Drug legal status

How to handle controlled drugs in hospitals using automation and digital systems

A review of the existing legislation and guidance on controlled drugs, compiled to offer a way forward as legislation continues to develop.…

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Controlled drugs prescribing and management in hospital is lagging behind — it must go fully digital

A combination of outdated guidance and misconceptions about the law mean secondary care is missing a golden opportunity to reduce bureaucracy and improve patient safety.…

Prescription charge frozen for the first time in more than a decade

Edward Argar, the health minister, said the prescription charge in England will not increase on 1 April 2022.…

Bespoke rulers invented by hospital pharmacy staff led to 35% reduction in loss of controlled liquid drugs

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust — where the rulers were trialled — says the device could save the NHS £1.2m a year if used across all NHS hospital trusts.…

Government misses consultation deadline for post-Brexit scheme to detect fake medicines

The UK government aimed to issue a public consultation on a national falsified medicine scheme within 12 months of enacting the Medicines and Medical Devices Act on 11 February 2021.…

Pharmacists could supply and administer naloxone as part of new drugs strategy, says government

The proposals come as deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales rose by almost 4% in 2020, at 4,561 compared to 4,393 in 2019.…

Government proposes raising qualifying age for free NHS prescriptions to 66 years

The government has proposed raising the upper age exemption for prescriptions in England to generate additional revenue for the NHS.…

Dual action ibuprofen and paracetamol tablets should not be moved to general sale, RPS says

In its response to a public consultation, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society says moving painkiller Nuromol to the general sales list may lead to patients confusing it with paracetamol and taking a higher dose than instructed.…

A pharmacy resolution for 2021: let’s improve the way patients with addiction are treated

There’s evidence that community pharmacy’s disrespect for people with addiction is deterring them from seeking the drug treatments designed to aid their recovery — putting them at risk of drug-related death.…

Pain management and the role of pharmacy (video)

In this video, Gino Martini, chief scientist at the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, outlines evidence-based management options for acute, chronic and chronic primary pain to address misconceptions and promote best practice in pharmacy.…

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