The RPSGB has approved a scheme as part of a 5 year partnership with Lloyds Pharmacy and the NHS Foundation Trust. Pre-Registration pharmacists will be given the opportunity to gain experience in the community and hospital pharmacy sectors, working 6 months as trainees in both areas. At the end of the pre-registration year the trainees […]

Pharmacy bodies have opposed plans from the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPHC) to pay for the regulation of controlled drugs with a hike in premises fees of £45 a year. The GPHC comments that the rise would generate around £45,000 to fund controlled drugs monitoring and inspections; making future regulations independent of the government. The PDA […]

From October, the enhanced smoking cessation service, which is provided by 120 pharmacies in Surrey, will be cut by the PCT. The cuts come despite more that 3,100 patients successfully quitting across Surrey in 2008-2009. 300 of whom accessed the service through pharmacies. The news follows reports from Numark of widespread cuts to pharmacy minor […]

RPSGB members may be called to vote whether non pharmacists including pharmacy students, pre registrations pharmacists and pharmaceutical students can join the professional body. The eligibility of each category would be decided on separate ballots issued at the same time. Flame Health are keen to hear your views on this. Do you support this possible […]

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPHC) have proposed £262 renewal fee for pharmacists for 2011. The RPSGB national boards have blasted the new GPHC for failing to justify these proposed fees, stating that the fees were ‘contradictory’ and ‘hard to justify’.  The fee is £160 less than the current RPSGB retention fee; however the society levy […]

A Novartis Vaccines in-pharmacy survey of 2,692 patients has found that 90% of patients receiving a flu vaccination in pharmacies last year would return for the vaccine this year and would use the pharmacy for other vaccinations also. 37% of patients said they would not have had the flu jab if the pharmacy had not […]

Boots has launched an online prescription service, allowing patients to go online and order prescriptions ranging from smoking cessation to menstrual cycle management. The patient would need to fill in a confidential questionnaire which is assessed by a medical team, which prescribes the medication where appropriate. GPs will then be informed. As a pharmacist, how […]

Pharmacies and professional bodies have united to call for protection equal to GPs in defending themselves. General practice surgeries have been given free security in some areas, while pharmacies have been missing out. This follows a report from the Chemist and Druggist in August stating pharmacies were targeted by criminals over 200 times in London […]

The RPSGB has called for pharmacist’s views on remote supervision after revealing 8 principles, it believes should underpin future policy. These principles include ensuring pharmacists oversee the supply of medicines and are able to make a final check. To ensure adequate staffing is in place and that pharmacists should only be responsible for one pharmacy […]

The Minister of state for health visited a pharmacy in Essex to launch the official report of an Essex wide skin and bowel cancer awareness campaign. The project which ran in collaboration with Essex Cancer Network distributed more than 8,500 leaflets and initiated more than 4,500 conversations about the dangers of skin and bowel cancer. […]

Flame Health are pleased to announce the launch of  a new Tesco Microsite structure incorporating  Tesco Pharmacy Jobs and Tesco Opticians Jobs. Flame Health have a longstanding relationship with Tesco and this new initiative demonstrates the level of commitment from both companies. Visit the new websites for more Information regarding Tesco Pharmacy Jobs or Tesco […]

Andrew Lansley, Secretary of State for Health has set out the Government’s plans to reform the NHS. The White Paper: ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS’ details how power will be devolved from Whitehall to patients and professionals. Professionals will be free to focus on improving health outcomes. Improving the quality of care will become […]

Just over 85% of candidates have passed the RPSGB’s summer registration examination. The pass rate is slightly down from last year’s figure of 89.9% This year’s open book examination was affected by a printing problem which resulted in a number of students in Liverpool starting the paper up to 75 minutes late. Of this year’s […]

The Government has announced in its white paper that a new community pharmacy contract will see pharmacists paid for performance. The community pharmacy contract, through this payment for performance will incentivise and support high quality and efficient services. The paper also outlines a radical change to the structure of the NHS with local commissioning being […]

The Department of Health urged vigilance as weather forecasters predicted temperatures could top  31 degrees Celsius over the weekend. High temperatures have forced the Met Office to issue a class 2 heat wave alert. Pharmacists do not have to take immediate action but are advised that high temperatures could be dangerous for the elderly, young […]