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Home  »   Latest News • Insight   »   Insight Online – February 2024

Insight Online – February 2024

This month, we remind you that there are only a few days before the deadline to respond to the important DHSC consultation on supervision and explain how you can have your say. We also ask members practising in England's community pharmacy to share any evidence of business behaviours that jeopardise the Pharmacy First Scheme.

Tue 27th February 2024 The PDA

Have your say on the supervision consultation

Following a series of member events and discussions with legal counsel, we are sharing our position on the proposals put forward in the current Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) consultation on supervision.

The Supervision Practice Group report was published in August 2023 and it forms the policy platform that we are now using to respond to the DHSC consultation. This is one of the most important government consultations for pharmacists in decades and, because it is proposing to change the legal framework, it will determine the responsibilities of pharmacists and their accountabilities far into the future.
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Share your views on the Pharmacy First Service

We are asking our members to share any evidence of business behaviours which may jeopardise the Pharmacy First Scheme, those that are not in patients’ interests, or may damage the profession’s reputation.

We have a longstanding objective of seeing pharmacists being able to practice with professional fulfilment by making the best use of their clinical skills. With the vast majority of 3,500 pharmacists telling us in a recent survey that they thought the principle of PFS was a good idea, it is a scheme that deserves to succeed. However, many pharmacists will remember the profit-motivated pressures that were applied by certain employers for the Medicines Use Review (MUR) service, which became controversial and was ultimately decommissioned.
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Update for members who have submitted a complain

We have sent a communication to PDA members impacted by the changes to the Boots Pension Scheme. The mailing explains that we are currently analysing the responses that members have received to their complaints regarding the pension scheme.

To read the entire communication, click here.
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PDA submits evidence to the NHS Pay Review Body

For the first time in our history, we have submitted evidence to the NHS Pay Review Body, focusing on the recruitment and retention of NHS pharmacists.

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Pharmacists warn of the impact of prescription charges

Pharmacists have warned they are increasingly seeing patients in England declining to take vital medicines due to the cost of prescription charges.

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Joint statement from Boots and the PDA Union on trainee pharmacist pay rates

We are pleased to confirm with Boots that from April 2024, there will be a pay increase for trainee pharmacists in England and Northern Ireland.

Learn more
Below is a summary of some of the other key news stories that have been published on our website recently:

26/2/24 – NHS England must properly value trainee pharmacists

25/2/24 – PDA Hospital Reps meet to discuss improving the working conditions for members in the NHS

24/2/24 – Student Newsletter – February 2024

23/2/24 – LloydsPharmacy Healthcare Services members’ meeting on pay negotiations

22/2/24 – PDA donates £1,000 to the Pharmacist Advice and Support Service

21/2/24 – It’s Time to Address Stress: Action plan

18/2/24 – PDA welcomes Neil Gray MSP as Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care

15/2/24 – PDA Reps Network at Boots address member concerns on the Pharmacy First Service

15/2/24 – Don’t miss the deadline for registering for reasonable adjustments for the June 2024 assessment

12/2/24 – Get involved with your union this #HeartUnions week

7/2/24 – PDA calls on pharmacists to share ongoing experiences and feedback of the Pharmacy First Service

6/2/24 – PDA Ability Network launches disability discrimination survey

1/2/24 – PDA welcomes steps towards reinstatement of NI Assembly

1/2/24 – PDA submits evidence to the Public Accounts Committee Inquiry on reducing the harm from illegal drugs
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Support PDA-backed campaigns

Here’s a reminder of the recent PDA-backed campaigns. Show your support for the sector and read below to find out how you can get involved.

Access free support as a pharmacy student
If you’re a pharmacy student, you can join Pharmacist Support’s ACTNow campaign on Thursday 14 March. By signing up, you’ll gain access to free resources, guidance, and support focused on your life as a student. Learn more.

Tell us about the disability discrimination you’ve faced
If you’re a disabled PDA member, we are inviting you to share your experiences of disability discrimination in the workplace. The results will help us lobby employers to meet their obligations under the Equality Act to provide reasonable adjustments. Learn more.

Freeze prescription charges
We are encouraging you to sign the letter to join the Prescription Charges Coalition in urging the Minister for Primary Care and Public Health to freeze prescription charges for 2024 and 2025 in England. Learn more.

Add pharmacy students to the learning support fund
We’re asking you to write to your MP and petition for pharmacy students to be included in the NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF). If successful, this campaign will secure fair financial support for MPharm students. Learn more.

Share your Pharmacy First Service experience
If you work in England’s community pharmacy, tell us your experience of the Pharmacy First Service so far. The results of this survey will be used to further support members and develop future services. Learn more.

Spotlight on…

MORPh is supporting community pharmacists by providing Pharmacy First Training at a cost effective price. All seven new clinical pathways will be covered across 8 hours of learning for only £75 (ex.VAT). The training will include one half-day study day in either London, Manchester or Birmingham and five live webinar sessions that will be recorded and distributed for watching on-demand. Check out MORPh’s dedicated portal for more information.

  • Ear, Nose & Throat
  • Patient Counselling & History Taking
  • Shingles
  • Impetigo
  • Infected Insect Bites
  • Uncomplicated UTIs

These events are modular and can be purchased separately or as a discounted bundle, depending on your individual needs.

MORPh is also running FREE Acute Illness study days all over the country in 2024. Their first three sessions hit max capacity and have been received fantastically by all who have attended. These study days are incredibly hands-on and look to educate through the use of device demonstrations and case studies.

Check out the MORPh website to see a full list of study days.

 

 

 

 

The Pharmacists' Defence Association is a company limited by guarantee. Registered in England; Company No 4746656.

The Pharmacists' Defence Association is an appointed representative in respect of insurance mediation activities only of
The Pharmacy Insurance Agency Limited which is registered in England and Wales under company number 2591975
and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Register No 307063)

The PDA Union is recognised by the Certification Officer as an independent trade union.

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