| Weekly News Digest - 21st May 2026 |
|
May 2026 Bank Holiday Posters detailing which pharmacies will be open across Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire can be viewed below:
Pharmacy Opening Times Pharmacies are only listed on the posters if they are opening one or more of the Bank Holiday dates. |
Clinical waste escalationTo help manage the acute situation, any urgent issues e.g. pharmacies who are not receiving a response from Anenta and are having to turn patients with waste medicines away, please email: frimleyicb.southeastcommunitypharmacy@nhs.net with the name of the pharmacy, ODS code and address, brief description of the issue, estimation of volume of waste that needs collecting and the ticket number they have raised with Anenta. It will be escalated to Anenta to prioritise. All tickets raised with Anenta will be actioned in date order (oldest first), so pharmacies are advised to avoid opening new tickets for issues already raised. |
| Read the latest update from the UKHSA on cases of meningococcal disease linked to Reading. |
Save the date & Expression of Interest Opportunity: Showcasing Pharmacy Technician Careers – Virtual South East NHS England eventNHS England South East is hosting a workshop celebrating the diverse and evolving roles of pharmacy technicians. The session will highlight career development, leadership, retention, widening participation, and education and training pathways. Open to Pre‑registration Trainee Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacy Technicians across the South East. Interested in showcasing your role? Submit an expression of interest - see here for more information. |
| A range of Pharmacist Support wellbeing resources is available, including guidance on having sensitive mental health conversations, the Gut Feeling podcast on nutrition and mental wellbeing, and details of the Embracing a Workplace Wellbeing Culture course for pharmacy managers and leaders. The Listening Friends service also offers confidential, anonymous peer support from trained volunteer pharmacists who provide a safe, non‑judgemental space to talk and can signpost to further help if needed. To request a Listening Friend, complete the form on the Pharmacist Support website. See here for full information. |
Dedicated email address available for community pharmacy communications Following changes to the 2026/27 GP contract, GP practices are required to have a dedicated email address available for community pharmacy communications. This does not require practices to create a new mailbox. A secure shared mailbox is good practice and may be used if GP Connect fails or for communication from services without interoperability, sending patient details. Using an existing shared mailbox will meet contractual requirements and enable community pharmacy communications, without creating additional accounts. Local Directory of Service (DoS) teams will ensure the email address is visible within the UEC/111 DoS. Please note this mailbox may also be visible to other healthcare professionals and should be managed accordingly |
IPC Guidance for ANDV in Healthcare SettingsFor the latest guidance for ANDV in healthcare setting please visit NHSE website |
| Download the latest edition of the Healthwatch Oxfordshire newsletter. |
| Pharmacy teams should check Smartcard details, set up mobile unlock, review role expiry dates, and replace older cards to avoid losing access to NHS systems. Make sure your contact information is correct, register your phone for self‑unlock, confirm any roles you still need aren’t close to expiry, and urgently replace cards starting with 04, 05 or 06, which will stop working from 7 May 2026. See here for full information. |
| As we move to warmer weather, pharmacy teams may see more patients with tick bites and potential signs of Lyme disease. While this isn't covered under the Pharmacy First pathway, recognising key symptoms – such as a bullseye (erythema migrans) rash – can help teams signpost patients appropriately. Lyme Disease UK is holding their annual Be Tick Aware campaign this month to raise awareness of how to prevent tick bites, how to safely remove ticks and the importance of early treatment for people who become unwell, following a bite. Download helpful resources for your team |
Community pharmacy teams are invited to inform research into the educational support needed to help staff deliver public health services more confidently. The entire workforce – including technicians, dispensers, counter assistants, and delivery drivers – are encouraged to participate in an anonymous survey on the sector's public health role, by deadline 5th June. |
See here for the latest information about access to NHS dental services in the Thames Valley area. |
| From 1 June 2026, the Manage Your Service (MYS) will be the only route to notify ICBs of temporary suspensions/closures. Email notifications will no longer be accepted, and no follow up emails will be needed once a report is submitted in MYS. See here for more information. |
| CPE is coming to the South East this July to meet directly with pharmacy owners and their representatives as part of our annual series of regional evening roadshow events. Your local session takes place on Thursday 9th July in Farnborough – bringing senior CPE figures together with local pharmacies to talk honestly about funding, pressures on the sector, and what needs to happen next. We hope the series of events will explain the CPCF negotiations, give attendees the chance to ask questions and challenge decisions, gathering real-world insight to help shape preparations for future negotiations. It’s a valuable opportunity to share local experiences, influence future priorities, and connect with colleagues from across the region. Register for your local event. |
| The Community Pharmacy & General Practice Conference (21st–22nd June, Birmingham) is a new, free event bringing together pharmacy, general practice and primary care leaders to explore practical approaches to collaboration, service delivery and neighbourhood working. Register here. |
Bath University are offering Masters Level programmes. The Advanced Clinical Pharmacy Practice and Clinical Pharmacy Practice master’s programmes offer flexible, workplace‑focused development pathways from short courses through to MSc level. If you are interested, see here for more information.
|
| If you’ve yet to do any initiation consultations or still feel hesitant in doing them, this workshop is for you. The aim of the workshop is to support Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians with delivering oral contraception initiation as part of the Pharmacy Contraception Service on Sunday 5th July, 10am-12 noon, Hampshire Court Hotel, Centre Drive, Great Binfields Road, Chineham, Basingstoke, RG24 8FY. Book here. |
Are you struggling with confidence in conducting and documenting consultations around menopause symptoms and medicines supply? If so, this workshop is for you. These workshops are free and designed to support the development of both pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Bracknell – 7-9pm on 3rd June 2026 at Bracknell Open Learning Centre, Bracknell RG12 7GR Maidenhead– 11am-1pm on 12th July 2026 at CIM Business Centre, Maidenhead SL6 9QH. See here to register.
|
Medicines Supply ToolThis tool on the Specialist Pharmacy Service (SPS) website has the latest information on supply issues, actions to take, alternatives to use, and expected resolution dates. (Note: to view SPS resources, registration with an NHS email is required.) Fill in the Shortages Reporting Form: If a drug shortage does not yet appear on the SPS Medicines Supply Tool, report it to Community Pharmacy England using our online form. These reports are shared with DHSC's Medicines Supply Team for further investigation. |
|
|
|
