PJ, November 2021, Vol 307, No 7955

NICE proposes wider use of glucose monitoring devices for type 1 diabetes

Half of eligible patients with type 1 diabetes use flash glucose monitors, NHS England says.…

More than 30 community pharmacies in Wales now offer a COVID-19 vaccination service

Exclusive: A total of 34 community pharmacies have been commissioned to provide COVID-19 vaccination services across four Welsh health boards.…

Asplenia and hyposplenism in adults: recognition, diagnosis and management

Pharmacists should be aware of a patient’s absence of splenic function and understand how the condition is managed, including the importance of vaccination history and 'rescue' antibiotics.…

COVID-19 booster jabs to be offered to all adults aged over 18 years, following new advice

In response to the identification of the Omicron COVID-19 variant, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has recommended expanding the booster programme to all adults.…

RPS gender pay gap increases by more than two percentage points in 2021

Although "disappointed", Paul Bennett, chief executive of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, has pointed out that the number of employees means that small changes in staffing can have a big impact on these data.…

Workforce is biggest challenge faced by community pharmacies, LPC representatives say

Delegates at the November 2021 Local Pharmaceutical Conference identified workforce issues as the "top challenge" currently facing pharmacy contractors.…

Antihistamines could improve outcomes for people with cancer undergoing immunotherapy

Researchers at the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas said their results support the use of antihistamines to treat people with cancer who have an allergy with high levels of plasma histamine.…

Urgent care to community pharmacy referral pilots to run across nine sites in England

Contractors will receive £14 per referral, as well as £665 towards administration costs associated with implementing the referral system.…

More than 60 pharmacies in Wales could provide independent prescribing services under health board plans

Exclusive: Welsh health boards have told The Pharmaceutical Journal that they are planning to commission 40 additional pharmacies during winter 2021 and into 2022 to provide independent prescribing services.…

Antidepressants should not be routinely offered to patients with ‘less severe’ depression, NICE says

In its first guideline on the management of depression in adults in 12 years, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends that antidepressants should only be offered to patients with "less severe" depression if that is their preference.…