| Weekly News Digest - 31st October 2024 |
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From November 2024, BOB ICB will pilot blood pressure monitoring in 15 dental practices. BOB ICB is one of 11 ICBs participating in this one year pilot, which will be evaluated locally and nationally to decide on further rollout. There are also 9 Optometry pilots in the country. The service will follow national guidelines for blood pressure measurement, patient management, and referrals. Patients with readings under 90/60 mmHg or between 140/90 mmHg and 180/120 mmHg will be referred to a pharmacy. Those with readings over 180/120 mmHg will be referred to their GP or A&E if symptomatic. The practices involved in the pilot are:
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This mandatory survey for all pharmacy owners requires completion by 11th December 2024. It focuses on staff numbers, full-time equivalents (FTE), and vacancies across ten staff categories. A new question addresses unregistered pharmacy technicians. Pharmacies should have received an email from NHSBSA to complete the survey. If not, check with your head office if you're part of a multiple pharmacy group. Visit the CPE website for more information. View NHS England's Community pharmacy workforce survey FAQs. |
This year's theme is "Professional and Convenient Healthcare, from Your Local Pharmacy Team." The campaign highlights the exceptional skills and readiness of pharmacy teams to provide clinical care and treat common illnesses as part of the local NHS. The focus is on the expertise and safety record of community pharmacists. Access to a suite of free campaign materials is available to support you. |
| Community Pharmacy England has introduced a new shared folder with various resources to promote this service. You can easily download the latest versions, including posters (both ready-to-use and editable), social media graphics and messages, letters to eligible patients and local care providers, flyers for prescription bags, template local press releases, radio scripts and materials for hosting an MP pharmacy flu jab visit. |
| NHS England has opened the procurement process for pharmacies interested in providing the COVID-19 vaccination service starting from April 2025. This applies to: Pharmacies not already contracted and wishing to start from April 2025 and pharmacies whose current contracts end in March 2025. Most pharmacies already contracted until March 2026 do not need to re-apply, please read the guidance and submission details available on the NHS Business Services Authority's webpage. Pharmacy owners must submit their response by 11:59pm on 19th November 2024. See here for further information. |
| CPE are asking pharmacy owners to share their views and concerns before their next Committee meeting in November to help support their work to highlight the challenges pharmacy owners are facing. The ten-minute survey, is open to Independent and non-CCA multiples only until Monday 4th November 2024. |
The Autumn/Winter 2024 edition of the Oxfordshire Public Health newsletter, which includes details of public health campaigns and project updates, is now available to view. Click here. |
| Read the report from CPE'S 2024 Pharmacy Pressures Survey which was based on the views of the owners and team members from pharmacies across England. It shows that community pharmacies are facing severe challenges due to staffing shortages, underfunding, and escalating workload pressures, leading to stress, burnout, and reduced patient care. Overall, the Staffing and Morale Report highlights the urgent need for support and solutions to address these critical issues. |
These action cards have been updated in line with the updated case definition and in line with recently published IPC guidance. MPOX Pathway Action Cards. They will be published on the website here.
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A webinar on Care Home and Housebound Vaccination was presented by the South East Pharmacy Covid Vaccination Team. If you were unable to attend the webinar the team have provided a copy of the slides for your information. They will soon be launching a programme to ensure all sites for care home and housebound vaccination are covered, addressing any gaps that may exist. Click here. |
| The recently released Community Pharmacy England’s 2024 Pharmacy Advice Audit highlights that pharmacies are providing several million walk-in consultations annually and underscores the scale of underfunded work they are taking on. Read a summary of the findings from the audit, and for the full report, visit the CPE website. |
| Community pharmacy owners are invited to share data for a fiscal review. Frontier Economics and IQVIA are analysing the full cost of NHS pharmacy services for NHS England to assess funding sustainability. The survey will take about 15-20 minutes and all data will be anonymized and kept confidential. |
| Please complete this using NHS Profile Manager before deadline 31st December. This is a mandatory requirement for all pharmacy owners. Useful NHS Profile Manager Tutorials are available here. |
NHSE will be presenting the following support webinars to answer any questions you may have for hosting a trainee for the 2026/27 year: Thursday 7th November 6:30pm to 8pm - Meeting link Tuesday 19th November 6:30pm to 8pm - Meeting link Wednesday 27th November 1pm to 2pm - Meeting link |
NHS England have scheduled one final opportunity for colleagues from primary care, in clinical and non-clinical roles, to help shape the new EDI Improvement Plan for primary care. This is an opportunity to discuss the programme underway, contribute, share reflections and help co-design and shape this new national resource. Register your place on this event on 27th November 2024 from 7.00pm - 8.30pm. |
The next cohort for the CPPE Newly Qualified Pharmacists Programme begins on 4th November. Don't miss the opportunity for learning and support; this programme is available to all pharmacists qualified from 2022 onwards, not currently enrolled in a workplace-arranged programme (Hospital or Boots). For more information and to apply, visit the Newly Qualified Pharmacist Programme at CPPE. |
World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW), is being held from 18 to 24 November, and is led by the World Health Organization (WHO). Its goal is to raise awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and promote best practices among the public, healthcare workers, and policymakers to prevent the spread of drug-resistant infections. A toolkit has been provided with quick and ready-to-use resources to support local World AMR
Awareness Week (WAAW) campaigns. |
CPPE have some useful training workshops for community pharmacies. The workshops cover topics such as: Asthma: optimising adherence to medicines, NHS Pharmacy First: Clinical assessment - essential skills, Valproate: the hard conversations, supporting people living with dementia, Atrial Fibrillation: improve detection and person-centred care, Deprescribing and COPD. Visit our website to view the full calendar and booking links.
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