G1. Being a pharmacist

Pharmacists advised to use social media ‘responsibly’ in updated good practice guidance

New guidance in the 44th edition of Medicines, Ethics and Practice focuses on managing the crossover between personal and professional life.…

Standards must be aligned for high-tech health aids to succeed, NICE conference told

Standards for apps and wearable technologies, agreed by bodies such as NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care, should be aligned to maximise their health improvement potential, delegates at the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence annual conference were told on 26…

Stoptober campaign backs e-cigarettes for the first time

The annual Stoptober campaign is for the first time highlighting e-cigarettes as aids to quitting smoking, stating that e-cigarettes are a “great way to combat nicotine cravings and carry a fraction of the risk of cigarettes”.…

RPS says pharmacists must always be present in pharmacies

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has said it believes a pharmacist should always be present in a pharmacy, apart from occasional short periods of time.…

Poor medicines delivery practices prompt safety review

Medicines getting into the wrong hands has resulted in drug overdoses, drug thefts and drugs being eaten by family pets, an investigation by the Company Chemists’ Association has shown.…

Science of sunscreen

Sun exposure is the primary cause of skin cancer. According to Cancer Research UK, more than 8 in 10 cases of melanoma could be prevented through better knowledge of sun damage and how to protect against it.…

High Court throws out legal challenge over GPhC standards but PDA says ruling provides “welcome clarification”

The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) has lost its High Court challenge over changes to professional standards for pharmacists which it claimed threatened a pharmacist’s human rights.…

Judge turns down PDA’s request for a judicial review on GPhC’s new standards

The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) has lost its High Court bid for a judicial review of the pharmacy regulator’s proposed new standards that govern a pharmacist’s conduct, ethics and performance, which are due to be introduced in May.…

GPhC agrees wording for revised standard on religious beliefs

The pharmacy regulator is pushing ahead with its controversial proposal to amend professional standards which means pharmacists cannot put their own religious or other beliefs ahead of providing patient-centred care.…

How do we ensure pharmacists have the skills they need for their expanding role?

We asked several prominent academics and a student organisation what skills and abilities they thought pharmacists would need in the future and how education and training needed to change to deliver that.…