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This month's news from the National Pharmacy Association...

Keeping hope alive

A message from NPA chair Nick Kaye... 

The days are short, the nights are cold, and it can be hard to shake off the prevailing gloom – especially when we in community pharmacy are all suffering the painful, chilly effects of continued underfunding.

It’s part of the NPA’s job to keep hope alive and to prepare pharmacies for better times ahead, as well as providing the practical support required to manage in the here-and-now.

Therefore, as well as campaigning and lobbying government, my colleagues across the NPA are also working hard on a project to help pharmacies evolve – to create sustainable income streams, meet the demand for NHS and private services and respond to the changing demand of consumers.

There’ll be more detail as this progresses.

NPA priorities in 2025

The NPA Board has made it clear that we will continue our robust campaigning strategy that has generated such a high public and political profi le for the sector.

Our foremost aim continues to be a fair deal to save the UK’s pharmacies, working alongside other colleagues in the sector to achieve transformativechange. We are also creating a strong package of support to help independent pharmacies get fit for the future, including diversifying income streams and developing staff.

An important element of this programme will be gearing up for the opportunities of pharmacist prescribing. We will continue to contribute evidence as ‘core participants’ in the Covid-19 public inquiry, to ensure that our members’ heroic work and sacrifi ces are included in the o cial record of the pandemic – and also to make the case for investment in a pharmacy network that it is properly prepared for future public heath crises.

Tackling medicines shortages and supporting implementationof NHS services including Pharmacy First, Blood Pressure and Oral Contraception are among our other key workstreams in 2025.

NPA events programme

All NPA members are welcome to join our online Masterclasses, which are growing in popularity. In the near future, watch out for:

• Thriving fi nancially as a new contractor – 4 February

• Masterclass: 27 April – Maximising income from NHS services and private services and utilising your whole team.

• Maximising income in a future-fi t pharmacy – 27 April.

• NPA member forum – 15 May. Sharing hints and tips to raise income and save time.

For more information visit www.npa.co.uk/the-npa-2/npa-events/events/

NPA Connects Bespoke marketing solutions for your pharmacy

The National Pharmacy Association is working in partnership with PrecisionMarketing Group (PMG) to launch NPA Connects, a web service designed to enable independent pharmacies to champion their services locally and become the healthcare hub of their community.

‘NPA Connects’ is an online marketing platform which allows pharmacies to create and send marketing materials and important healthcare communications direct to their local communities.

The platform allows pharmacies to produce bespoke printed leafl ets and promotional materials and have them sent direct to households in their area.

It includes an online design tool and is linked to a GDPR compliant national database of households, allowing pharmacies to create hyperlocal communications, educating people in their communities about the NHS and private services they offer.

It will also make it very simple for pharmacies to create and order point of sale and other marketing materials to use within their branches. We anticipate the service will expand to support local online advertising campaigns via social media.

For more information contact the NPA at getintouch@npaconnects.co.uk

Parliamentary inquiry into medicines shortages

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pharmacy – of which the NPA is a sponsor – has launched an inquiry into the impact of medicines shortages in England, the contributing factors and potential solutions. Find out more information at www.pharmacyappg.co.uk

Board member elections

A number of NPA board places are up for election, in line with our recently modifi ed governance cycle. Around half of the board positions are up for election every two years.

Joining the NPA board is an opportunity to be part of the dynamic, diverse and innovative national leadership of independent community pharmacy. Nominations are open until noon on Friday 7 February.

If you want an informal discussion about the role please contact the returning offcer Gareth Jones at g.jones@npa.co.uk

Lecture at Royal Society Vaccinations and AMR

NPA board member Olivier Picard spoke alongside Professor Sir Andrew Pollard and Professor Calman MacLennan, two of the world’s leading researchers on vaccine technology, about the difference we all can make to infectious disease prevention and antimicrobial resistance, at the UCL/RPS/NPA annual lecture at the Royal Society.

NPA member cashback scheme

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our quarterly cashback scheme for NPA members, effective from 1 February 2025.

