Health and care policy

Tackling pharmacy funding crisis crucial to NHS transformation priorities, CPE tells government

Responding to the consultation shaping the government's ten-year plan for the NHS, Community Pharmacy England called for investment to assure the sector’s “long-term stability”.…

Autumn budget could result in £200m additional annual costs for community pharmacies, finds analysis

Pharmacy bodies have called on the government to offset costs for community pharmacies related to increases in employers' national insurance contributions and the national living wage as it has done with the NHS.…

Government should publish national strategy to tackle medicines shortages, says RPS

In ‘Medicines shortages policy: solutions for empty shelves’, published on 26 November 2024, the Society makes 20 recommendations to alleviate ongoing medicines shortages in the UK.…

Chief pharmaceutical officers say it is ‘entirely reasonable’ for pharmacists to take position on assisted dying bill

A joint statement warned that the outcome of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill must not undermine provision of good end-of-life care and work by palliative care clinicians.…

NICE may be ‘systematically undervaluing’ medicines for severe conditions, says ABPI

The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry is urging the government and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence to “show greater flexibility when assessing medicines for severe conditions”.…

Free pharmacy advice saves 38 million GP appointments a year, CPE audit finds

Just over half of patients given unfunded pharmacy consultations said they would otherwise have contacted their GP.…

UK to introduce framework for the manufacture of medicines at point of care

The government aims to relieve pressure on hospitals by delivering care in community settings and patients’ homes, expanding ‘hospital at home’ services.…

PJ view: Community pharmacy is set up to fail when it comes to industrial action

As community pharmacists consider whether to engage in advisory industrial action, it is inevitable that patient safety will be affected one way or another, which the government needs to address.…

RPS to survey members before responding to government consultation on NHS ten-year plan

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society said it wants the government to place supporting patient access to community pharmacies at the heart of any increase in neighbourhood health services.…

Government to ‘accelerate’ roll-out of independent prescribing in pharmacies, says prime minister

Speaking at prime minister’s questions, Sir Keir Starmer reiterated the importance of delivering care in “local communities to spot problems earlier”.…