England NHS structures

Almost 80% of pharmacies ‘unsustainable’, finds NHS-commissioned economic review

Results of the economic analysis by Frontier Economics and IQVIA were considered in negotiations over the community pharmacy contract, details of which were announced on 31 March 2025.…

Medicines derived from UK blood plasma distributed to NHS hospitals for ‘first time in a generation’

More than 250,000 litres of plasma from UK donors have been sent to human protein product manufacturer Octapharma to produce NHS medicines for the first time since a 1998 ban.…

Community pharmacy needs to be smart in contract negotiations following plans to abolish NHS England

This month, our health policy columnist looks at how the government’s plan to scrap NHS England will affect pharmacy.…

Pharmacists asked to assist in switching patients from Promixin by end of April 2025

A national patient safety alert advises that Colicym 1-million-unit power for nebuliser solution unit dose vials should be considered as an alternative treatment.…

Pharmacy involvement absent from almost half of TB services in England, report finds

The report, authored by the Getting It Right First Time projects team at the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, pointed out that pharmacy was absent in 43% of TB services.…

It is an exciting time to be a respiratory pharmacist — and we need more of them 

Specialist respiratory pharmacists are in short supply in England and Wales, but investing in developing this workforce will show benefit for pharmacy and patients.…

Fewer people reporting problems obtaining prescriptions in England, show ONS data

Survey results have revealed that 88.1% of patients said they experienced no issues accessing medicines from their pharmacy in January 2025, compared with 79.9% in August 2024.…

NHS England to commission whooping cough vaccination service through community pharmacies

The respiratory syncytial virus and pertussis vaccination service is aimed to help supplement vaccination programmes delivered by GPs and NHS trusts.…

Community pharmacy offers ‘key opportunity’ for increasing flu vaccination uptake in children, says NHS England chief

Amanda Pritchard said exploring the use of other flu vaccination providers — including community pharmacy — to expand convenience was one of three “key opportunities to go further” identified by NHS England.…

NHS launches ‘game-changing’ guide to tackle problematic polypharmacy

‘The mechanics of tackling overprescribing and problematic polypharmacy’ is aimed to provide “practical, evidence-based strategies” to cut overprescribing.…