Government-backed national academy to promote social prescribing An independent national academy will support healthcare professionals in prescribing arts, sport and leisure activities to more patients, the health secretary Matt Hancock has announced.…
Health minister writes to pharmacy multiples over ‘deplorable’ plans to charge patients for prescription delivery The Welsh health minister has written to the country’s largest community pharmacy providers with concerns over proposals to introduce prescription delivery charges.…
MPs call for drug consumption room pilots to overhaul ‘failing’ UK drugs policy Drug consumption rooms should be introduced on a pilot basis in areas of high need, a report from the House of Commons Health and Social Care Committee has said.…
First non-injectable treatment for severe hypoglycaemia recommended by EMA committee A European Medicines Agency committee has recommended the first non-injectable treatment for severe hypoglycaemia.…
NICE amends depression guideline highlighting ‘severe’ and long-lasting withdrawal symptoms The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has amended its guidelines on depression in adults to highlight that antidepressant withdrawal symptoms may be severe in some patients.…
Pharmacists offering NHS 111 consultations could receive just £35 per month Pharmacists offering the community pharmacist consultation service could receive a sum as small as £35 per month when the service launches on 29 October 2019, according to calculations by The Pharmaceutical Journal.…
Pharmacists in devolved nations can follow serious shortage protocols from 31 October 2019 Legislation enabling the use of serious shortage protocols in Scotland will come into effect from 31 October 2019, the Scottish government has said.…
Scares over vaping illness could put lives at risk, PHE warns Lives could be put at risk by health scares around vaping-related illness, John Newton, the director of health improvement at Public Health England, has warned.…
A day in the life of a quality improvement champion Callum Brown details a typical day improving the quality of care at a large NHS trust.…