will permanently bring our medical supply chains back home. We will produce our medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and treatments right here in the United States," Trump said in a statement.Last month, the Trump administration launched probes into imports of pharmaceuticals and semiconductors as it looks to impose tariffs on both sectors on grounds that extensive reliance on foreign production of medicine and chips is a national security threat.Although there is little clarity on the rates and timings of any sector-specific tariffs as of now, Trump said on Monday he would make an announcement in the next two weeks.The industry could be in for a big hit if Trump goes ahead with his plans, since the US imports more than $200 billion in prescription drugs.Last week, British pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca announced that it has begun moving some of its European production to the United States, ahead of Trump's possible tariffs on the sector."Our company is firmly committed to investing and growing in the US," chief executive Pascal Soriot said in an earnings statement, which also reported that first-quarter profit rose by over 30 per cent to $2.92 billion.AstraZeneca could become exposed to US levies on its European-made products but Soriot stressed that the impact would be limited due to the ongoing shift in production."The limit of the exposure we have relates to exporting products from Europe to the US," Soriot said on an earnings call."We are in the process of shifting the manufacturing of those products to the US," he added.The United States is a key market for the pharmaceutical industry, and AstraZeneca had already planning to invest $3.5 billion there by the end of 2026.Soriot said earlier in the year that he hoped the US will account for around half of AstraZeneca's global revenue by 2030.Other pharmaceutical companies have also announced plans to increase investments in the United States.AstraZeneca reconfirmed its outlook, saying it remains on track to achieve its target of $80 billion in annual revenue by the end of the decade.Its first-quarter profit in 2025 benefited from strong growth in its cancer drug sales and biopharmaceuticals.During the quarter, it generated 42 percent of its revenue in the United States, followed by 20 percent in Europe.

Pharmacists will not be forced to be a part in assisted dying cases with the MP leading the campaign expected to made amendments to the bill which is currently going through parliamentary process.Kim Leadbeater, the MP behind the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, will say that “no person is under any duty to participate in the provision of assistance”.The draft legislation currently states that doctors and other health professionals can refuse to take part. The new amendment will mean that pharmacists and any other staff involved in the process can say no and under employment law, they cannot be dismissed or face disciplinary action as a consequence. “I promised during the lengthy committee hearings into the Bill that I would look at how we could extend the ‘opt-out’ provisions and that is what I will be proposing this week. As a result, nobody will be at risk of any detriment to their careers if, for any reason at all, they chose not to take part,” said Leadbeater. “Not all people working in and around the health and care sector would want to participate in the provision of assisted dying”.In a historic vote last year, MPs backed a bill to allow assisted dying, paving the way for Britain to follow other countries such as Australia, Canada and some U.S. states in what would be one of its biggest social reforms in a generation.Under the proposed law, mentally competent, terminally ill adults in England and Wales with six months or less to live would be given the right to end their lives with medical help.Polls show that a majority of Britons back assisted dying and supporters say the law needs to catch up with public opinion.But following the initial vote in November, the bill is now under scrutiny and needs to work its way through both the House of Commons and the upper chamber, the House of Lords.Amendments mean implementation will take more than the two years originally forecast, said Leadbeater.The most notable amendment will remove the requirement for a High Court judge to sign off each case and instead rely on a panel of experts, including a senior legal figure, psychiatrists and social workers.Setting up a voluntary commission of experts will take longer than simply referring cases to the High Court.But Leadbeater said the law could be implemented before 2029: "Four years is very much a backstop, it is not a target."If it did take until 2029, it could be pushed back until after the next national election, which must be held by August of that year, putting it at the mercy of the next government.

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has expressed concern over the widespread misconceptions among some patients regarding the role of antibiotics.In a survey conducted by the NPA, nearly four in five pharmacies (79 per cent) reported receiving and refusing requests for unnecessary antibiotics from patients for minor ailments such as coughs and colds – often where they are ineffective – at least once a day. These could be viral infections that will clear up without the use of antibiotics, the NPA explained. Between the 23rd and 27 April 2025, around 400 community pharmacies were surveyed, with 77 per cent of them reporting that the current level of demand for antibiotics to treat minor ailments could pose a risk to patient and wider population safety. NPA chair Olivier Picard said: “Although antibiotics may be an appropriate course of treatment for some conditions, for other ailments like viral coughs and sore throats, they may not be effective.” “This could also mean antibiotics may not be effective for treating more serious conditions, posing a risk to patient safety.“Pharmacists are highly trained medical professionals who see nearly two million patients a day and provide medication advice. They can supply antimicrobials in some circumstances, but only when they are clinically needed.“Pharmacies take very seriously their roles as antimicrobial stewards and provide more clinical services than ever before, taking pressures away from GPs and the rest of the health system.”Pharmacies also reported incidents of patients attempting to reuse or redistribute leftover antibiotics through social media groups, and others stockpiling them for future use, a practice that can contribute to growing antibiotic resistance. In some cases, pharmacies have even reported seeing half-used courses of treatments being posted on local community reuse social media groups.One in four pharmacies (25 per cent) surveyed reported that patients frequently returned partially used antibiotics, while more than a third (37 per cent) said they were aware of patients regularly hoarding antibiotics for a later date.Pharmacists also reported cases of patients requesting antibiotics before going on holiday, as well as returning from abroad with significant quantities of antibiotics for conditions that would not normally be treated by them in the UK.The NPA, who are the largest community pharmacy membership body in the UK, have joined forces with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) to support their campaign ‘Andi Biotic’ to tackle public misconceptions on antibiotics, especially among young adults aged 18-34.Diane Ashiru-Oredope, lead pharmacist for antimicrobial resistance at UKHSA, highlighted that addressing misconceptions about taking antibiotics is an important part of tackling antibiotic resistance.“Antibiotic resistance is impacting people every day in this country. Not being able to effectively prevent and treat infections is one of the biggest threats to our health," she said. “The situation is not hopeless though, we can all work together to help keep antibiotics working. For example, only taking them when prescribed and as directed by a healthcare professional, not taking antibiotics for colds and flu and not saving antibiotics for future use - unused antibiotics can be returned to pharmacies. “Taking action not only protects our own individual health - it also protects everyone in our communities and future generations."The six-week public awareness campaign aims to answer people’s uncertainties about when and how to take antibiotics to help preserve their effectiveness today and for future generations. NPA and UKHSA are urging patients to understand that not all ailments can be treated with antibiotics, and using them unnecessarily for minor conditions, such as colds, can reduce their effectiveness when needed for other, more serious illnesses, creating antibiotic resistance.The campaign urges people to use antibiotics in the right way: Avoiding antibiotics for colds and flu, as they are ineffective against viral infections Only taking antibiotics when prescribed, and as directed by a healthcare professional Never saving leftover antibiotics for future use

Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS) has accepted the Scottish government’s initial financial offer for the 2025/26 fiscal year, securing a guaranteed minimum reimbursement of £120 million for community pharmacies — up from £110 million from 2024/25. The agreement marks the first phase of ongoing negotiations surrounding community pharmacy funding for the upcoming financial year. CPS and the Scottish government agreed to begin negotiations with the initial focus on reimbursement arrangements to prevent a delay on this part of the deal, whilst discussions on the Global Sum element of remuneration continue. The guaranteed reimbursement figure has seen steady increases in recent years, previously rising from £100 million in 2023/24 to £110 million in 2024/25. In addition, the value mapped from the Scottish Drug Tariff has been increased by £20 million, from £80 million to £100 million, which CPS confirmed will be delivered as “guaranteed service income.” CPS chief executive Matt Barclay said: "We agreed with Scottish Government to work on what we could with the financial package when we could.”“This is effectively the first part of the deal, supporting network cashflow in the event of a medicines market downturn linked to the Drug Tariff through the Guaranteed Minimum and crucially mapping further guaranteed money to support strategic service lines for patients.”“We are continuing to work hard to get more resource into the contract in line with the CPS Board objectives for 25/26.”Olivier Picard, chair of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), welcomed the agreement as “good news” for pharmacies across Scotland, stating that it will help maintain “a strong network amid rising costs.”“National insurance and national minimum wage increases have added to the pressures facing pharmacies alongside growing medicine costs and inflation that has affected every business in Scotland.”“It is reassuring that CPS will be closely monitoring pharmacies’ cashflow to ensure our sector remains sustainable.”He emphasised that the pharmacy network is vital for millions of people who rely on it for medicines, health advice and treatment on their doorsteps. “So, it’s important to see commitment from the Scottish Government to maintaining this crucial service and seeing it flourish in the years ahead.”CPS welcomed the recognition given to the pharmacy network in the recently published First Minister’s NHS Operational Improvement Plan, which acknowledges the key role of pharmacies in delivering NHS Pharmacy First Scotland. “CPS are delighted to see that the network's huge contribution to patient care is being noticed by government and expansion sought to deliver even more care through our reliable network.” “The CPS Team will work to meet the commitment made in the plan and improve access to care through the pharmacy network,” it added. Further announcements regarding the complete financial settlement for 2025/26 are expected in due course, as negotiations continue.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has granted marketing authorisation for Vimkunya, a vaccine developed by Bavarian Nordic A/S to prevent chikungunya disease in people aged 12 years and older. The UK approval follows earlier approvals by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Commission in February 2025, making this the third regulatory green light for the vaccine.Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne disease caused by the chikungunya virus (CHIKV), which is found in countries across Asia, Africa and the subtropical regions of the Americas. Most people infected with the virus develop fever, rash, and severe pain in multiple joints that typically resolve between one to two weeks, but symptoms may last for months or years in some cases. “Chikungunya mostly represents a risk for UK citizens traveling overseas to affected regions in the Americas, Africa and Asia, but as recent research has shown, invasive mosquitos known to carry the disease have established themselves in many parts of Southern Europe and are moving further north due to climate change,” said Paul Chaplin, President and CEO of Bavarian Nordic. “The mosquitos cannot be stopped, but with preventative measures such as vaccines, we can mitigate the impact of emerging diseases like chikungunya for those at risk.” Vimkunya is a single-dose, prefilled, adjuvanted virus-like particle (VLP) recombinant protein vaccine designed for active immunization against chikungunya virus (CHIKV) in individuals aged 12 and above.The MHRA approved the vaccine through the International Recognition Procedure (IRP), which allows streamlined assessment by recognising prior approvals from trusted international regulators—in this case, the European Commission. The approval was based on results from two phase 3 clinical trials, which showed that 21 days after a single dose, the vaccine induced neutralising antibodies in up to 97.8% of recipients aged 12–64 and 87.3% in those over 65. Vimkunya was well tolerated, with the most common side effects being injection site pain, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain—all typically mild or moderate.The Danish company plans to launch the vaccine in the UK in summer 2025, and has also submitted an application to Health Canada, with potential approval anticipated in the first half of 2026.

