NHS England

Pharmacists to be trained in shared decision making to improve medicines safety, NHS strategy announces

Pharmacists will be trained in shared decision making to help them support patients who are taking opioids, and those with atrial fibrillation on anticoagulants, NHS England and NHS Improvement have announced.…

Digital checks for free prescription eligibility to be carried out in 10% of pharmacies

A pilot scheme allowing pharmacists to check patient entitlement to free NHS prescriptions will be rolled out to 10% of pharmacies in England “over the summer” of 2019, MPs have been told.…

NHS restricts routine prescription of a further seven items in primary care

The NHS England board has approved guidance that will restrict the prescription of seven more items that are currently available in primary care.…

Opioids in England: crisis averted?

Despite a 20% increase in opioid prescriptions per 1,000 population over the past decade, there are signs that a US-style opioid epidemic may have been averted.…

More than a quarter of sexual health clinics closed to new PrEP trial places

More than a quarter of the sexual health clinics involved in NHS England’s PrEP Impact Trial are currently closed to new recruits, despite a promised expansion, a health minister has revealed.…

Around 20 million GP appointments could be transferred to community pharmacy, says NHS England primary care boss

More than 20 million GP appointments could be transferred to community pharmacy through the GP Digital Minor Illness Referral Service (DMIRS) each year, NHS England’s director of primary care strategy has said.…

PCNs will be ‘required’ to involve community pharmacy from April 2020, says NHS England

All primary care networks will be required to collaborate with community pharmacies from April 2020, NHS England has said.…

Less than 10% of eligible adults had NHS health check last year

Fewer than one in ten eligible adults had a NHS Health Check over the past year, figures published by the NHS have revealed.…

Better price concession system among NPA demands for community pharmacy contract negotiations

The National Pharmacy Association has outlined a list of eight demands for the next community pharmacy contract in a letter sent to the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee.…

NHS savings from adalimumab biologic switching hit earlier than expected

The NHS will make financial savings from switching to biosimilar versions of adalimumab earlier than originally anticipated, according to NHS England’s regional pharmacist for the south of England.…