Top ten opinion articles of 2025

Our opinion section in 2025 has been a platform for bold ideas, challenging debates and personal insights that reflect the evolving role of pharmacy across Great Britain.

From pressures on prescribing pharmacists to the future of the profession itself, these pieces have sparked conversation and called for change.

This year’s most-read articles highlight the breadth of issues shaping pharmacy practice, including the urgent need for fair funding and the delicate balance between assisted dying legislation and palliative care. We’ve also had reflections on the NHS ten-year plan and calls for greater integration between pharmacy and palliative care teams.

Other stand-out pieces include a call for cultural sensitivity in psychotropic deprescribing, a push for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) to become a royal college and innovative solutions to address the shortage of designated prescribing practitioners. 

Authors have also shared their stories from the frontline, whether in an emergency department resuscitation team or a music festival pharmacy tent.

We want to thank everyone who shared their experiences with The Pharmaceutical Journal in 2025. Here are the top ten opinion pieces that captured your attention this year.

Charlotte Gurr / The Pharmaceutical Journal

1. ‘Prescribing pharmacists are delivering beyond their pay grade’

Senior pharmacist prescriber Haseeb Khan on why funding for the additional roles reimbursement scheme must catch up and match the scope of what prescribing pharmacists deliver in practice.

Wes Mountain/The Pharmaceutical Journal

2. ‘PJ view: Palliative care must not be forgotten if assisted dying legislation progresses’

In January 2025, The Pharmaceutical Journal argued why a careful balance must be struck between assisted dying and palliative care.

Wes Mountain/The Pharmaceutical Journal

3. ‘How prescribing pharmacists can make an impact in the emergency department’

Prescribing pharmacist Shane Kailla details his experience with bringing medicines expertise to an emergency department resuscitation team.

Wes Mountain (left, centre)/Jon Barlow(right)

4. ‘Why should the RPS become a royal college?’

In the lead up to the vote for the RPS to become the Royal College of Pharmacy, each national pharmacy board chair put forward their case.

Wes Mountain/The Pharmaceutical Journal

5. ‘Psychotropic deprescribing in ethnic minority individuals with a learning disability requires a more nuanced approach’

Hassan Mahmood and Danielle Adams argue why culturally sensitive psychotropic deprescribing can tackle health inequalities.

Wes Mountain/The Pharmaceutical Journal

6. ‘Pharmacy teams are essential to driving responsive palliative care’

Researchers from Marie Curie call for greater integration between pharmacy and palliative care teams to improve care quality.

Wes Mountain/Shutterstock.com

7. ‘How we are helping to address the DPP shortage’

Pharmacist Ruhina Kassam explains why she set up DPP Connect to match trainee independent prescribers with designated prescribing practitioners.

Charlotte Gurr

8. ‘PJ view: NHS ten-year plan raises more questions than answers’

The PJ set out its concerns over the limited detail on delivery and funding for pharmacy ambitions in the NHS ten-year plan.

Adele Cameron

9. ‘Prescriptions and ponchos: pharmacy volunteers in the field’

Community pharmacist Adele Cameron shares what it’s like to work in a pharmacy at a music festival.

Charlotte Gurr

10. ‘Redefining the pharmacist of the future’

Uzo Ibechukwu argues that unless early career pathway opportunities are broadened, the profession risks losing valuable talent.