People living in the 20% most deprived areas of England are almost twice as likely to be admitted to hospital with infectious diseases compared to those in the least deprived areas, according to a new report from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The Health Inequalities in Health Protection Report shows that those living in the North West were particularly affected, with hospital admission rates for infectious diseases reaching 3,600 per 100,000 people—30% higher than the national average of 2,800 per 100,000 between September 2023 and August 2024.Emergency hospital admissions were found to be substantially higher in the most deprived areas, including: Twice as high for respiratory diseases overall, and up to seven times higher for tuberculosis and six times higher for measles. Twice as high for invasive infections in general, and up to 2.5 times higher for sepsis 1.7 times higher for gastrointestinal diseases The report also highlights stark disparities between ethnic groups. Emergency hospital admission rates for tuberculosis were 29 times higher for ‘Asian Other’, 27 times higher for ‘Indian’, and 15 times higher for ‘Black African’ individuals, when compared to ‘White British’. Areas of high levels of deprivation also experience higher levels of air pollution than less deprived and less ethnically diverse areas.Dr Leonora Weil, deputy director for health equity and inclusion at UKHSA, said that these health inequalities were “avoidable, pervasive, and preventable.”“That is why it is so important to shine a light on these findings to increase action to support communities to live longer and in better health.”“Going forward our data and analysis of the evidence will help us, and our partners apply a health equity lens to all our health security work, to inform how we better target effective health services and wider interventions to those most at need,” he added. In addition to the social, physical and mental health costs, health inequalities also have a significant economic burden. The NHS spent an estimated £970 million to £1.5 billion on emergency infectious disease hospital admissions in 2022–23. Infectious diseases also accounted for more than 20% of all hospital bed usage last year, costing the NHS nearly £6 billion in 2023–24.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has recommended Linzagolix (brand name Yselty), a once-daily tablet, as a new treatment option for endometriosis. Developed by Theramex, Linzagolix is approved for use alongside hormonal add-back therapy in adults of reproductive age who have previously tried other medical or surgical treatments for the condition.“It offers a convenient way for people with endometriosis to manage their condition and helps to ease pressure on NHS services,” said Helen Knight, director of medicines evaluation at NICE.Endometriosis affects around 1.5 million women in the UK. The condition occurs when tissue similar to the womb lining grows in other parts of the body. As this tissue breaks down during the menstrual cycle, it becomes trapped in the pelvis, causing chronic pain, fatigue, and a significant impact on quality of life. According to NICE, Linzagolix works by blocking hormones that contribute to endometriosis symptoms. Clinical trials have shown that, when taken with hormone therapy, the treatment can significantly reduce pelvic pain and painful periods.Helen Knight noted that NICE’s streamlined evaluation process allowed for a faster review of the treatment, helping ensure that patients could access it quickly. “Linzagolix is a valuable addition to the options available for this often painful and disruptive condition,” she said. NICE compared Linzagolix’s costs with similar treatments and standard care options, concluding that it offers similar benefits at a comparable cost. The medicine was approved by the UK regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), on 14 March, 2025. NICE will publish its final guidance on 25 June, after which the NHS in England will have 90 days to make the treatment available.

Healthwatch England has raised the alarm over the risks posed by inaccurate medical records as research reveals widespread errors in NHS patient information. Commissioned by Healthwatch England and conducted by BMG Research, the survey polled a representative sample of 1,800 adults in England between 24 and 27 March 2025. It found that nearly one in four adults (23%) had noticed inaccuracies or missing details in their medical records. “Accurate information about patients in the NHS is essential,” said Healthwatch England, warning that “inaccurate information can, in extreme cases, result in serious harm or even death.”Common errorsThe majority of those who had spotted errors found missing information in their records. However, some respondents reported more serious mistakes, such as incorrect personal details—including names or dates of birth—or errors in their medical history.“Incorrect information can cause both inconveniences and represent a clinical risk to individuals,” Healthwatch England warned. Among those who reported inaccuracies: 26% said their personal details were wrong. 16% noticed inaccurate information about the medication they had taken. 9% said there was a record of a condition they did not have. 9% reported treatments listed in their records that they had never received. Missing information When it comes to missing information, 29% said diagnosed health conditions were not listed in their records. Another 29% reported missing important information from their medical history, such as such as periods of serious ill health or time spent in hospital. Additionally, nearly one in five (19%) of those who have noticed inaccuracies said all details before a certain date are missing in their record.Impact of inaccurate records The impact of inaccurate patient medical records is far-reaching. Fewer than one in five (17%) of those who noticed errors in their records said it hadn’t impacted them. The majority reported at least some negative impact: 26% said they frequently had to repeat their medical history to healthcare staff during appointments 20% had struggled to convince healthcare staff of medical issues not recorded in their file. 13% missed out on important tests or treatments due to incorrect information. 12% were refused treatment because of inaccurate or missing information. 10% received incorrect or inappropriate medication. 9% received potentially unsafe care or treatment. Beyond healthcareThe impact of inaccurate records extends beyond medical care. Over one in eight (13%) of those who noticed errors in their record said the issue had affected other areas of their life—such as legal matters, insurance, or benefit claims. One respondent reported difficulty obtaining Personal Independence Payment (PIP) due to missing information in their medical records. Healthwatch also raised concerns about potential confidentiality breaches. Some patients discovered that their records contained information about someone else—often a family member with a similar name—raising serious General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and privacy concerns. Inaccurate records not only lead to inefficiencies that frustrate patients, but also result in wasted NHS resources, the watchdog added. Why do these errors happen? The survey revealed two main causes: Inaccurate notetaking by staff. Lack of integration between different healthcare services “Inaccuracies are often due to human error,” said Healthwatch, acknowledging the significant pressure that healthcare professionals face, but stressed the need to improve the working culture and service conditions. Call to action Healthwatch England is calling for three key actions to address the issue: Improved record-keeping practices across the NHS. Promotion of people’s rights to get records amended. Clearer guidance for patients about how to change incorrect records. Healthwatch England pointed out that their research only reflects those who are aware of inaccuracies in their records, suggesting that many more individuals may have inaccurate records without realising it.

