| Weekly News Digest - 5th November 2026 |
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Build your confidence in assessing patients with respiratory symptoms
📅 8 November | 10am-5pm
📍 Face-to-face workshop
✅ Fully funded Join our interactive Respiratory Clinical Assessment Skills Workshop, delivered by CPTV and CPPE. Learn essential respiratory history-taking and examination skills from experienced GPs through hands-on teaching and realistic clinical scenarios. There are a few spaces remaining!
🔗 Reserve your place today: |
| Community Pharmacy Thames Valley is seeking pharmacists to become Community Pharmacy Neighbourhood Leads in Buckinghamshire, helping to ensure community pharmacy has a strong and influential voice within integrated neighbourhood teams and local healthcare planning. This funded six-month opportunity offers two days per month with £400 per day remuneration to support pharmacist release and locum backfill. Roles are available across six Buckinghamshire neighbourhoods. If you're passionate about collaboration, service development and representing community pharmacy at a strategic level, this is your chance to make a real impact on local patient care and neighbourhood healthcare delivery. Find out more about the role and how to apply on the CPTV website. Applications close at 5pm on 20 November 2026. |
| Due to ongoing patient demand, pharmacy owners are reminded that second-line flu vaccines should only be used in exceptional circumstances where first-line vaccines are unavailable locally. Patients should first be directed to an alternative provider or invited to rebook, and a record of local stock availability checks should be maintained before offering an alternative vaccine. See here for further guidance. |
| NHS England and DHSC have published the documents supporting the introduction of prescribing into the CPCF as an extension of Pharmacy First and the Pharmacy Contraception Service. Pharmacy owners can access the documentation, alongside our guidance and analysis, on the Prescribing within the CPCF webpage. |
| Updated service specifications for Pharmacy First and the Pharmacy Contraception Service (PCS) have been published by NHS England, incorporating prescribing within both services and a range of other agreed revisions. Read more. |
| This year’s theme, ‘Ask Your Pharmacist: NHS Services Close to Home’, promotes awareness of services including Pharmacy First, flu vaccinations and oral contraception. Campaign resources are available from the NPA for pharmacies to use and adapt, you can also support the campaign on social media using #AskYourPharmacist. Campaign resources. |
| #MedSafetyWeek 2026 takes place from 2-8 November, encouraging healthcare professionals and patients to report suspected side effects and adverse incidents through the Yellow Card scheme. This year's theme is "Side effects: don't ignore them, report them!". Pharmacy teams can help raise awareness using campaign materials and by promoting Yellow Card reporting to patients. Read more and access resources via the MHRA website. |
| This edition of the NHSBSA Hints and Tips bulletin includes updates on the Community Pharmacy Workforce Survey, Pharmacy Quality Scheme requirements, service developments, Drug Tariff changes and other important information for pharmacy teams. |
NHS App - latest updates- New! NHS App log in videos - There are two new walk-through videos which show patients step-by-step how they can set up their NHS login in order to use the NHS App and make the most of the services available to them. Click here.
- Help improve NHS App information for staff - Help shape the NHS App staff support website by taking part in a short 20‑minute online research session at a time that suits you.
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| The Community Pharmacy Workforce Survey 2026 is now open and must be completed by all community pharmacy contractors. Submit your workforce data by 11.59pm on 14 November 2026. For support, contact NHSBSA at pharmacysupport@nhsbsa.nhs.uk. Visit the NHS England website for further information. |
| Community Pharmacy England is seeking feedback on pharmacy readiness for winter and the impact of the 2026/27 funding settlement. Complete the six-question sector poll by 16 November to share your views. |
Stay informed with the Pharmacy Academy podcast channel, a great source for weekly updates on essential pharmacy topics, powered by insights from NHS, CPE, and PGD guidance and AI generated for clarity. Stay connected, enhance your expertise, and dive into key pharmacy discussions—all in one place. |
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Tune into this week's Podcast! |
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Learn about the new prescribing arrangements and how they will work in practice. The webinar on 9 November 2026 6:30-7:30pm, will cover NHS guidance, updates to Pharmacy First and Contraception services, the five new Pharmacy First pathways, and key clinical considerations for delivering safe, high-quality patient care. We'll also highlight the training and support resources available to help you prepare. Registered attendees will receive a joining link. Please register using an NHS or organisation email address to access the webinar.
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Thames Valley ICB are hosting a webinar for contractors and interested pharmacists on the new NHS community pharmacy prescribing, including updates on Pharmacy First and supporting clinical guidance, on 24 November 2026 from 7-8pm,Online: Meeting Link
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| Gain knowledge and confidence to deliver high quality vaccination services in your community. Two sessions will be held on 11th November at 7pm and 21st November at 2pm - see here for more details and booking link. |
PrescQIPP are running two FREE multi-professional courses delivering practical, evidence-based training to develop confident and capable educational and prescribing supervisors. See the course flyer and complete the Expressions of Interest form if you would like to enrol yourself or individuals from your organisation onto the courses.
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Still time to book ...... |
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