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RPS planning to vote on ‘Royal College’ status in March

 
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A vote on the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s (RPS) bid to become a royal college is expected to be held in March, C+D has learned.

WBA sued for pharmacist pressure to dispense ‘millions of unlawful scripts’

 
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The US Department of Justice (DOJ) has claimed that Boots’ parent company “systematically pressured its pharmacists to fill prescriptions quickly”, despite clear “red flags” and patient deaths.

New pharmacy tech apprentice scheme ‘fully booked’ in one day

 
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All of the places on a new pharmacy technician apprenticeship programme have already been filled on the day it launched, organisers have revealed.


Ex-Asda pharmacy boss joins Boots after ‘mutual’ decision to leave

 
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Boots has appointed a new pharmacy director, Simon Gregg, who will step into the position next week after leaving his role as Asda’s chief retail officer.

GPhC warns professor for asking student to ‘view a film together’

 
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An assistant professor has been warned for “entirely inappropriate” conduct, including instant messaging a student exam marks early and asking them to watch a movie with him.

‘Very little appetite’ to widen pharmacy vaccine delivery role

 
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The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has called on the government to commission pharmacies to deliver “all vaccines” amid claims there is “very little appetite currently” to give them a greater role in vaccine delivery.


Repeat paracetamol use linked to ‘serious complications’ in over-65s

 
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A study of over half-a-million over-65s has found links between repeatedly taking paracetamol and complications including gastrointestinal bleeding and heart failure.

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AI eBay algorithm blocks two million illegal medicine sales

 
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Multinational e-commerce company eBay worked “closely” with the MHRA last year to block almost two million unregulated medicine “violations” before they were sold to the public, C+D has learned.


Two thirds of pharmacy owners want to buy or sell in 2025, reveal pharmacy brokers

 
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68% of UK pharmacy owners surveyed by pharmacy brokers Christie & Co want to “buy and/or sell” in 2025, as the average price of pharmacies sold and asking price achieved in 2024 both dropped according to a new report.

Morrisons rolls out free ‘drinking checks’ across pharmacies

 
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Alcohol harm charity Drinkaware has announced the rollout of a free “drinking check” in all of Morrisons’ 117 pharmacies across the UK to assess the “drinking habits” of customers.

Superdrug union recognition ‘secret ballot’ to launch next week

 
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The PDA has confirmed that a “secret postal ballot” will take place later this month to secure union recognition at Superdrug, with results expected in mid-February.


Strep A: Toddler died after ‘delay’ in receiving out-of-stock antibiotics, coroner warns

 
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A toddler with a Strep A infection was given antibiotics too late after a pharmacist could not issue alternative medication during shortages due to restrictions, a coroner has found.

breaking news

IN FULL: NPA sets out five contract demands - or collective action

 
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The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has set out five “tests” for a funding deal and warned that it will “not hesitate” to recommend collective action if these are not met.

‘A challenging case’: PM pledges to review dispensing at a loss

 
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Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pledged to review the ongoing issue of pharmacies dispensing at a loss after the topic was raised at PMQs last week, when one MP stated that a local contractor had been “forced to pay over 100 times more” for certain medications.


RPS: AI can ‘improve safe and effective’ use of medicines

 
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The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has flagged the potential for AI to be used in Pharmacy First and has stressed that healthcare regulation “must not stifle” AI innovation.

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‘I won’t work for Boots again’: Chain cancels locum two hours before shift

 
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A locum has been left “disgusted that a huge pharmacy such as Boots” cancelled his locum shift at short notice, in a move that is “getting quite commonplace”, C+D has learned.

‘Significant disappointments’: DH rejects generic substitution recs

 
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CPE has said that while it is “positive” that the government has “partially” accepted the majority of recommendations in the health and social care committee’s (HSCC) pharmacy report, there are still “some significant disappointments”.


Pharmacy worker jailed after ‘clandestine relationship’ with prison inmate

 
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A Doncaster pharmacy worker has been “rumbled” after she created a “false identity” to speak to a prison inmate and steal medication.

Patient dies after pharmacy ‘unable to supply’ epilepsy meds for 10 days

 
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A coroner has called for pharmacists to refer patients to hospital departments to ensure they “are not left without important medications” during drug shortages.