Government

Pharmacists added to government’s list of occupations facing national shortage

The inclusion of pharmacists in the shortage occupation list means staff from abroad can apply for a skilled worker visa through the UK’s immigration system more easily.…

Prime minister vows to reimburse community pharmacy’s COVID-19 costs ‘as soon as possible’

Boris Johnson told The Pharmaceutical Journal that community pharmacies “play a vital role in helping us to fight the pandemic” and that he does not want to see any closures.…

Government ‘miscommunicated’ PPE stock levels to pharmacies during first COVID-19 wave, MPs told

The Healthcare Distribution Association told the Public Accounts Committee that the centralised personal protective equipment stock for community pharmacy during the COVID-19 pandemic “faced considerable challenges”.…

Government to fund COVID-19 clinical trial using different vaccines for first and second doses

The COVID-19 Heterologous Prime Boost study will seek to establish the effects of using different vaccines for the first and second dose.…

Home Office to consult this year on adding DNP to list of regulated poisons

Following advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs that the diet pill 2,4-Dinitrophenol is a poison, the UK government will consult on whether to add the compound to the list of regulated poisons.…

Government should use community pharmacies to deliver 24/7 COVID-19 vaccination service, says Labour leader

Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, has said he wants “to see every possible pharmacy deployed to help” in the COVID-19 vaccination programme.…

Ten things pharmacists should know about COVID-19 vaccines

Work towards a COVID-19 vaccine is progressing rapidly and new information is emerging every day. Here we aim to summarise the most important details of COVID-19 vaccine development from a pharmacy perspective.…

The man and his ‘illegal’ van trying to fix Glasgow’s drug problem

A van providing a safe space for drug users to inject is being piloted in Glasgow but, despite backing for the idea of such a facility from the Scottish government, Westminster says that it is illegal.…

Pharmacy negotiator in talks with government on how pharmacists will help deliver a COVID-19 vaccine

The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee has said it is working with NHS England and Improvement and the Department of Health and Social Care to agree how pharmacies can play a part in the COVID-19 vaccination programme.…

Pharmacy delivery service for shielding patients to restart in England

The pandemic delivery service will be restarting in England following updated advice from the government that people who are “clinically extremely vulnerable” should not go to a pharmacy.…