First UK-wide joint asthma guideline recommends combination treatment for new diagnoses The guideline recommends that all asthma patients over the age of 12 should be prescribed low dosages of inhaled corticosteroids and formoterol to address inflammation and symptoms.…
Government advises chief pharmacists to coordinate aid between trusts amid radioisotope shortage According to a national patient safety alert issued on 25 October 2024, the radioisotope shortage stems from a combination of technical issues and essential maintenance work.…
Pharmacy bodies call for action to ensure access to designated prescribing practitioners A joint report by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and National Pharmacy Association encourages pharmacies to work together to assess their readiness to provide a prescribing learning environment.…
RPS calls for national emergency contraception service in England to end ‘postcode lottery’ Pharmacy bodies said a national service would improve health outcomes for women and tackle health inequalities.…
Pharmacists should have read-write access to health records, standards body says The Professional Record Standards Body found that pharmacists should have full read and write access to patient records "due to the nature and complexity of pharmacists' involvement in care and treatment".…
Scottish drug-related deaths fall for first time in five years According to a Police Scotland report, there were 116 fewer suspected drug-related deaths in Scotland in 2021, compared with 2020.…
Government pledges more than £500m to boost drug treatment services in England The funding is part of a ten-year plan to address drug misuse and reduce drug-related deaths.…
Community pharmacies to provide three-month supply of desogestrel as bridging contraception Providing a three-month supply of contraception is expected to give patients "time to access their GP or sexual health services" for long-term prescriptions.…
‘Unprecedented’ rise in drug overdoses in England linked with synthetic opioid Public Health England has issued a National Patient Safety alert warning of a sharp rise in drug overdoses, which have resulted in 16 deaths around the country.…
Naloxone kit supply may have saved almost 1,400 lives in 2020, report finds There has been a large increase in the uptake of take-home naloxone kits in Scotland, and the emergency antidote for overdoses caused by heroin and other opioids is likely to have saved many lives.…
