PJ February 2026, Vol 317, No 8006

CCA calls for next Welsh government to accelerate digital access for pharmacies

The Company Chemists’ Association manifesto said the roll out and acceleration of digital changes will give pharmacies the tools they require to meet patient need.…

Pharmacists could play role in neighbourhood hub obesity care, MPs told

Kath McCullough, special adviser on obesity at the Royal College of Physicians, used community-based women's health and smoking cessation programmes as examples of “good models of care” that could be emulated for obesity support.…

PJ view: Pharmacies can help improve vaccine uptake — why does the system make it so difficult?

Community pharmacies can and should be called upon to administer essential vaccines, especially during outbreaks, but fair funding is essential.…

Welsh parliament approves motion on assisted dying

The vote would allow Welsh ministers to shape how assisted dying services could operate on the NHS in Wales if UK legislation on the issue is approved.…

GPs should have dedicated, monitored email address for pharmacy communications, says new contract

The contract has also requested that GPs reconfirm a patient’s nominated pharmacy whenever a new prescription is issued.…

Exploring strategies for improved engagement and value

Over recent years, there has been a notable decline in membership numbers. This trend warrants careful consideration and action from the new royal college. It is imperative that the organisation investigates how it utilises media and other communication channels to maximise engagement with both memb…

The new royal college must be different

I am writing to contribute to the ongoing discussion about the creation of the new Royal College of Pharmacy and to argue that its success will depend on articulating a vision that is meaningfully distinct from that of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). The RPS has long served as the profess…

Challenges facing the pharmacist today

Over the past 31 years as a pharmacist, I have reflected on how far our profession has come and on the questions we still struggle to confront. We have evolved from a traditional dispensing role to independent prescribers and advanced clinical practitioners. Alongside this, the pharmacy assistan…

From first port-of-call to public health partner: what the public tells us

Community pharmacy is increasingly positioned as a cornerstone of public health delivery; however, we cannot assume the public’s readiness to engage with these services.  Professor Delyth James, Jordan Smith and I analysed free‑text responses from the ‘Public perceptions of the role of…

Embedding research into practice: making protected time work

I believe recent calls for protected learning time for pharmacy professionals are timely and necessary. While research is one of the four pillars of professional practice, pharmacy professionals across the UK show a lack of confidence and activity in this area​1–3​. Time pressure is consistent…