This initiative is part of our ongoing e orts to provide even more value to our members by o ering fi nancial rewards for using NPA services. Over time, we aim to further enhance this scheme and deliver even greater rewards.

Cashback rewards will be credited directly to members’ bank accounts on a quarterlybasis. The cashback will reflect eligible purchases and services used during the previous quarter. Simply continue using eligible NPA services, and your cashback will be calculated and processed.

Cashback is only available for valid purchases, and all transactions will be verified before payment is made.

For further details on eligibility, refer to the terms and conditions on our website.

Exclusive Cashback Opportunities:

• 10% cashback on our new Level 3 accredited Pharmacy Technician Course

• 10% cashback on all Level 2 accredited training and select non-accredited courses

• 5% cashback on qualifying Charac products when referred directly via the NPA

Refer & Earn – Share the Benefits of NPA Membership!

Thanks to our referral program, we’ve welcomed 14 new branches this year, and our members have earned over £4,200 in referral rewards. Spread the word, and for each new referral, you can receive a split of £250 as a thank you – with no limit on the number of referrals!

Medicine Supply Notification (MSN)

Discontinuation of Novo Nordisk insulin products

The second MSN, regarding the discontinuation of Insulatard® (isophane insulin, human) Penfi ll® 100units/ml suspension for injection 3ml cartridges has been issued, with stock anticipated to be exhausted by June 2025.

• An update for the first MSN regarding NovoRapid® FlexTouch 100units/ml solution for injection 3ml pre-filled pens has been issued as these are out of stock until late February 2025 and will be discontinued from March 2025.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Covid-19 Spring Booster Vaccination Service

The government has accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) for the spring 2025 COVID-19 vaccination programme.

The eligible groups have been announced and the vaccination service will begin from 1 April 2025 and end on 17June 2025. Older adult care homes and eligible housebound patients should be givenpriority.

Flu Service 2024/25

NHSBSA will be contacting community pharmacies where fl u vaccinations have been administered to adults outside of the authorised cohorts prior to 3 October.

The NHS flu vaccination service runs until 31 March 2025. Pharmacy contractors are encouraged to ensure the information on the Flu Vaccination Pharmacy Finder is kept up-to-date using the NHS profile manager.

Original Pack Dispensing

From 1 January 2025, the Original Pack Dispensing (OPD) regulations and the amendments to the NHS Terms of Service (for England and Wales) gives pharmacies the fl exibility to consider using the OPD rules for NHS prescriptions too.

PharmacyFirst caps and thresholds

From January 2025, new caps on the number of clinical pathway consultations for which each pharmacy can claim payment have been introduced – caps will be based on actual service delivery. The monthly minimum threshold has increased to 25 clinical pathway consultations passing the gateway point for January and February.

GPhC inspection changes

The General Pharmaceutical Council has announced plans to update its approach to inspections, so that more inspection activity can be carried outefficiently.

Windsor Framework

From 1 January 2025, the Windsor Framework introduces new rules in theUK for product licensing, labelling, and the EU Falsifi ed Medicines Directive (FMD). The MHRA has a Windsor Framework hub that collates the relevant guidance and information.

Save money by choosing NPA as PharmOutcomes Affinity Group for PFS

Since April 2022 contractors have had to source an accredited IT system to support their community pharmacy teams with the delivery of the NHSE Community Pharmacist Consultation Service (CPCS) – this requirement continued with the transition of CPCS into the NHSE Pharmacy First Service (PFS). Pharmacies are given the option to sign up to an A nity Group when they register with PharmOutcomes. By joining the NPA Affinity group, you become part of a larger provider group and, as such, reduce your fees.

You will be invoiced for your PharmOutcomes Pharmacy First usage by the Affinity Group rather than by PharmOutcomes. Due to the sliding scale of charges, this reduces costs to individual pharmacies.

Contact the NPA’s member services team for more information: memberservices@npa.co.uk or call 01727 800402.