Locally agreed services

Delivering advanced services under the new pharmacy contract

Data obtained by The Pharmaceutical Journal show that one in ten pharmacies have withdrawn from an advanced service since 2021, but will the new funding make it easier for them to deliver these services?…

Community pharmacies in England could offer ‘catch-up’ HPV vaccinations

Updated NHS plans to eliminate cervical cancer have suggested community pharmacy as a location for catch-up vaccinations to improve access to the HPV vaccine.…

Why England’s Pharmacy First sore throat service needs point-of-care testing

Over the past few years, there has been a sore throat test-and-treat service implemented in Wales and, more recently, in Northern Ireland, based on their pilots. In England, we still have a sore throat service that does not include a point-of-care test (POCT) component. Results from pilots in Nor…

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”.…

NHS England seeks views on centralising flu vaccine procurement

NHS England says it wants to hear evidence of the benefits and challenges of a centralised procurement model in order to improve the effectiveness of the delivery of the flu vaccination programme.…

Five months of Pharmacy First: an access lottery for patients

Analysis of claims data for the Pharmacy First service in England reveals regional variations in the volume of consultations conducted during the first five months of implementation.…

One-third of pharmacies forced to cut advanced services owing to financial pressures

The majority (81%) of pharmacy owners responding to Community Pharmacy England's poll also said they have had to stop offering extended opening hours.…

NHS to commission 50 pharmacies to offer RSV vaccinations from September 2024

NHS England will commission 25 pharmacy contractors in NHS Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) and a further 25 in NHS North East Essex ICB to provide the RSV community pharmacy pathfinder service.…

Think tank calls for all integrated care systems to appoint chief pharmacists

Public Policy Projects says its recommendation would enable pharmacy to influence commissioning and contracting agreements, produce better coordination of medicines teams and elevate the pharmacy profession.…

How has 2023 stacked up for the pharmacy sector?

From pharmacy closures to Pharmacy First, 2023 has laid the foundations for a game-changing 2024. Here, we take a look back at the biggest headlines of the year.…