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MPs debate ‘perverse’ community pharmacy proposals

Government plans to slash £170m from the community pharmacy budget in England in October 2016 are uneconomic and short sighted because patients will turn to over-stretched GP services and hospital casualty departments to fill the gap in care, according to MPs.…

Junior doctors plan further strikes as judicial review launched

The trade union body the British Medical Association says it is set to launch a judicial review into the government’s decision to impose a new contract on junior doctors from August 2016, as it announced that more strikes are planned.…

Union urges pharmacists to contact MPs ahead of Commons debate on pharmacy funding cuts

Community pharmacists are being urged to contact their MP to draw attention to the impact of the proposed 6% cut to the pharmacy budget before the House of Commons debates the issue in Parliament on 23 February 2016.…

Pharmacies are likely to cut services because of government cuts, survey finds

Pharmacy contractors in England say free services for patients will have to be stopped in light of government funding cuts, according to a survey of Numark members.…

Petition set up to target prime minister over pharmacy cuts, as PSNC warns against strikes

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) will be launching a petition for pharmacy contractors in an attempt to combat the government’s proposed 6% cuts to the community pharmacy contractual framework, chair Ian Strachan told delegates at the Sigma conference in Jamaica on 16 February 2016.…

Efficiency proposals for community pharmacy will not provide meaningful savings, says Pharmacy Voice

Pharmacy Voice, which represents three community pharmacy associations, has spelt out its opposition to UK government proposals to slash 6% from the national settlement for England and have described ministers’ plans for the future of the profession as “ill-conceived and inconsistent&rdq…

The assault on community pharmacy by the government must be stopped

Just before Christmas, I was appalled at the fait accompli decision announced with such callous disregard for our profession to slash the funding of community pharmacy by £170m (6%) in 2016–2017. As the funding reduction will not kick in until September 2016, this effectively means pharm…

Burt distances himself from ‘3,000 pharmacy closures’ prediction

The government is not making any presumptions about community pharmacy closures which could result from its proposals for the sector, according to Alistair Burt, minister of state for community and social care.…

Q&A: Heidi Alexander — how do you solve a problem like a financially crippled NHS?

Heidi Alexander discusses her concerns about the UK government’s current health plans and explains why she wants to start a public debate about how to fund a health and care service for the 21st century.…

Government imposes new contract on junior doctors

The British Medical Association has lambasted the decision by the government to impose a new contract on junior doctors working in the NHS.…