Pharmacy organisations

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

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.

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

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

‘Very little appetite’ to widen pharmacy vaccine delivery role

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.

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

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.

Superdrug union recognition ‘secret ballot’ to launch next week

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.

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

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

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

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.

Pharmacy closures will place ‘great strain’ on GPs, RCGP warns

The GP body has warned that “any closures” in the pharmacy network will add pressure to GPs “struggling to meet demand”.

‘We have no choice’: Dutch pharmacies strike for second time in two months

Close to 2,000 pharmacies are taking part in a two-day national strike calling for “higher wages” and “lower work pressure” less than two months after their previous strike.