Business

Asda will “endeavour to retain as many pharmacists as possible” while it implements a “new model” – but is no longer offering £1,000 one-time payments to sweeten the deal, C+D has learned.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has begun an employment tribunal claim on behalf of pharmacists who were left in the lurch when their employer declared itself insolvent, it has revealed.

An online pharmacy has come under fire for “treating injectable medications like grocery items at a Lidl checkout”.

Some pharmacies are “forcing employees to be designated prescribing practitioners (DPPs)” while DPPs at “one large multiple” are not “routinely prescribing themselves”, Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) members have warned.

The medicines regulator has ordered an online pharmacy to amend its advertising for medication “not licensed for weight loss” following a complaint, it has revealed.

A 27-year-old man has been jailed for 12 months for cultivating cannabis plants in a former Lloydspharmacy in Pembroke with an estimated street value of up to £500,000.

MPs have urged the government to “go back to the drawing board” and “invest” in community pharmacies as concerns grow about the upcoming hike in employer National Insurance Contributions.

Pharmacies and GPs will not receive additional funding to help with the burden of increased employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs), which was announced last week (October 30) in the chancellor’s first Budget, C+D understands.

“The uncertain future of pharmacy funding” has contributed to the company’s multi-million-pound loss, its annual report has said.

More than a third of the public are still “unaware” of the Pharmacy First service launched across England in January, the NPA has revealed.