Healthcare provision

Developing the clinical pharmacy technician role for mental health triaging

NHS England & NHS Improvement are building on the 'NHS long-term plan', focusing on the mental health provision within mental health services. Against this context, we wanted to improve the therapeutic inpatient mental health care within our service by developing a clinical pharmacy technic…

Long-term opioid prescribing rates rose by almost a third during the COVID-19 pandemic

Exclusive: "Worrying" NHS data show a dramatic escalation in the number of patients prescribed opioids for longer than three months.…

MHRA to consider evidence on transgenerational effects of sodium valproate

The regulator has asked the Commission on Human Medicines to look at data showing the transgenerational effects of sodium valproate in mice.…

NICE to approve icosapent ethyl for some high-risk cardiovascular patients

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence says 425,000 people with established cardiovascular disease could benefit from treatment with icosapent ethyl.…

Pharmacogenomic testing in community pharmacies to be considered as part of UK-wide review

A review of how pharmacogenomics can reduce harmful prescribing is due to be completed by 2025.…

How pharmacists can be integral to patient care on a ‘virtual ward’

Virtual wards allow patients to remain at home but still receive the same treatment from a multidisciplinary team, including administration and monitoring of medicines.…

Help wanted: mentor shortage for potential prescribers

As the drive to train many more independent prescribing pharmacists continues, there is an urgent need to increase the number of designated prescribing practitioners to supervise those undertaking a course.…

No new funding for supervisors to support 3,000 pharmacist independent prescribing trainees

Exclusive: Health Education England has confirmed it will not provide backfill payments to support designated prescribing practitioner roles, despite a planned expansion in training places…

RPS publishes guidance on expanding scope of prescribing

The document will support independent prescribers who want to broaden the areas in which they prescribe.…

Pharmacies falling short of target for 30% to offer independent prescribing service

Exclusive: Despite a government-backed target for 30% of pharmacies in Wales to offer independent prescribing services, only 13% are currently offering such services.…