Medical profession

Government cuts to community pharmacy: the perspective of leaders

How should pharmacy respond to major funding cuts for community pharmacy? Leaders from pharmacy organisations and primary care share their views.…

Access to Medical Treatments (Innovation) Bill will not serve healthcare professionals

A bill claiming to help medical practitioners access innovative treatments has healthcare professions scratching their heads — because it wasn’t needed in the first place.…

Improving the use of medicines in East Cheshire

East Cheshire’s Neighbourhood Integrated Medicines Optimisation (NIMO) team started as a small pharmacy project three years ago but, following clinical commissioning group financial support, a pharmacy service was developed and carved into this rural region. NIMO is based at Macclesfield…

Junior doctors plan further strikes as judicial review launched

The trade union body the British Medical Association says it is set to launch a judicial review into the government’s decision to impose a new contract on junior doctors from August 2016, as it announced that more strikes are planned.…

Keith Ridge supports role of pharmacists in care homes

Chief pharmaceutical officer expresses his support for the role of pharmacists in care homes following a report released by the RPS.…

The assault on community pharmacy by the government must be stopped

Just before Christmas, I was appalled at the fait accompli decision announced with such callous disregard for our profession to slash the funding of community pharmacy by £170m (6%) in 2016–2017. As the funding reduction will not kick in until September 2016, this effectively means pharm…

Q&A: Heidi Alexander — how do you solve a problem like a financially crippled NHS?

Heidi Alexander discusses her concerns about the UK government’s current health plans and explains why she wants to start a public debate about how to fund a health and care service for the 21st century.…

Government imposes new contract on junior doctors

The British Medical Association has lambasted the decision by the government to impose a new contract on junior doctors working in the NHS.…

Public reports more dissatisfaction with NHS

Public dissatisfaction with the NHS has risen because of long waits to see a GP or be given a hospital appointment and lack of staff and funding, according to a report by the King’s Fund.…

Junior doctors press ahead with next round of strike action

Junior doctors in England will strike for the second time on 10 February 2016, after the British Medical Association and the government again failed to reach an agreement over a new contract.…