Carolyn Wickware

Executive Editor

Carolyn Wickware is Executive Editor at The Pharmaceutical Journal

Less than 70% of GP practices are actively referring patients to community pharmacy, suggests health minister

The figures come after financial incentives designed to encourage GP practices to sign up to the Community pharmacist consultation service were removed for 2023/2024.…

Regional healthcare systems could help address pharmacy workforce issues, finds review

The government-commissioned review called for integrated care systems to remove barriers that currently exist within primary care and promote integration and collaboration.…

Government warned repeatedly to better regulate supply of drugs online after series of deaths

Exclusive: Analysis of coroner’s reports has revealed a decade-long pattern of deaths caused by overdoses from drugs supplied online, accompanied by warnings to the government that more may die without tighter restrictions.…

‘Pandemic of tragedy’: the deaths caused by gaps in online drug supply regulations

In the past ten years, multiple people have died after taking drugs they purchased online, with coroners warning that people will continue to do so without tighter regulations in place.…

NHS policy team designing menopause referral service for community pharmacy

The proposed referral service forms part of the Professional Record Standards Body's updated data standards.…

Boots to trial £20 type 2 diabetes screening service

If deemed suitable for screening, patients will undergo a finger prick blood test and receive diagnostic test results within seven minutes.…

Proportion of people unable to buy medicines doubles in one year, government survey shows

The percentage of people unable to buy the medicines they needed increased to 5%, compared with 2% in a similar time period in 2022.…

Negotiator urges government to allow pharmacies to cut opening hours by a third to manage cost pressures

A statement from the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee sets out a range of regulatory easements to help pharmacies deal with financial and logistical pressures.…

Antidepressants make up more than half of items dispensed using serious shortage protocols

Exclusive: Data analysis by The Pharmaceutical Journal also revealed that HRT products accounted for just 10% of all SSP items dispensed between October 2019 and October 2022.…

Complex and inflexible: the shortcomings of serious shortage protocols

Use of ‘serious shortage protocols’ dropped significantly in 2022, despite growing numbers of medicine shortages, leaving pharmacists calling for the system to be overhauled.…