Policy and politics

No-deal Brexit: pharmacy bodies question the UK government’s readiness

Not all pharmacists are convinced by the government’s claims that it is ready to leave the EU without a deal in place.…

House of Commons backs call for easier access to medical cannabis

 The House of Commons has backed a motion calling on the government to ensure medical cannabis is made available to “appropriate patients”.…

Seema Kennedy replaces Steve Brine as pharmacy minister

Seema Kennedy has been appointed as the new parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department of Health and Social Care.…

Sir Kevin Barron: ‘Just churning prescriptions over as a means of income is a great loss’

Having spent 35 years as a Labour Party MP for Rother Valley, Sir Kevin Barron has long experience of how the country is run. Here, he voices his concerns about the way the government is approaching Brexit, medicines shortages and the role of community pharmacy in today’s NHS.…

Medical cannabis industry should be told to provide evidence if it wants products prescribed, MPs hear

Evidence for the prescribing of medical cannabis is lacking, Keith Ridge, chief pharmaceutical officer for England, has told MPs.…

Pharmacists should be more involved in managing prescription-only medicine dependency, Welsh Assembly says

NHS Wales should make better use of pharmacists’ expertise in supporting patients who become dependent on prescription medicines, a committee that advises the Welsh Assembly has said.…

Pharmacy minister resigns to vote against Conservative whip on Brexit

Pharmacy minister Steve Brine resigned from the government to support a move that gives MPs the chance to consider which form of Brexit they would support.…

Brexit proposals only promises ‘possibility’ of ties with EMA

The Brexit political agreement does not guarantee ties with the European Medicines Agency, despite government ministers emphasising the importance of the need for close relationships with the drugs safety organisation in 2017.…

Dismay at lack of detail on healthcare in Brexit withdrawal document

The publication of the proposed withdrawal agreement for the UK to leave the European Union has been criticised for its lack of detail on the future of healthcare across the continent.…

Health secretary’s aide hears plea for government clarity on community pharmacy’s future

The government needs to be clear on where community pharmacy will stand in five years’ time, representatives of community pharmacy have told Alex Chalk, parliamentary private secretary to health minister Matt Hancock.…