Common Conditions

The BMA has urged GPs and community pharmacies to “work in a joined-up way” after GP leaders last week voted “overwhelmingly” for pharmacy blood pressure checks to be terminated immediately.

Another pharmacy has been suspended from the Pharmacy First service, with its integrated care board (ICB) citing “high volumes” and “the types of conditions referred” as reasons, C+D has learned.

GP leaders have voted “overwhelmingly” for pharmacy blood pressure checks to be “terminated with immediate effect” at the BMA’s annual GP conference – also calling for Pharmacy First to be “immediately discontinued” and funds “redirected” into general practice.

A study of Welsh sore throat services has found that 24% of pharmacy consultations ended with an antibiotic prescription, compared with 39% of GP consultations.

A pharmacy group has urged the BMA to reject a GP leaders’ motion for pharmacy blood pressure checks to be “terminated with immediate effect”, which is set to be debated at the BMA’s annual GP conference tomorrow.

A Wembley pharmacy is “actively preparing” a legal case after being suspended from the Pharmacy First service, C+D has learned.

GP leaders have called for pharmacy blood pressure checks to be “terminated with immediate effect” ahead of the BMA’s annual GP conference later this month, where the motion and other community pharmacy issues will be debated.

The pharmacy sector has deemed the tabloid “irresponsible” for publishing an article that tells patients how to answer Pharmacy First service questions so that pharmacists “give you antibiotics”.

NHS England (NHSE) has relaunched its national Pharmacy First marketing campaign today, which includes “minor revisions” to the original material published earlier this year.

Northern Irish pharmacies are set to offer a sore throat service from next month as part of a “winter preparedness plan” following a successful pilot, the government has announced.