| Weekly News Digest - 17th October 2024 |
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NHS England has revised the monthly targets for Pharmacy First until March 2025. The number of clinical pathways consultations will be:
- 20 for November and December 2024
- 25 for January and February 2025
- 30 for March 2025
See here for full information. |
| The local Minor Ailment Scheme for pharmacies targets low-income patients and their dependents, providing a concise list of OTC medicines in the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West (BOB) ICB area It offers payment in addition to the referral fee or can be used for eligible walk-in patients. Claims are processed through PharmOutcomes. See here for further information and service specification. Pharmacies in the BOB ICB area can sign up here to register. Please note, this service is not available to East Berkshire pharmacies (RBWM, Slough, Bracknell), as they fall under the Frimley ICB. |
Do your patients require any support? If you know someone who may need assistance, the NHS Care Volunteer Responders may be able to help with prescription delivery, shopping and other activities. For more information about the Volunteer Responders programme contact Support Team online or 0808 196 3646.
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The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) highlighted the insufficient reimbursement for the dispensing of NHS prescriptions based on NPA analysis. The NPA reports that the reimbursement rates are too low, causing many pharmacists to lose money or even pay out of pocket putting significant pressure on community pharmacies. Olivier Picard, a pharmacist in Berkshire and LPC committee member, told the news agency that the discrepancy between the prices “huge...This is affecting us enormously,” Click here to news item in full.
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| CEO Janet Morrison provided an important sector update at this week's Pharmacy Show. In her keynote speech she outlined the large amount of work CPE did in the first 100 days of the Labour Government that has helped build constructive relationships with new ministers. Read the article in full here. |
Community Pharmacy Thames Valley have been inviting MPs to visit local pharmacies in the area to show them both the value of community pharmacy, but also to set out the very critical challenges that the sector is facing and seek their support with these. We have received a lot of interest from local MPs and we would encourage Pharmacy owners who may like to offer to host such visits to write directly to their local MP to set out the challenges they face. If you would like to host a visit feel free to use the attached template letter and if you require any further support with this please contact office@cptv.org.uk.
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| Pharmacy owners have until 30th October 2024 to check if there is a backlog of notification emails within PharmOutcomes - please complete this MS form. This applies even if you do not have any post event messages (PEMs) to action. See here for full details and instructions. |
The full CPAF survey monitoring pharmacy contractors’ compliance in 2023/24 is open until midnight on 31st October 2024. Selected pharmacies will have been notified by NHS Business Services Authority via email, please note completion is a mandatory requirement. Completion can be done via Manage Your Service (MYS) portal.
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| Did you know that GPhC registered technicians can administer flu vaccinations using the national PGD? Do you know why it is so important to vaccinate pregnant women? Find out more by attending this FREE online course by Virtual Outcomes. Register link |
GPhC invite you to join them celebrate Black talent, achievement and everyday accomplishment in pharmacy at a Black History Month webinar on Wednesday, 30th October 2024, 19.00-20.00pm. Council member Ade Williams MBE will share his inspiring journey as a multi award-winning pharmacist. Taiwo Owatemi MP will also be talking about her path from hospital pharmacist to Member of Parliament. Book your place now! |
| SPS are providing an interactive session which is part of the ‘Medication Safety Across the System’ (MSATS) series aimed at healthcare professionals, working with passion for medication safety. Click here. |
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