Paul Rees: ‘Pharmacy First could be the saviour of general practice’ The National Pharmacy Association’s new chief executive sets out what needs to change to address the ‘urgent crisis’ unfolding in community pharmacy.…
Codeine linctus to be reclassified as a prescription-only medicine While codeine linctus is effective for long-term dry cough, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said “misuse and abuse can have major health consequences”.…
How pharmacists can contribute to effective antimicrobial reviews Best practice principles and practical advice for structuring antimicrobial reviews and effective stewardship practices.…
Electronic prescribing system for pharmacy pathfinder programme should be ready from spring 2024, says IT provider Exclusive: The Independent Prescribing Pathfinder programme has been further delayed, with the scheme originally planned to begin in January 2023.…
NPA chief executive calls for community pharmacy to receive 2.5% of NHS budget Speaking to The Pharmaceutical Journal, Paul Rees said the community pharmacy sector is “in the midst of the worst funding crisis in living memory”.…
Lithium monitoring and toxicity management Pharmacists across sectors should be able to counsel patients on the recognition and prevention of lithium toxicity.…
Changing the culture of fluoroquinolone prescribing Despite repeated warnings about disabling and irreversible side effects from fluoroquinolones, prescribing of these broad-spectrum antibiotics remains “stubbornly stable”.…
RPS consults on advanced curricula for critical care and mental health pharmacy Once finalised, the two new curricula will be add-on modules to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's core advanced pharmacist curriculum, published in June 2022.…
DOACs to be analysed as part of genetic biobank scheme Patients who report adverse effects from direct oral anticoagulants to the Yellow Card scheme may be contacted to provide a blood sample, from which data will then be added to a biobank for researchers to analyse.…
UK’s first regular street drug-checking service opens in Bristol The service will run once per month, with the aim of reducing harm from drug taking and increasing understanding of local drug markets.…