The Patients Association has said that community pharmacy could play an essential role in raising awareness of malnutrition and advising those at risk. They have stated that malnutrition should be treated as a public health issue and the role of community pharmacists in tackling it must be considered by public health directors in the reformed […]

NHS figures have revealed that quit rates for patients using pharmacy smoking cessation services improved last year, but the sector still has a lower than average success rate compared with other service providers. Pharmacies helped more than 66,000 people give up smoking in the year between April 2010 and March 2011, making the sector the […]

Results from the C & D Senate Survey have suggested that less than 60 per cent of pharmacists are in favour of the new medicine service (NMS) launching this October. A quarter of respondents so far have said they won’t have time to provide the service, while others were concerned that the NMS had been […]

Independent pharmacists are concerned about the lack of practical detail around how the New Medicine Service and targeted medicines use reviews (MURs) will operate when they are introduced on 1 October 2011. The Independent Pharmacy Federation is advising community pharmacists to start looking at how they can change their skill mix and free their time […]

The National Prescribing Centre (NPC) has said in prescribing guidance published last week that GPs should enlist the aid of pharmacists to help minimise prescribing errors, The NPC guide follows studies that revealed GPs have a prescription error rate of 7.5 per cent, with errors in four drug classes – antithrombotics, anticoagulants, NSAIDs and diuretics […]

The GPhC governing council has agreed registration fees, including a decision to reduce the registration fee for pharmacists to 2% (a £5 annum increase). This below inflation increase of 2% for pharmacists was also agreed for pharmacy premises. Registration fees for pharmacy technicians would reduce by 15.5% (£22 reduction). The Pharmacy Order 2010 requires the […]

From 1st July 2011 all pharmacy technicians must be registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to practice in England, Scotland or Wales. If you do not apply to register before 5pm on 30th June 2011 you will not be able to carry out the duties under the title of being a pharmacy technician. You may […]

Wow, it has been a busy week for the Pharmacy team at Flame Health. The team are looking forward to their well deserved weekend break! 3 successful placements were made in Lancashire, Plymouth and Suffolk and we hope all enjoy their new roles. A whopping 14 interviews were booked this week, great work Pharmacy! The Pharmacy Team […]

To get ahead of the competition independent pharmacies should roll out the electronic prescription service (EPS) as soon as possible to sign patients up. Numark has suggested this to independent pharmacies this week. The approval of the EPS will give them an opportunity to capture patient nomination ahead of full implementation across other pharmacy systems. […]

Wales has launched a nationwide pharmacy campaign from June 13th – June 27th to seek patients at risk of developing diabetes over the next 10 years. This will be done by assessing the patient’s BMI, waist size and family history. Patients will be given advice on how to reduce their risk through lifestyle, while those most […]

Three East Yorkshire pharmacies have launched a six-month hepatitis B and C testing pilot that sees pharmacists referring patients directly to hospital consultants. The service, in partnership with East Riding of Yorkshire PCT, charity the Hepatitis C Trust and local healthcare professionals, sees pharmacists and support staff give blood spot tests, which are then sent […]

By the end of this month the restriction that prevents pharmacists who qualified in the EU from being a pharmacist in charge of a newly established pharmacy in the UK is set to be scrapped. The current restriction has come about because of UK interpretation of the European Commission Directive 85/433/EEC (Article 2(2)), which permits […]

Are you currently looking for the opportunity to progress? Would you like the opportunity to work for a growing company that can offer you the encouragement and support that you need to reach your goals? Would you like an excellent basic salary? Flame Health Pharmacy are currently recruiting for 4 exceptional Pharmacy Managers in Plymouth. […]

As part of a public health campaign, Pharmacies in Wales will offer free diabetes risk assessments for two weeks in June. Pharmacists will offer a free paper-based type 2 diabetes risk assessment as part the initiative. The campaign, which works with Diabetes UK Cymru, aimed to take the delivery of public health campaigns to a […]

A survey has shown almost two thirds of its members do not believe they are being paid accurately by NHS Prescription Services (NHS PS) Numark has now called for an urgent review of the government’s prescription payment system. 90% of Numark members unable to check payments said the uncertainty was caused by the lack of […]