Social care

New Department of Health and Social Care sets out plan for future

Newly created Department of Health and Social Care has set out a plan for its future, including social care…

Government ‘will consider’ PSNC proposals for long-term condition management as part of pharmacy contract

The government will consider proposals from the pharmacy negotiator to include a care plan service with pharmacists supporting patients with long-term conditions as part of a new Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework.…

Decision to expand health secretary’s remit welcomed

NHS leaders and GPs have welcomed the decision to give health secretary Jeremy Hunt the additional responsibility of social care.…

‘No deal’ Brexit would cause ‘extensive problems’ for the NHS, says Nuffield Trust

A ‘no deal’ Brexit would do serious damage to an already overstretched NHS, the Nuffield Trust has cautioned…

Patients in Scotland waiting longer as NHS misses seven out of ten performance targets

The Scottish government needs to develop a longer-term approach to NHS financial planning, Audit Scotland’s annual report on the NHS says.…

CQC says pharmacy can help stretched health services

Greater use of community pharmacy would help relieve the pressure on fully stretched health and social care services, care regulator the Care Quality Commission has said.…

NICE issues new guidance on spotting child neglect or abuse

Pharmacists should look out for potential signs of child neglect, such as parents or carers failing to administer essential prescribed medicine or not taking their child to follow-up appointments, updated guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have said.…

How to support patients with sight loss in pharmacy

More than two million people are affected by sight loss across the UK, which may impact on their ability to use and take their medicines correctly and safely. Here, the Royal National Institute of Blind People, Medicines Use and Safety team and Moorfields Eye Hospital provide advice and recomme…

Why women who misuse drugs have different needs

Two editorials published in The Lancet and Addiction highlight how little is known about women and drugs, pointing to a blind spot in our collective knowledge…

Helping the vulnerable: why we need integrated pharmacy services for the homeless

Additional funding and joined-up collaboration between different sectors of healthcare are needed to help address the health needs of the growing homeless population in the UK.…