MHRA new recognition routes to access to new medicines
After Brexit the MHRA had been preparing to take over the role of sole approver of newly licensed medicines in the UK until now.
Government injects £645m investment into community pharmacy
The government has just announced that it will be funding a pharmacy common ailment scheme in England as part of a huge £645 million investment for the pharmacy industry over the course of the next two years.
The Depart of Health Imposes a Reduced Pharmacy Quality Scheme
The Department of Heath and Social Care has said there will be a ‘reduced’ Pharmacy Quality Scheme for 2023-2024 than previously planned with much fewer elements to the scheme than originally anticipated.
DH allows 100-hour pharmacies to reduce opening hours
The Department of Health and Social Care has decided upon some regulatory changes which will allow 100-hour pharmacies to reduce their opening ours by more than a quarter. This decision has not been rolled out to all pharmacy contractors i.e., ones with fewer contracted hours.
MHRA inspection process
At the recent MHRA GDP Symposium held in February the inspectorate announced a change to the MHRA inspection process.
Workforce Plan
The Government has rejected the workforce plan for pharmacy in response to the Health and Social Care Committee’s report. It claims they do not agree with the recommendations for a workforce plan specific to pharmacy however they do want to improve the pharmacy workforce overall.
Windsor Framework
The Windsor Framework was published in late February, and was hoped to be the long awaited resolution to problems that existed with the Northern Ireland Protocol, particularly in relation to movement of goods.
Pholcodine medication being withdrawn from UK pharmacies
Pholcodine containing cough and cold medication is being taken off the shelves in UK pharmacies amidst safety fears.
RPS re-joins FIP after members asked the society to return
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has officially re-joined the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).
Pharmacists working in Online settings
The GPhC has made comments that ‘Pharmacists working in Online settings have forgotten what they learned in community’. This comment has come on the back of a huge rise in the number of online pharmacies opening over the last few years and the risk of patient safety from these pharmacies rising.