Politicians
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.
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.
MPs have called for “financial incentives” to be introduced to encourage GPs to "work with pharmacies” and engage with the Pharmacy First service, amid new plans for Pharmacy First ear, nose and throat (ENT) services.
The pharmacy minister has revealed government plans to implement hub-and-spoke legislation this year.
The pharmacy all party parliamentary group (APPG) has launched a “vital” inquiry into the impact of medicines shortages in England.
The US President-elect Donald Trump has called for an investigation into the link between vaccines and autism – a debunked claim – and has said his health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr will be “working with” drug companies to find out “what’s happening”.
The Northern Irish Department of Health (DH) has announced that “an additional £15m” will be invested into community pharmacy and GP pharmacy by April 2027, “subject to additional funding”.
The four pharmacy bodies have together urged the government to “shield community pharmacies from…increased costs and measures” introduced in the October budget.
The previous health secretary revealed NHSE’s “lack of enthusiasm” in supporting community pharmacy is “inbuilt” and it is “by tradition, really very tight on pharmacists” during his evidence at the latest Covid-19 Inquiry hearing.
The UK chief pharmaceutical officers (CPhOs) have set boundaries around pharmacist involvement in the assisted dying debate, amid calls for a “clear” role for pharmacists in the Scottish assisted dying bill.