Pharmacies are “best placed” to deliver a planned rollout off greater access to weight loss jabs which could benefit 3.4 million people in England.Reports today claim the government is looking at trials that would see the medication made available following a short, over-the-counter consultation for the price of an NHS prescription.Currently weight loss drugs such as Mounjaro and Wegovy are prescribed to patients after being referred to specialist weight loss clinics, which are usually located in hospitals.However, at the moment, there is a two-year waiting list for Wegovy on the NHS with report claiming the rollout of the NHS service is taking longer than expected. Pharmacies already sell the medication as a private service with costs ranging between £120 and £250 for a month's supply.According to the Daily Mail, a multimillion-pound deal for a pilot scheme will be struck with a pharmaceutical firm, with a view to issuing prescriptions through pharmacies and health centres.“Pharmacies stand ready and able to deliver this service,” Olivier Picard, chairman of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), said on Radio 4’s Today programme.“Access to medicines that could cut damaging levels of obesity shouldn’t be restricted to those who can pay or disadvantage deprived communities.“We’re yet to see the detail but this announcement has the potential to make sure that people who need these treatments the most could access them for free.”Picard added that pharmacists have the clinical expertise to oversee the safe usage of weight loss drugs to tackle “an obesity crisis in the country”.“Pharmacies are the most accessible part of the NHS, and there are many pharmacies in deprived areas despite recent challenges,” he said.“Pharmacists are experts in medication and many have extensive experience delivering weight loss injections as part of a package of care including lifestyle advice.“They are best placed to help roll this treatment out on the NHS, with the right funding support.”A Government spokesperson added: “As the Government shifts the NHS from sickness to prevention, we will be looking across the board at how these drugs can be made available to more people who can benefit from them.“The NHS is already tackling obesity in innovative ways, including through community care models and digital technologies, to help deliver these drugs as part of a rounded package of care.”

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has confirmed that the government has laid amendments to the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 (HMR) in Parliament, marking a crucial step towards enabling hub and spoke dispensing between separate community pharmacy businesses. The Human Medicines (Amendments Relating to Hub and Spoke Dispensing etc.) Regulations 2025 are set to come into force on 1 October 2025.However, as pharmacies are required to notify their Integrated Care Board (ICB) at least 28 days before commencing hub and spoke dispensing for NHS prescriptions, the earliest possible implementation date would be 29 October 2025. Currently, hub and spoke dispensing is only permitted between community pharmacies owned by the same legal entity (the same retail pharmacy business). These new regulatory changes will, for the first time, allow independent pharmacies (different retail pharmacy owners) to carry out hub and spoke dispensing under Model 1 – where medicines are assembled by the hub and returned to the spoke pharmacy for supply to the patient (patient – spoke – hub – spoke – patient). Model 2, where the hub pharmacy supplies medicines directly to the patient (patient – spoke – hub – patient), will not be introduced due to patient safety and regulatory concerns. Harry McQuillan, chairman of Numark, described the government's announcement as “a welcome move toward enabling greater flexibility and efficiency in community pharmacy.”He noted that while the operational model is now broadly understood, the economic model remains unclear, and “that will be critical in determining how this change will truly benefit the sector.”"At Numark, we are actively exploring how this legislation could open up opportunities for our members.”“We are working to evaluate solutions that could support them to access the benefits of scale, while maintaining their local presence and patient relationships.” "As always, the detail will be key,” he added. He stressed that it is essential for the regulatory and economic frameworks to align in order to offer genuine, practical advantages to the sector.Meanwhile, the CPE continues discussion with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) for further amendments to the NHS (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations (PLPS).These will enable NHS spoke pharmacies to subcontract part of the NHS Essential Dispensing Service to the hub. Key points of the HMR amendments include: Written agreements must be in place between the hub and spoke pharmacies, clearly outlining their respective responsibilities. The dispensed medicine must be labelled with the spoke’s name and address, and the date on which the hub assembled or part assembled the medicine, along with all the usual information required on a dispensing label. Patient data sharing between the hub and spoke is permitted without the patient’s explicit consent through an information gateway, provided appropriate notices are displayed at both hub and spoke sites to maintain the confidentiality of the patient data. CPE said that they will be providing a briefing on Hub and Spoke dispensing and the new HMR amendments in the coming weeks.

