Chronic medication services

Government ‘will consider’ PSNC proposals for long-term condition management as part of pharmacy contract

The government will consider proposals from the pharmacy negotiator to include a care plan service with pharmacists supporting patients with long-term conditions as part of a new Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework.…

Community pharmacists can help highlight valproate risks, says PGEU

Medicines use reviews and the new medicine service provide the perfect opportunity to discuss risks of sodium valproate with younger women, the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union is advising.…

The new medicine service: evidence that community pharmacists are looking after patients while saving NHS resources

The latest research which shows the new medicine service is cost-effective is just what community pharmacy needs in these challenging times.…

New Medicines Service could save NHS £517.6m, economic evaluation finds

The New Medicines Service has the potential to save the NHS hundreds of millions of pounds and could be expanded to cover more long-term conditions, according to UK researchers.…

Examining the implications of analytical and remote monitoring in pharmacy practice

Remote patient monitoring (RPM) incorporates digital technology that collects health data from individuals in one location and electronically transmits secure data to healthcare providers in a different location for review and assessment. This allows healthcare professionals to make recommendat…

A quick intervention recommendation by community pharmacists for patients using inhalers

Many pharmacists are probably busy reviewing inhaler use and technique as part of their medicines use reviews and new medicine service processes for patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The long-acting beta-2 agonist formoterol is a common ingredient in step-u…

RPS director for Wales: ‘There’s a collaborative approach to everything in Wales’

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Welsh Pharmacy Board launched its manifesto in November 2015. Mair Davies, director for RPS Wales, talks to Julia Robinson about progress made since the launch, and her objectives for 2017 and beyond.…

Be careful how you promote the NMS to patients

I am writing to urge community pharmacists to be mindful of how they promote the new medicine service (NMS). I was a community pharmacist for seven years but am now a full-time hospital pharmacist in an A&E department. I recently saw an older patient who was admitted to A&E after keeli…

Volume of prescriptions dispensed up 1.7% while number of pharmacies remains steady

The number of prescriptions dispensed in England by community pharmacies increased by 1.7% in 2015–2016, while the number of pharmacies stayed relatively steady, figures from NHS Digital show.…

Community pharmacy care delivered at no net cost to public purse in 2015

Twelve services provided by community pharmacy in England delivered £3bn in net value during 2015, concludes a report commissioned by the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee.…