Health and care policy

How the 2015 UK general election will affect pharmacy

As the UK heads to the polls on 7 May facing an uncertain political landscape, former Liberal Democrat MP and English Pharmacy Board vice-chair Sandra Gidley looks at how pharmacy may be affected.…

General election promises should be based on evidence

When it comes to developing policy, politicians should heed the best available evidence. Election promises should be no different.…

Employ more hospital pharmacists to roll out seven-day NHS in Scotland, says RPS

Gaps in pharmaceutical care in hospitals at weekends can’t be filled with existing staffing and resources, says the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.…

Blowing the whistle on whistleblowing

Concerns raised about standards of care should be taken seriously, but healthcare workers are still worried about the repercussions of speaking up.…

Evidence supports plain tobacco packaging to improve public health

There is growing evidence that plain cigarette package could help reduce smoking rates…

Rise in endocarditis cases reported after change in antibiotic policy

A reduction in antibiotic prophylaxis for dental procedures after a change in UK policy was paralleled by an increase in cases of infective endocarditis.…

MPs question the value of the NHS Health Check

A report from an influential group of MPs suggests that the health check programme represented poor policy and may not achieve its intended aims.…

Vaccine evaluation process needs urgent reform

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation needs to be more open about how it decides which vaccines should be recommended for use in the UK.…

Council broadly welcomes Nigel Clarke’s report

The Council of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society broadly welcomes Nigel Clarke’s “Report of the independent inquiry in a professional body for pharmacy” and supports the direction of travel that it suggests.At an extra April Council meeting, the Chief Executive and Registrar said that the Coun…

Pharmacy bodies put forward options for establishing royal college

Representatives of 44 pharmacy bodies met this week to discuss ways of establishing a royal college-type body for the profession at the invitation of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (see Panel). Ijeoma Uchegbu, chairman of the Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, who attended the meeting, told Th…