With mounting financial pressures and rising patient demand, it has become more important than ever for pharmacies to embrace smarter, more efficient ways of working.At the recent Pharmacy Business Conference, industry leaders came together to discuss the benefits of adopting new technologies, if implemented correctly. “Pharmacy has never been more difficult than it is today, with huge financial strain and increasing patient demand,” said Pritee Panchmatia, director and superintendent pharmacist of Howletts Pharmacy. She stressed that for pharmacies to move forward and stay competitive, they must work more efficiently by embracing change and new technology. “If you try and work in the traditional methods of pharmacy, nothing is going to change,” Pritee warned. “You're still going to find yourself bogged down with old processes, and you're not going to free up your time, and you could end up increasing the risk of human error.”While adopting digital tools is critical, she and others on the panel emphasised that true success lies in also ensuring interoperability, clear standard operating procedures (SOPs), and staff training and support. Pritee PanchmatiaPritee PanchmatiaDigital Transformation Pritee shared her journey of expanding her business from one to three pharmacies in 2018. After delays caused by COVID-19, she implemented the Titan PMR system to help manage services more efficiently. The impact was transformative. “It gave me more time to invest in my staff, upskill them, and get them more involved in the clinical services we were providing,” she said. Pritee also introduced drug comparison tools, which streamlined the ordering process and saved both time and money. Additionally, use of Accurx greatly enhanced their engagement with both patients and GP practices, as information gets passed across straight away. “We use the pre-consultation questions on Accurx to engage with our patients before they even walk into the pharmacy,” she explained.More recently, Pritee introduced an app that links with the PMR system, allowing patients to track their own medication. “Implementing these tools has increased our efficiency, boosted patient engagement, and allowed us to use our time much more effectively,” she added. Fin McCaulIntegrating Systems for Smarter OperationsFin McCaul, managing director of Prestwich Pharmacy, discussed how their PMR system integrates with EPOS, allowing smarter inventory and patient management. “We use the reports not just to manage stock, but to track where patients are and ensure they’re collecting their medication,” he said. By introducing scan-to-bag systems and improving clinical checks through IT, Prestwich Pharmacy has reduced dispensing errors and freed up staff to focus more on services. Prestwich Pharmacy was one of the first community pharmacies to adopt robotics in 2006. Finn described the use of robotics, specifically the Meditech robot, as game-changing.“Robotics improve dispensing speed and accuracy, but more importantly, they free up staff from manual tasks, allowing greater focus on service delivery and space optimisation,” Fin said. Yasmin KarsanAI in PharmacyYasmin Karsan, pharmacist prescriber and AI engineer at The Digital Clinical Safety Company, shared insights into her work with AI-powered solutions. Recently, she developed and launched an automated Pharmacy First consultation programme that helped reduce their consultation time by about 70%. The tool can be integrated with PharmOutcomes or Sonar. “Artificial intelligence (AI) has huge potential to empower pharmacists, pharmacy teams, and business owners,” said Yasmin. Beyond automation, she pointed to AI’s role in content creation for marketing and patient engagement, particularly on social media platforms like TikTok. “We're moving into a world of social media where our new patients will be buying things from the TikTok Shop. They’ll be watching reels and content from influencers. So, we need to diversify our portfolios to be able to advertise through those avenues,” she said."And with tools like ChatGPT, you no longer have to worry about how to edit or create your own content — it can do it all for you."Yasmin also highlighted how pharmacies can leverage patient data from PMR systems to make better-informed decisions, especially when dealing with the impact of global trade tariffs on pharmaceutical pricing. Challenges of Changing WorkflowPritee acknowledged the initial apprehension that comes with digital transformation but emphasised the clear benefits it brought.She piloted the Titan system in one branch before expanding to the others, shifting pharmacists’ focus to clinical assessments while letting technology handle accuracy checks."Even implementing something as simple as the batch flow that Titan offers —where dispensers process several baskets together for one patient while following Titan's workflow processes—has helped increase our capacity without compromising patient safety,” she explained.“If I can adopt and embrace these technologies, I'm sure anyone can. Adopting these changes has made a big difference in improving our workflow, patient safety, and, most importantly, decreasing the stress that the whole team feels.”Pritee also highlighted the importance of team support and training in making the transition successful.Setting Standards Key to Unlocking Tech BenefitsThe panel was unanimous on the importance of setting standards and aligning SOPs with technology. “To maximise operational efficiency, it's essential to set clear standards and train the team thoroughly to ensure that they meet the expectations,” Finn noted. Yasmin added that many pharmacies underuse features of their PMR systems simply because their SOPs don’t align, resulting in unnecessary double or triple-checks. Pretty agreed that protocols are critical. “For the first six months after we implemented the changes, I spent time working with the teams to make sure they understood and followed the protocols.” “Because if they start trying to work in the old ways, then you are again introducing human errors, and you're defeating the whole point of introducing this technology.”Fin reinforced the message: “Getting the standards and operational processes right—and holding people accountable—takes time. But if you do that, you will see real progress.” pharmacists on technologypharmacists on technologyA Call to Action: Don’t Delay ChangeWhen asked how to educate colleagues and upcoming pharmacists on technology use, Pritee was clear: “We have to be real and accept that technology is here to stay. We have to adopt and adapt, otherwise we won't survive.”“Having used technology myself and coming from a non-techy background, I've seen the differences it's made in how we work and what we can now achieve.”“Take the first step, whatever is most important. Work with your team, support them, and you’ll see the impact.”Yasmin encouraged self-empowerment and collaboration. “Embrace it. Take small steps. And if you need support, reach out—we can all learn from each other.” Fin concluded with a reality check: “There is not one solution for everybody. But don’t bury your head in the sand and do nothing.”"You need to look at your business differently—not just in terms of surviving, but growing."

