Skip to content

This Site is Intended for Healthcare Professionals Only

Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

RPS Scotland submits evidence to parliamentary inquiry on healthcare in remote and rural areas

RPS Scotland submits evidence to parliamentary inquiry on healthcare in remote and rural areas

Alternative training pathways vital to develop sustainable pharmacy workforce in remote and rural areas, says RPS Scotland

Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Scotland has submitted its evidence to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee’s inquiry into ‘Healthcare in remote and rural areas.’


The Committee had sought views on what policies and actions would be most effective in addressing the issues people face when accessing healthcare in these areas.

During the evidence session today (19 December), Laura Wilson, Director for RPS Scotland, highlighted the challenges faced by pharmacists and pharmacy in remote and rural areas, as well as provided some of the solutions for ensuring a sustainable pharmacy workforce.

At present, people living in remote and rural areas of Scotland are required to travel to Glasgow or Aberdeen to undertake pharmacy training. Laura underscored the need to develop alternative education and training pathways, such as “grow your own” models, to support remote and rural areas to develop and retain local pharmacists.

Laura also made several other points, such as providing pharmacists with access to patient health records, an urgent need for pharmacy workforce planning, and a holistic approach to address cost of living and infrastructure concerns.

She said: “It is vital that we consider alternative pathways to education to ensure pharmacy is an accessible and desirable career option for people from all parts of the country.  Appropriate levels of funding should accompany this to ensure these models are viable.

“Comprehensive workforce planning for pharmacy both nationally and in remote and rural areas is a priority.  This planning should consider wider factors, including the local infrastructure such as supply of housing in remote and rural areas, to ensure pharmacists are able to live and work in these areas.

“Finally, providing pharmacists with read/write access to patient records is essential for remote and rural areas, providing patients with the ability to access care closer to home and removing the need for unnecessary travel, which is often costly and time consuming.”

The committee had sought views from anyone who uses healthcare services or works in the health and social care sector on remote and rural healthcare.

The Scottish government has committed to developing a Remote and Rural Workforce Strategy by the end of 2024 to provide a framework to support employers and fulfil the health and social care needs of people who live in remote and rural communities.

 

More For You

Chemotherapy-free leukaemia treatment

The trial found that a combination of two cancer drugs, ibrutinib and venetoclax, could perform better than chemotherapy among patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

iStock

Chemotherapy-free leukaemia treatment shows promise during trial

In a breakthrough in leukaemia research, scientists in the UK have tested a chemotherapy-free approach, involving a combination of targeted drugs, which may offer better outcomes.

The new treatment could radically change the way chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), the most common form of leukaemia in adults, is treated.

Keep ReadingShow less
Locum pharmacists in the UK work in a difficult environment, and many are dissatisfied with their jobs.

Locum pharmacists in the UK work in a difficult environment, and many are dissatisfied with their jobs.

iStock

Locums should stand up for their interests, say 'no' to unfair terms: PDA

The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has advised locum pharmacists to be vigilant about their interests and negotiate directly with their businesses, avoid working with digital platforms driven by algorithms, and be aware of regressive contract terms.

The not-for-profit organisation issued such an advisory following its survey of 1,300 UK locum pharmacists, which showed that they work in a difficult environment and that most are dissatisfied with their jobs.

Keep ReadingShow less
Wales ranked worst for second-trimester abortion access in the UK

Each year about 175 women travel from Wales to England for care

Wales ranked worst for second-trimester abortion access in the UK

A leading healthcare charity has revealed that Wales is the worst part of the United Kingdom for allowing surgical abortions for women.

Surgical abortion is the process removing pregnancy from the womb by inducing local anaesthesia, conscious sedation or general anaesthesia.

Keep ReadingShow less
The fund offers £150 per eligible child - for up to three children per household.

The fund offers £150 per eligible child - for up to three children per household.

Charity reopens funding to ease back to school financial pressures for community pharmacists

Community pharmacists struggling with the costs of their children going back to school can apply for funding from The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust (LTCT)

The Trust is providing up to £100,000 of support to those working in a community pharmacy or are a registered pharmacist or pharmacy technician

Keep ReadingShow less
Germany's BioNTech to buy CureVac to boost cancer research

Both biotech companies have been working for years in the area of mRNA vaccines and treatments

Germany's BioNTech to buy CureVac to boost cancer research

Germany's BioNTech is buying domestic rival CureVac for $1.25 billion, bringing together two pharmaceutical firms specialised in mRNA technology with the goal of advancing cancer treatments.

BioNTech, which developed the first coronavirus vaccine to be approved in the West along with US pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, said the acquisition would "bring together complementary capabilities and leverage technologies".

Keep ReadingShow less