PJ, February 2024, Vol 312, No 7982

RPS warns four out of five community pharmacy clinical lead roles could disappear when NHS funding ends

Exclusive: Two years after 42 community pharmacy clinical lead posts across integrated care systems were announced, funding for the roles is due to end in April 2024.…

DOACs to be analysed as part of genetic biobank scheme

Patients who report adverse effects from direct oral anticoagulants to the Yellow Card scheme may be contacted to provide a blood sample, from which data will then be added to a biobank for researchers to analyse.…

How to talk to patients about starting antidepressants

Antidepressants are a treatment option for depression, but there are many misconceptions about them. This article summarises what pharmacists should discuss with patients starting treatment.…

UK’s first regular street drug-checking service opens in Bristol

The service will run once per month, with the aim of reducing harm from drug taking and increasing understanding of local drug markets.…

Allow all pharmacy staff to prepare and assemble medication without supervision, says Community Pharmacy Scotland

In its response to a government consultation, Community Pharmacy Scotland said the preparation and assembly of medications “can be safely carried out from a registered pharmacy premises, without requiring supervision by a Responsible Pharmacist or an authorised pharmacy technician”.…

How credentialing assessors assure patient-focused pharmacy practice

Two pharmacists describe how and why they became assessors for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s credentialing curricula.…

Patricia Cooper (1959–2023)

On 14 February 2023, Patricia Cooper MPharmS, aged 64 years, of Aberdeen, Scotland. Ms Cooper registered with the Society in 1982. I was really saddened to hear of the death of Pat Cooper. Pat and I met at School of Pharmacy of Aberdeen Robert Gordon’s Institute of Technology (now Robert Go…

Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to be made available privately through community pharmacies

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has approved a change of licence for the Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine, which will allow it to become the first to be available privately in the UK.…

Patient organisations call for simplified e-prescribing in homecare medicines services

Homecare providers currently develop their own digital solutions to manage patient records, prompting a group to ask the government for “a more urgent focus on shifting to e-prescribing”.…

Erectile dysfunction drugs may reduce Alzheimer’s risk, study suggests

Results from a study of more than 260,000 men has suggested those taking erectile dysfunction drugs were 18% less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease than those not taking the drugs.…