The Liberal Democrats have raised alarm over what they describe as the “decriminalisation” of burglary and shoplifting, as new data reveals that the vast majority of such offences across Britain are going unsolved. Figures revealed by the House of Commons Library research, commissioned by the party, showed that only 5.25 per cent of shoplifting offences in London last year led to a suspect being charged. Out of 88,248 incidents reported to the Metropolitan Police, just 4,629 resulted in charges. Leicestershire police recorded the lowest charge rate for shoplifting in the country—only 4.5 per cent of 8,345 reported offences led to a suspect being charged. Humberside police had the highest rate of solved shoplifting cases, charging suspects in 31 per cent of incidents, followed closely by Norfolk Police at 30 per cent. Across England and Wales, just 18 per cent of the recorded 516,791 shoplifting offences led to a suspect being charged, a marginal increase from 17 per cent the year prior. The situation is even more concerning for burglary offences. Less than one in 20 burglaries resulted in a charge last year, with only 7,761 suspects charged out of 172,544 reported incidents—just 4.5 per cent. This marks a drop from the previous year’s 5.2 per cent of the 185,683 burglary crimes.Derbyshire Police recorded the worst performance for solving burglaries, with just 2 per cent of cases resulting in charges. Other forces with similarly low outcomes include Hertfordshire (2.11 per cent), Leicestershire (2.56 per cent), Sussex (2.64 per cent), and Gloucestershire (2.86 per cent). Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, condemned the figures, telling The Times, “It is shocking that crimes like burglaries and shoplifting are being effectively decriminalised, leaving local communities to pay the price.”The party has warned that Labour’s failure to properly fund police forces would lead to even more crimes going unsolved. The Labour government has announced a £1.1 billion boost for police forces across England and Wales for 2025–26, bringing total funding to £19.6 billion.However, forces have argued that the rise falls short of what is needed to make up for years of underinvestment, increasing demands on officers, and above-inflation pay rises.In February, prime minister Keir Starmer announced the scrapping of the “shoplifters’ charter” as part of efforts to crack down on retail crime and prevent repeat offences.Criticising the previous Conservative government, Starmer said: “The opposite party left us with rising crime and effectively told police to ignore shoplifting under £200 worth of goods.“We’ve got rid of that shoplifters’ charter and we’re working hard to make sure we get a grip where they lost control.”As part of the government’s wider crackdown on retail crime, ministers have also pledged to introduce a new stand-alone offence for assaulting shop workers.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) have announced a three-year extension of their successful learning programme designed to support pharmacists delivering the Pharmacy Independent Prescribing Service (PIPS) in Wales.Originally launched in 2024, the programme equips pharmacists with the essential knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to provide excellent patient care as independent prescribers. The extended partnership means the programme will continue to run until at least 2028. “We are thrilled to continue and build upon this collaboration with HEIW as we embark on a new 3-year journey to further empower pharmacists across Wales to deliver high-quality prescribing services to our communities,” said Elen Jones, RPS Director for England and Wales. “This extended partnership builds on the success of last year’s work and reflects the ongoing commitment to advancing the role of prescribing pharmacists.”The programme offers practical, clinically focused workshops across Wales, designed by experienced pharmacist prescribers and GPs.The sessions address common conditions seen in community pharmacy and include case studies, group activities, and expert-led Q&A discussions.Margaret Allan, Pharmacy Dean at HEIW, commented: “We are pleased to be able to build on our collaboration with RPS by continuing the HEIW/ RPS Independent Prescriber Series aimed at Pharmacists accredited to provide the PIPS within Wales.”“Feedback from the programme in 2024/25 has been overwhelmingly positive and many participants have reported an increase in knowledge, skills and confidence when supporting patients after attendance at an event.”Allan also shared their plans to increase the number of places available and offer more local events to improve equity of access to PIPS provision across Wales.

The National Pharmacy Association’s (NPA) new vice-chair has vowed to be an “advocate” for community pharmacy and see the sector get the recognition it deserves.Sukhi Basra created history this week when she became the first female vice-chair of the NPA and she is determined to ensure she makes a lasting change in her new role.“Becoming the first female Vice Chair of the National Pharmacy Association is a moment I never imagined writing about, yet here I am, filled to the brim with gratitude, humility, and awe,” Basra wrote on LinkedIn.“To the Community Pharmacists I now have the honour of representing, I see you. I am you. Hard-working, under-recognised, fiercely dedicated professionals who hold entire communities together with strength, skill, and compassion.“It is my privilege to advocate for you, challenge for you, and speak truth to power in the rooms where decisions are made.”Basra will work alongside new NPA chair Olivier Picard as well as the rest of the NPA board which now compromises four female members. “With four amazing female board members now standing side by side, first Sehar Shahid, then Aisling O'Brien, and finally Joanne Mcmullan, I was no longer alone! I walk forward with Olivier Picard, our Chair, my friend, my partner in crime, whose passion inspires me endlessly,” said Basra. Basra has owned CliniChem Pharmacy in Victoria, London, for more than 25 years.She was the second woman ever to be elected to the NPA board and used her position to champion for community pharmacy. She has written for the likes of The New Statesman looking at how community pharmacies are one of the four key pillars of the primary care system in England, alongside general practice (GP), dentistry and eyecare services.“This is not the end of anything. This is a beginning and one I step into with mindful intention, fierce kindness, creative courage, and deep gratitude,” said Basra.“May I never forget why I started. May I always honour the trust placed in me. And may we, together, continue to open the doors wider for those yet to come.”

