The coronavirus vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University would significantly accelerate the rollout of vaccines in Britain if it is approved by regulators, chief medical officer Chris Whitty said.
“If AZ comes through, if there aren’t any last-minute hitches, it will speed up very substantially the period before we can actually get to the point... when those in the highest-risk groups... can all be vaccinated,” he told reporters. (Reuters)
Homecare medicines services face many challenges beyond pharmacy's control
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has called for industry-wide collaboration to improve homecare medicines services to ensure patients always receive their medicines when needed.
The call follows a recent review by the regulator, which identified several challenges facing homecare services, many of which were beyond the immediate control of the pharmacies providing them.
Despite these challenges, the GPhC found that all 20 registered pharmacies delivering homecare medicines services met its standards, offering assurances that such services were being delivered safely and effectively.
“Homecare medicines services are complex and involve various healthcare services and professionals working together to provide a package of care for a patient,” said Roz Gittins, Chief Pharmacy Officer at GPhC.
“Our findings highlight the systems pharmacies have developed to reduce the impact of these challenges, but further work is required to ensure patients always receive their medicines when they need them.
“We recognise this requires more industry-wide collaboration and we encourage all organisations involved with the provision of homecare medicines services to support their teams to embrace new and improved ways of working for the benefit of patients.”
The GPhC carried out its review in response to a House of Lords public inquiry into homecare medicines services, launched in June 2023, which uncovered reports of patients experiencing delays receiving their medication and getting the wrong medicine, with serious impacts on patients’ health, sometimes resulting in people needing hospital care.
In its review report, Evaluating service provision: a themed review of registered pharmacies providing homecare medicines services, the GPhC made several key recommendations, including:
All homecare pharmacies should adopt cross-sector risk management processes with support from the National Homecare Medicines Committee (NHMC) and the National Clinical Homecare Association (NCHA).
Hospitals and pharmacies should record and monitor the registration of new patients, and work together to identify ways to improve new patient registration information.
Hospitals and homecare pharmacies should agree on standardised information to be provided to patients, clearly explaining the different stages of the homecare medicines services.
Homecare pharmacy communication platforms should be reviewed to identify what works well and to address the challenges that prevent patients and hospitals from accessing them.
National health organisations across the UK should move away entirely from paper-based systems to electronic transfer of prescriptions.
The organisations should facilitate access for homecare pharmacy teams to the same health and clinical systems as other aspects of the patient’s care pathway.
The regulator has urged all organisations involved with the provision of homecare medicines services to consider how these recommendations could be implemented across the sector.
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W G Hamilton Pharmacy is the third pharmacy in Northern Ireland to be recently sold to first-time buyers.
An increasing number of pharmacies in Northern Ireland are being acquired by first-time buyers, as existing contractors and groups pull back from expanding their portfolios amid ongoing funding pressures, according to specialist business property adviser Christie & Co.
Among the most recent sales is W G Hamilton Pharmacy, a busy community pharmacy in Ballysillan, North Belfast.
Christie & Co confirmed the sale on Tuesday (15 April), marking the third pharmacy in Northern Ireland recently sold to first-time buyers.
The pharmacy, which dispenses an average of 8,750 prescription items per month and collects scripts from over 20 surgeries in the Belfast area, also delivers key NHS services such as the Minor Ailments Service and Pharmacy First.
Owned and operated by Fergus Hamilton for over 20 years, the pharmacy was sold following his decision to pursue a partial retirement.
The sale was managed confidentially by Karl Clezy, director – pharmacy at Christie & Co., and first-time buyers Andrew Crawford and Daniel Cheah have now taken over the reins.
According to Clezy, this is the second pharmacy we have sold in the Ballysillan area over the last few years.
“There have been lots of enquiries on this business since we put it to market, and I am delighted to have sold it to another first-time buyer who I’m sure will take it to further success,” he said.
Clezy noted that the last three pharmacies they have sold in Northern Ireland have been to first-time buyers, which is largely due to “a lack of government funding causing a lot of existing contractors and groups off buying any more pharmacies.”
“This is providing more opportunities for younger buyers to get their first step on the ladder,” he said.
“Whereas before first-time buyers found it difficult to buy their first pharmacy as they were competing with experienced operators who could afford to offer a higher amount.”
Hamilton, former owner of W G Hamilton Pharmacy, wished the new owners “success and prosperity in their new business venture.”
Crawford and Cheah, the new owners, expressed their delight in taking over a long-established and well-run community pharmacy.
“We intend to pick up where Fergus has left off by continuing to provide a first-class service to our patients of north Belfast,” they said, wishing Hamilton “a very happy retirement!”
The pharmacy was sold for an undisclosed sum.
The ‘Gift in Wills’ initiative is delivered in partnership with Bequeathed.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has announced its support for the ‘Gift in Wills’ initiative run by Pharmacist Support, coinciding with the charity’s birthday celebrations today (Tuesday 15 April).
This collaboration allows RPS members to create a free will while also helping to safeguard the future of vital support services for the pharmacy profession.
The initiative is delivered in partnership with Bequeathed and provides individuals with access to expert legal advice to secure a professionally drafted Will for Good.
This service not only helps individuals plan for the future but also provides an opportunity to leave a legacy gift, ensuring continued support for pharmacists facing financial difficulty, workplace stress and mental health challenges.
They can choose to allocate even 1% of their estate to the charity, ensuring their loved ones inherit the remainder.
RPS President Professor Claire Anderson said: "We are proud to build on our work with Pharmacist Support and support them with this initiative.”
