PJ, March 2021, Vol 306, No 7947

Antidepressant prescribing up 6% in last three months of 2020

Despite a rise in antidepressant prescriptions, the overall rate of increase has slowed, the NHS Business Services Authority has found.…

Deane & Co. Dispensing Chemist, circa 1911

A photograph of Deane & Co. — a London pharmacy once used by students attending the Gordon Hall School of Pharmacy for Women.…

Transforming the NHS aseptic service in England will reduce medication errors

I welcome the publication of the Department of Health and Social Care's 'Transforming NHS pharmacy aseptic services in England' report, with its emphasis on reducing unwarranted and risk prone variation in practice across the NHS​[1]​. This report, published in October 2020, has the potential…

Tribute: William (Bill) Rucker

On 10 February 2021, William 'Bill' Rucker — a former Fellow of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society — passed away at Derriford Hospital aged 85 years. Bill, born and bred in Manchester, studied at Plymouth School of Pharmacy, having come to Devon after seeing a photograph of Plymouth in the She…

Government proposal of 1% pay rise for NHS staff ‘callous’, hospital pharmacists’ body says

The Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists has criticised the proposal, saying that it will "continue to make the case strongly" for NHS staff in England to be given a higher pay rise.…

Using opioids during early pregnancy not linked to increased risk of congenital malformations, study finds

However, researchers estimated that there were 4–5 additional cases of cleft palate per 10,000 pregnancies exposed to opioids in the first trimester.…

PCN pharmacists complete more than 12,000 structured medication reviews in six months

Between April and September 2020, 12,222 structured medication reviews were completed by pharmacists working in primary care networks.…

National pharmacy boards meeting: 3 February 2021

All three national pharmacy boards came together for the first time to discuss updates on the Society's response to COVID-19, education and professional development, diversity and workforce wellbeing.…

Amazon secures ‘Amazon Pharmacy’ trademark in the UK

The trademark's registration comes after Amazon acquired US online pharmacy PillPack in 2019, although critics say face-to-face pharmacy interaction is valuable.…

Statins may protect heart from breast cancer chemotherapy

Researchers concluded that statins may be a potential intervention for preventing heart failure in patients receiving chemotherapy.…