An experimental Boehringer Ingelheim drug achieved “unprecedented” benefits in patients with an advanced form of lung cancer who had already received other treatments for their disease, researchers said at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Chicago.The drug, zongertinib, targets the HER2 protein on cancer cell surfaces.Among 75 patients with pre-treated non-small cell lung cancer and mutations in HER2 known as tyrosine kinase domain (TKD) mutations, 71 per cent had significant tumor shrinkage during treatment with zongertinib. NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer.“A 71 per cent response rate is unprecedented in this cancer subtype, and not only is the data strong in showing that this treatment works, but zongertinib has the added convenience of being a once-daily oral therapy,” study leader Dr. John Heymach of the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston said in a statement.“When you also consider the improved safety profile compared to less selective inhibitors, this suggests a promising approach for patients in need of new treatments," Heymach said. "That’s exciting because just a few years ago these patients had no effective targeted therapies.”On average, patients’ disease remained stable, without getting worse, for more than a year, according to a report of the study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.“This new data is particularly encouraging for patients who had disease progression after prior therapies, because it indicates that the resistance mechanisms to those therapies does not necessarily confer cross-resistance to zongertinib,” Heymach said.His team also reported early positive results in 20 patients with non-TKD mutations and 31 patients with TKD mutations who previously were treated with a different HER2-targeting drug, although these patients haven’t been followed long enough to draw firm conclusions.A GSK drug given to treat certain early-stage cancers caused tumors to disappear in 80 per cent of patients in a mid-stage trial, allowing them to avoid surgery, researchers reported at the AACR meeting.The study participants had so-called mismatch repair deficient, or microsatellite instability-high, cancers, in which the body’s DNA repair system, responsible for fixing errors in cell structure and function, is not working properly.About half of the patients had rectal cancers; the rest had other malignancies including esophagogastric, colon, hepatobiliary, genitourinary, and gynecologic tumors. About two-thirds had evidence of cancer spread to their lymph nodes.All were good candidates for surgery, but instead received GSK's immunotherapy Jemperli (dostarlimab) for six months.Among the 103 patients who completed the treatment, 84 had a clinical complete response, meaning no sign of cancer, and 82 did not undergo surgery, according to a report of the study published in The New England Journal of Medicine.Two years later, 92 per cent remained free of cancer recurrence.Three patients with rectal cancer were able to conceive and deliver healthy children.The majority of patients with incomplete responses still had significant tumor shrinkage, the researchers found.Overall, 95 per cent of the patients had no or only mild side effects.Jemperli, which is approved to treat a type of endometrial cancer that has recurred or spread, helps the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.If the results are confirmed in larger trials, “immunotherapy alone could potentially replace more invasive treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, offering patients a significantly improved quality of life,” study leader Dr. Andrea Cercek of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York said in a statement.Adding Merck’s blockbuster immunotherapy Keytruda before and after surgery to usual treatments improves outcomes for patients with newly diagnosed head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, according to trial results presented at the meeting.Typically, these patients undergo surgery followed by radiation with or without chemotherapy.“This paradigm has been in place for more than two decades, and unfortunately outcomes for many patients continue to be unsatisfactory,” study leader Dr. Ravindra Uppaluri of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston said in a statement.The new trial results show that before surgery, treatment with Keytruda can enhance immune responses and start to act on tumor killing. And after surgery the drug “can address any leftover cancer cells that may still be present,” Uppaluri said.In the trial, 714 patients undergoing surgery for stage 3-4 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) including in the larynx, hypopharynx, and oral cavity received either Keytruda before and after surgery, or usual care.Patients who received Keytruda were more likely to have at least a 90 per cent reduction in the size of their tumor before undergoing surgery, compared to those in the control group, the researchers found.The median time to cancer progression, relapse, or death was 51.8 months for patients treated with Keytruda compared with 30.4 months with usual care alone.Among patients with the highest level of the PD-1 cell-surface protein targeted by Keytruda, the median time to those events was 59.7 months in the Keytruda group and 26.9 months in the standard-of-care group.After accounting for individual patient characteristics, and with half of patients having at least 38.3 months of follow-up, those treated with Keytruda were at least 27 per cent less likely to have experienced recurrence.Furthermore, treatment with Keytruda (pembrolizumab) reduced the risk of adverse events by 34 per cent, researchers reported. Keytruda, the world's biggest-selling prescription medicine, is approved for many types of cancer.“This new information supports changing the current standard of care” to now give Keytruda pre- and post-operatively, Uppaluri said. “For the first time in more than 20 years, patients with this challenging disease have a new therapeutic approach.”

UK-based biotech company Stablepharma is closer to launching the world’s first fridge vaccine.Developed using its proprietary technology, StablevaX™, the Stablepharma tetanus-diphtheria vaccine (SPVX02) is now entering its first-in-human trial through a UK government-back programme.The trial is being conducted at the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Southampton Clinical Research Facility, located at University Hospital Southampton, and led by Professor Saul Faust, the facility’s director, alongside Dr Karen O’Hanlon, chief development officer at Stablepharma. Professor Faust said: “It is fantastic to see cutting-edge UK science reach the milestone of a first clinical trial and to be able to give the opportunity for people living on the South Coast to take part.“This research will be an important step toward exploring whether this innovation could eradicate vaccine wastage and move away from the need for the cold chain.”Dr O’Hanlon described the trial as “an important milestone towards launching the world’s first fridge-free tetanus-diphtheria vaccine.” “We have also previously demonstrated that our technology can be manufactured under commercially scalable GMP conditions, enabling a scaling-up to millions of doses per year without the need for the global cold chain,” she added. Vaccines wastage Globally, nearly half of all vaccines are wasted each year, largely due to failures in the cold chain—a system that is not only costly and complicated to maintain but also contributes significantly to carbon emissions. Stablepharma’s innovation aims to reduce this wastage by converting existing approved vaccines to fridge-free versions that are ‘thermostable’ and can be stored for long periods at room temperature. The company has identified up to 60 vaccine candidates that could be suitable for StablevaX™ technology. The SPVX02 candidate has shown impressive results in stability tests, remaining completely stable and fully potent for at least 12 months at 30°C and 40°C, even after enduring three cycles of extreme temperature fluctuations from -20°C to +40°C. The MHRA has approved an 18-month shelf life for the clinical batch now being tested.The phase I clinical trial is expected to conclude in summer 2025, with results published by the end of the year. Stablepharma anticipates the global rollout of the vaccine by 2027.Hailing the development, health secretary Wes Streeting said: “This could be a real game changer and lifesaver globally – as it unlocks new ways for poorer nations to deliver vaccines to their patients, where they’re often needed the most.”“Groundbreaking science is amongst the things that Britain does best, and this innovation reaffirms our position as a world leader in vaccine development and research, boosting growth and economic security – the cornerstone of our Plan for Change.”Professor Lucy Chappell, NIHR chief executive and chief scientific adviser at the Department for Health and Social Care, noted that this clinical trial represents a “crucial step in building the evidence for this game-changing development in vaccine delivery.” “The NIHR is proud to be supporting this work through its world-leading research infrastructure, which provides industry partners such as Stablepharma with the support necessary to deliver cutting edge research here in the UK that could lead to better health outcomes around the world.”The project is also being supported by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Pharmacy minister Stephen Kinnock has insisted that community pharmacy have an integral part to play in the government’s long-term plan to refocus healthcare from hospitals to the community. Through the new NHS 10-Year Plan, the government aims to transform the NHS by shifting from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention.In December, Community Pharmacy England made a submission to the government’s development of a 10-year Health Plan for the NHS, highlighting the benefits of increased commissioning of pharmacy services in tandem with addressing the sector’s current funding gap.“The Government is determined to shift more healthcare out of hospitals and into the community, to ensure patients and their families receive personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and community pharmacies will have a big role to play in that shift,” said Kinnock“As part of the work to develop a 10-Year Health Plan, we have been carefully considering policies, with input from the public, patients, health staff, and our partners, including from the community pharmacy sector.”One way to build on the work of community pharmacy is too develop the Pharmacy Fist scheme which Kinnock said last month had huge potential, but “hasn't realised its full potential”.As part of efforts to enhance the service, Kinnock announced £215 million in additional funding for Pharmacy First and other Primary Care Access Recovery Plan services.This funding is in addition to the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF) allocations for 2024/25 and 2025/26.“I feel strongly that pharmacy first has huge potential, but I think it hasn't realized its full potential because we've had to learn through its implementation, what has worked and what hasn't worked so well,” Kinnock told Pharmacy Business, during a media briefing yesterday. “We're a government that takes decisions and makes policy on the basis of evidence. We have gathered the evidence, we've looked at the challenges, and we've spoken with the sector.”“We've got the feedback on what we need to do to incentivize pharmacists on Pharmacy First and how we can also give them the space to do that,” he said.

