| Weekly News Digest - 23rd October 2025 |
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Join us for insight & inspiration hosted by the LPC | 2nd November | Holiday Inn, High Wycombe Discover what's in store for this transformative training event… |
| Solutions 4 Health is inviting community pharmacies across Oxfordshire to express interest in delivering the Level 2 Smoking Cessation Service for Smokefree Oxon. The service supports clients who wish to quit smoking through self-referral or referral within pharmacy settings. Advisors must complete NCSCT training and attend a face-to-face Level 2 session provided by Smokefree Oxon. For payment details and training requirements, please refer to the SLA. To register interest by 19th November 2025, email smokefreeoxon.s4h@nhs.net with staff numbers, roles, availability (including weekends and bank holidays), and experience with Level 2 cessation and PharmOutcomes. |
As part of the CPCF 2025/26, ALL pharmacy contractors must participate in two national and two local health campaigns as part of their contractual agreement. Both national campaigns will spotlight Pharmacy First service.
- First Campaign: 20 Oct – 9 Nov 2025
- Second Campaign: 2 Feb – 22 Feb 2026
To meet requirements, pharmacies should actively promote Pharmacy First using resources provided. The first campaign aligns with a national NHS England media push (Oct–Jan) promoting Pharmacy First and Contraception Services via TV, YouTube, radio, and social platforms. Digital materials are available on the DHSC Campaign Resource Centre. |
| Subject to final confirmation by NHSE, the service changes for Pharmacy Contraception Service (PCS) and the New Medicine Service (NMS) is scheduled to go live next Wednesday, 29th October 2025. PCS – Key Changes: Oral emergency contraception added to the service | Pharmacy technicians now authorised to provide the service | Drospirenone added to the list of contraceptives. NMS – Key Changes: Depression added as an eligible area | Revised timing for consultations | Subcontracting of the service is not permitted. Final service documents to be published shortly. See here for more information and resources. |
| Integrated Neighbourhood Teams are now active across six areas, bringing together professionals from health, council, and the voluntary and community sector to deliver coordinated, preventative care. With Integration Leads now in place, the teams will focus on early intervention, service delivery, and stronger community partnerships. Buckinghamshire is one of the first areas selected for a national programme supporting this transformation. Learn more about the programme and watch the recent Community Impact Bucks webinar. |
| NHS England’s Long-Term Conditions and Prevention (LTCP) programme has launched new CVDR training grants of up to £3,000 to support healthcare professionals working in community and primary care settings. These grants enable access to postgraduate (Level 7) courses focused on advanced training in cardiovascular, respiratory, diabetes, and stroke care. Apply before deadline 7th November 2025. See here for more information. |
| Community Pharmacy England wants to hear the views and concerns of pharmacy owners in Thames Valley. A new opinion poll is asking about concerns for your pharmacy business going into this winter and the impact C-19 vaccination eligibility confusion has had. The results will be discussed at the Committee’s November meeting and contribute to efforts to push for further improvements and support for the sector. The short survey, open until 11.59pm on Monday 10th November, offers local pharmacy owners the chance to feed directly into the national negotiator’s work. Read more here |
| In this month's NHS Spotlight, Jillian Powell, Medicines Optimisation Lead Pharmacist at BOB ICB, shares her insights on reducing medicines waste across our region. Building on the recent campaign, Jillian discusses what medicines optimisation looks like in practice, how shared decision-making enhances patient outcomes, and the powerful role VCSE organisations can play in getting the message across communities. Discover how you can support this vital initiative—read the full interview in the latest NHS Spotlight feature. |
Community Pharmacy Thames Valley Is Now on Facebook – Stay Connected! We’re excited to announce the launch of the CPTV Facebook page – an additional go-to hub for timely updates, essential information, and exclusive insights tailored for pharmacy contractors. Whether you're looking for the latest on commissioning, service updates, training opportunities, or policy developments, CPTV on Facebook will keep you informed and connected - hit Follow to stay in the loop. Don’t forget to share the page with your team and colleagues! Let’s build a stronger, more informed pharmacy community—together. |
LFD service myth busting series (#1)CPE have produced the first of a series of articles to tackle some of the misconceptions around the Lateral Flow Device (LFD) service. The articles will cover a variety of aspects of the LFD service and aims to myth bust, to increase understanding of the service. Click here. |
| NHS SPS WhatsApp Channel have a new WhatsApp channel for their latest updates direct to your phone. You can stay informed without needing to check emails and share posts with colleagues. Click the notification bell within the channel to receive notifications. Otherwise notifications are muted by default. See here for more information. |
Monthly Deadline TrackerStay on top of your schedule with ease using our Monthly Deadline Tracker. This October edition is designed to keep you organized and help you meet your deadline effortlessly. |
| Pharmacy owners will receive emails from NHSBSA asking them to complete the mandatory online survey. The survey will closes on Friday 21st November 2025. |
| 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. |
Tune in to this week's podcast |
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| The West London and Home Counties Women’s Health Business Unit is pleased to invite you to an insightful evening webinar focused on Treatment Options & Patient Reviews in Menopause Care on Tuesday, 4th November 2025 at 7pm. This session is tailored for pharmacists with an interest in women’s health, particularly those involved in prescribing or conducting HRT reviews. To register, please email Lisa Chard at: chardl@gedeonrichter.com. |
NHS England and the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) have announced the launch of the Pharmacy technician development programme. The programme will be delivered between October 2025 and March 2026 and will focus on supporting pharmacy technicians, understanding recent changes to supervision legislation and effective use of PGDs. Apply by 31st October 2025. See here for more information.
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| CPPE is running another new face to face workshop in Thames Valley, focusing on blood pressure assessment in community pharmacy on 20th Nov 2025 in Cookham (Thu evening) and 8th Feb 2026 in High Wycombe (Sun morning) These sessions will be supported by a clinical demonstrator, a pharmacist who is delivery this service in community, so we are looking forward to great interactive, hands on, practical sessions. See here for further details. |
| Join the SPS webinar on 2 December 2025, 13:00-14:00, online via WebEx Using blood pressure management as an example, a community pharmacist, GP, and primary care team will have a practical and interactive conversation about how system working has enhanced Access and Recovery services and improved patient care in NHS Black Country ICB. To find out more about this webinar, or to register, please visit the event page on the SPS website. |
| CPE are hosting a live webinar for pharmacy owners on Wednesday 29th October at 7pm to explain the new hub and spoke dispensing regulations. The event will outline the key changes and answer questions. Booking closes at midday on the day. Register here. |
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