Politics
0After serving two years at the helm of the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), Nick Kaye reflects on the good, the bad and the Saturday-morning phone calls from 10 Downing Street…
0The health secretary has warned that US pharmaceutical tariffs could add “another layer of challenge” to the UK’s medicine supply, and that the government may have to “take steps at the dispensing end”.
0Last week saw the funding deal finally drop, and while pharmacies were waiting to see if the contract came with a funding allocation for this month’s NICs hike, they were left disappointed. So what does this mean for the sector now?
2The pharmacy hypertension service specification is set to be updated to exclude patients who request “frequent measurement of their blood pressure”.
6The new pharmacy funding deal has revealed incoming changes to the medicines margin, including plans for an “early entry” Category M process.
3Changes to the Pharmacy First service are set to come into force from June, while increased fees will be paid from today, as part of the new pharmacy contract.
2Reaction to the funding contract from pharmacy groups has been mixed, from demands for the CPE executive team to “immediately resign" to describing it as a “vital lifeline”.
4Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has said that it “reluctantly accepted the final offer” of the long-awaited pharmacy funding deal, stressing that it is “not enough” to stabilise the sector.
3C+D rounds up the immediate reaction to the new CPCF funding contract from pharmacy trade bodies, politicians, and the CPE negotiating team.
7The government has announced that it is “going with” hub-and-spoke model one, following “overwhelmingly positive” responses to its consultation on the reforms.