Pharmabox24, our recommended affordable Prescription Collection Machine, goes from strength to strength and numbers are increasing rapidly over the last few months. 22 units have now been sold – 12 have been installed, from Manchester to Harrogate to Norfolk across to South Wales all coming on board! The 10 new units will be a mix

All webinars start at 1pm and are FREE to attend unless stated otherwise. Email contact@dispensingdoctorexperts.co.uk to book your free places: Spring Webinars 2025 18th Feb 1pm EMIS Searches and How To Spread Prescriptions with Adam Brown 25th Feb 1pm Dispensary Business Management; The 10 Most Important Numbers You Should Know with Greg Bull 27th Feb

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Question: Thank you for the recent webinar with regards to PA VAT and Profitable Dispensing. Can you point me in the right direction to find the list of HMRC PA Items? As this has got me slightly worried on how I divide by monthly drug statements between PA Items and Dispensing items.  At the moment

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Electronic prescription dispensing is set to penetrate the most remote and rural corners of England after a ground-breaking piece of software was accredited by the NHS. Titan PMR has become the first viable software to be given full release authority by the NHS to provide electronic prescription services (EPS) to dispensing doctors. As a dispensing

Contrelle Activgard is now listed in Part IX of the Drug Tariff and can now be prescribed by general practitioners. 1/3 of women are reported to suffer from stress urinary incontinence, impacting both their quantity and quality of exercise and mental health. Contrelle is a disposable bladder support, which offers a simple, self-administered approach to

In this PSNC podcast we explore how to learn and use influencing skills to promote community pharmacy in the changing commissioning environment. Listen to more of our podcasts via our podcast index page or subscribe through iTunes (click here for an iTunes podcast guide).  

As the NHS continues to change, LPCs need to be able to adapt to the changes and support contractors in changing times. This podcast discusses how to manage change both within and outside the LPC. Listen to more of our podcasts via our podcast index page or subscribe through iTunes (click here for an iTunes podcast guide). [...]

Learn more about mentoring, an adaptable skill that can be used within community pharmacy and beyond. Listen to more of our podcasts via our podcast index page or subscribe through iTunes (click here for an iTunes podcast guide).  

Led by negotiation skills trainer Phil Parry this PSNC MyCoach podcast provides tips on how to avoid failure and improve success. Supported by Pfizer Limited. Listen to more of our podcasts via our podcast index page or subscribe through iTunes (click here for an iTunes podcast guide).  

Facilitating an LPC planning meeting  or contractor meeting? This  short PSNC MyCoach podcast will sharpen skills and boost your confidence. Listen to more of our podcasts via our podcast index page or subscribe through iTunes (click here for an iTunes podcast guide).  

For new LPC chairs or experienced chairs looking for tips and ideas – a PSNC MyCoach podcast on chairing meetings, with training consultant Phil Parry. Listen to more of our podcasts via our podcast index page or subscribe through iTunes (click here for an iTunes podcast guide).  

In this PSNC podcast we discuss why LPCs are consulted on market entry applications; what if the applicant is not an existing contractor in the LPC area; what LPCs should and shouldn’t take into account when considering an application; what about distance selling applications; governance and conflicts of interests? Listen to more of our podcasts [...]

With Rachel Harrison who leads PSNC’s Leadership Academy. Rachel discusses the qualities she has seen in some of the LPC members and officers that single them out as potential leaders. The qualities LPC leaders possess; what make people follow leaders? Key aspects of change management and coaching; the different styles of leadership? What sort of [...]