“By promoting the chance to create a free will to our members, we are not only helping them plan for the future but also encouraging them to support this fantastic charity that does so much to improve and advance the wellbeing of pharmacists."
Pharmacist Support has been providing assistance to pharmacists and their families, former pharmacists, trainees and students for over 180 years.
The demand for its services continues to rise in response to growing pressures on the profession.
In 2024 alone, the charity delivered 439 counselling sessions—up 23% from the previous year—and awarded £192,811 in financial grants, marking a 20% increase overall and a 59% rise in grants specifically to pharmacists.
Its most recent Workforce Wellbeing Survey, conducted in partnership with the RPS, revealed that 87% of pharmacy professionals are at high risk of burnout, with nearly half of the workforce negatively impacted by financial pressures.
Danielle Hunt, chief executive of Pharmacist Support, said: "Pharmacists are facing increasing pressures, from financial struggles to workplace stress, and our services have never been more in demand.”
“By leaving a gift in their will, members of our pharmacy family can help ensure that future generations continue to have a dedicated, independent charity to turn to in times of need. We’re grateful to the RPS for supporting this initiative and helping us build a lasting legacy of support."
To mark its anniversary, the charity has also launched a special birthday donations appeal, calling on individuals and organisations across the sector to support its fundraising campaign to meet the increasing demand for its mental health and wellbeing services.
As a symbolic gesture tied to its founding year of 1841, the charity is encouraging supporters to donate £18.40.
More and more pharmacy professionals are reaching out for help, said Danielle Hunt.
Pharmacist Support – the independent charity dedicated to the pharmacy profession – is celebrating 184 years of service with the launch of a special birthday donations appeal.
On 15 April, the charity is urging individuals and organisations across the sector to support its campaign to raise vital funds to meet the increasing demand for its mental health and wellbeing services.
Founded in 1841, Pharmacist Support provides free and confidential help to pharmacists, trainees, and students facing challenging circumstances.
The charity stated that, as sector pressures continue to rise, the need for its support services has become more critical than ever.
“More and more people across the profession are reaching out for help,” said Danielle Hunt, chief executive of Pharmacist Support.
In the past year alone, referrals for counselling increased by 23%, and there was a 15% rise in the number of individuals supported through the charity’s Listening Friends peer support service – a 72% increase compared to 2020.
“These numbers highlight the growing demand for our services—and donations are essential to helping us continue to meet that need,” Hunt said.
In the charity’s most recent Workforce Wellbeing Survey, conducted in partnership with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), 35% of pharmacy professionals rated their mental health as poor or very poor, while 87% were identified to be at high risk of burnout.
Additionally, 56% reported that medicine shortages had negatively affected their wellbeing in the past year.
To commemorate its anniversary, the charity is encouraging supporters to donate £18.40—a symbolic gesture tied to its founding year of 1841.
Supporters are encouraged to get involved in whichever way suits them best:
“We’re asking our pharmacy family to come together and show their support,” said Hunt.
“Every donation—no matter the size —helps us continue to be there for those who need us most.”
PRS saliva test can identify prostate cancer that was missed by an MRI scan
A simple at-home spit test could help detect prostate cancer earlier, saving the NHS around £500 million a year, according to new research published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), the study found that the DNA-based saliva test was more accurate than the current prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test in identifying men at risk of developing prostate cancer.
The test uses a polygenic risk score (PRS) – calculated from 130 genetic variations linked to prostate cancer – to identify men most likely to develop the disease.
Researchers assessed DNA from 6,142 men of European ancestry aged 55 to 69, a group with a higher risk of prostate cancer.
Of the 468 men in the highest 10% of genetic risk, 40% were later diagnosed with prostate cancer following MRI scans and biopsies.
This compares with the PSA test, where just 1 in 4 men with a positive result is found to have prostate cancer.
The PRS saliva test also detected a higher proportion of the aggressive cancers than the PSA test and was even more accurate than MRI scans in some high-risk cases. It also picked up cancers that the PSA test would have missed.
Researchers estimated that the spit test could help detect up to 12,350 cases of prostate cancer earlier each year, potentially saving the NHS around £500 million annually.
Currently, prostate cancer risk is assessed through the PSA blood test, which measures levels of the prostate-specific antigen protein.
PSA levels can be elevated in men with prostate cancer and are used to identify those at higher risk due to age, ethnicity, or the presence of symptoms.
However, the PSA test falsely indicates prostate cancer in men 3 out of 4 times and often identifies slow-growing cancers that are unlikely to become life-threatening. This can lead to unnecessary MRIs, invasive biopsies, and treatments.
The researchers suggested that the PRS saliva test could be an additional screening tool for men at higher risk of prostate cancer or those presenting with symptoms.
“With this test, it could be possible to turn the tide on prostate cancer,” said Professor Ros Eeles, Professor of Oncogenetics at The Institute of Cancer Research and Consultant in Clinical Oncology and Cancer Genetics at The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
“We have shown that a relatively simple, inexpensive spit test to identify men of European heritage at higher risk due to their genetic makeup is an effective tool to catch prostate cancer early.”
The test is now being evaluated in the £42 million TRANSFORM trial, jointly funded by NIHR and Prostate Cancer UK.
This large-scale trial, launched in spring 2024, is the UK’s biggest prostate cancer screening study in decades and will directly compare the saliva test to PSA and MRI screening methods.
The study will assess whether those with a low genetic risk may benefit from an alternative screening tool.
Each year, more than 52,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK – roughly 144 a day – and around 12,000 die from the disease.
Despite its prevalence, there is currently no national screening programme, and the disease often shows no symptoms until it has advanced.
