Funding

More than one in two independent pharmacies could be missing out on almost £4,000 in Quality Payments Scheme money, says AAH Pharmaceuticals.

Thursday December 1The dreaded cuts come into effect today in spite of our collective efforts, resulting in a flurry of activity by pharmacy organisations. The NPA has been at the forefront of campaigning, raising an unprecedented 2.2m signatures opposing cuts through community pharmacies in England. I speak to several colleagues, whose views range from anger to disbelief. Many did not expect the cuts to be implemented as proposed, hoping for a last-minute reprieve or, at least, some concession.

Legal cases against funding cuts to be heard in March

Pharmacy lawyer Richard Hough on government efforts to streamline and consolidate pharmacy services

Ian Strachan updates members on the NPA's campaign to secure their future

Claire Ward considers community pharmacy's position at the start of a new year

Tony Evans discusses the pharmacy business market during 2016 and looks ahead to 2017

A dispensing error has made the news. An unconscious baby was rushed to hospital after being given an anti-psychotic drug, olanazapine, instead of omeprazole. It was a case of the right label, wrong drug. The impact of such incidents on the patient and their family is uppermost in our minds when things go wrong because we share the pain, feel the anger, experience the hurt and reflect on the sorrow made worse by the fact that we’re to blame. Saying sorry is never enough, and there are no words to embroider around that fact.

A new page on the NPA website provides advice about how to survive the funding cuts

Sue Sharpe posts a New Year message to the profession

Toolkit gives tips and advice on how to improve business efficiency in light of cuts

For some, there’s better news “We’re recognising that it’s about quality, regarding community pharmacy remuneration. The health minister for Wales, Vaughan Gething, announced that, unlike in England, funding for community pharmacy wil lnot be cut. Hurrah! Instead, pharmacists in Wales will be rewarded for improving medicines safety and for providing clinical services. That’s not to say the pharmacy contract in Wales won’t change; it almost certainly will, but clinical services will take priority over dispensing. MrGething said: "We're recognising that it's about quality, not just quantity.”

News from your NPA

Ian Strachan calls funding cuts a "slap in the face"

Claire Ward considers what contractors might do next after funding cuts

Funding cuts go ahead against best advice

It was gratifying to see the media coverage of the government’s cost-cutting measures for community pharmacy this past week or so. No matter that the spokeswoman from Pharmacy Voice on Radio 4’s Today programme seemed a bit nervous, the message was clear: community pharmacy is facing big cuts and pharmacies will close. Establishment payments will reduce from December, with a 12 per cent cut in the global sum from December to March, followed by a 7.4 per cent cut in 2017-18. The pharmacy minister, David Mowat, calls them ‘efficiency savings.’ They are weasel words.

Ian Strachan provides an update on the NPA campaign

Welsh Government pledges continued support for community pharmacy

All-Party Pharmacy Group to investigate government plans for funding cuts