Community pharmacy services

First minister says Pharmacy First will expand to cover more clinical conditions

John Swinney’s comments came in a speech on improving public services and NHS renewal, delivered at an event at the National Robotarium in Edinburgh.…

Pharmacy bodies challenge Environment Agency’s ‘outrageous’ proposals to increase waste charges

Community Pharmacy England and the National Pharmacy Association have opposed the Environment Agency's proposals, arguing that pharmacies would not be able to pass the costs on to patients.…

Pharmacy maternity smoking cessation pilot scheme discontinued owing to low referral numbers

Exclusive: According to NHS Business Services Authority, one pharmacy had submitted a claim under the scheme in 2024, when it was discontinued in March.…

More than 420,000 common ailments service consultations recorded in 2024

StatsWales data show an increase in consultations for all conditions compared with 2022/2023, apart from chicken pox, with the largest increases concerning scabies, colic and back pain.…

Coroner raises concerns over pharmacists being unable to amend prescriptions following death of toddler

Rules that prevent pharmacists from issuing any alternate strengths of medicines led to a delay in a two-year-old child receiving antibiotics.…

All pharmacy systems now able to deliver electronic prescription service

Digital Health and Care Wales has confirmed that all seven pharmacy system suppliers who have contracts with pharmacies in Wales are now supporting the electronic prescription service.…

Pharmacy can ‘unleash the potential’ of vaccines against AMR

Delegates at the University College London, National Pharmacy Association and Royal Pharmaceutical Society annual lecture heard that community pharmacy’s “rapport with our patients” could be instrumental in increasing the uptake of vaccines to address antimicrobial resistance.…

Four pharmacies closed per week in 2024, says National Pharmacy Association

The National Pharmacy Association is urging the government to commence consultations on the 2025 ‘Community pharmacy contractual framework’ to prevent more closures.…

Regional pharmacy minor ailments scheme leads to 60% increase in consultations

Data suggest that the local walk-in consultation service has saved an estimated 30,000 GP appointments.…

Why England’s Pharmacy First sore throat service needs point-of-care testing

Over the past few years, there has been a sore throat test-and-treat service implemented in Wales and, more recently, in Northern Ireland, based on their pilots. In England, we still have a sore throat service that does not include a point-of-care test (POCT) component. Results from pilots in Nor…