Policy and politics

The Dash review and its impact on the future of patient advocacy

Concerns have been raised that NHS ten-year plan proposals may further complicate the patient safety and advocacy system, which Penny Dash has already dubbed a “cluttered landscape”.…

Coroner ‘concerned’ over lack of national policy on medication storage in prisons

A prisoner at HMP Guys Marsh in Dorset died after taking non-prescribed drugs in combination with illicitly brewed ‘hooch’.…

NHS ten-year plan: what role will pharmacies play in neighbourhood health teams?

A closer look at details of the NHS ten-year plan’s pledge to create neighbourhood health teams has unearthed some sector-wide concerns about pharmacy’s involvement.…

House of Lords committee calls for evidence on medicines supply resilience

The call for evidence highlights an investigation, conducted by The Pharmaceutical Journal, that found an almost 70% increase in medicines shortages reported to the government between 2021 and 2023.…

PJ view: NHS ten-year plan raises more questions than answers

The NHS ten-year plan sets out well-meaning ambitions for prevention, digital innovation and an expanded role for pharmacy — but with limited detail on delivery and funding, concerns remain about how these goals will be achieved.…

Pharmacy at the frontline of tackling healthcare inequalities

This month’s column from the RPS chief scientist’s office looks at highlights from recent pharmacy practice research through the lens of Core20PLUS5.…

Pharmacies can be ‘soul of communities’, says pharmacy minister as draft supervision legislation due to be published

Exclusive: Pharmacy minister Stephen Kinnock said that the proposed reforms to pharmacy supervision “address existing inefficiencies” in how pharmacists personally supervise all operational aspects.…

Independent review uncovers ‘extreme financial pressures’ on community pharmacy services

The NHS England-commissioned review looked at clinical services provided under the community pharmacy contract for 2019 to 2024.…

MPs call for more patient input to address UK’s medicines shortages problem

A report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pharmacy has called for the creation of a national patient advisory panel on medicines shortages.…

Streeting pledges autumn workforce plan as MPs discuss ten-year health plan

In a discussion on the ten-year health plan, Wes Streeting said that new technology would drive “big productivity gains in the system” that had previously not been available.…