Insight Online – March 2025

PDA Unveils Workforce Wellbeing Strategy
 

As part of our commitment to support the wellbeing of pharmacists, we have launched a Workforce Wellbeing Strategy – a transformative initiative designed to enhance the mental health, financial resilience, and overall wellbeing of pharmacists across the UK.We plan to launch a series of online and in-person member-exclusive events. These events will be delivered as part of a structured and coordinated programme, available across the UK and online.

The programme will include:

• Mental health awareness courses – Providing pharmacists with essential knowledge and strategies to support their own and colleagues’ mental health.
• Mental health leadership training – Equipping workplace leaders with the skills to foster a positive and supportive environment.
• Quarterly forums for mental health workplace champions – Facilitating peer support, shared learning, and best practice discussions.
• Financial health resilience courses – Offering guidance on financial stability to promote overall resilience.

PDA responds to NPA’s announcement to limit pharmacy services
 

Recently the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) advised its 6,000 member pharmacies in England to limit services from 1 April 2025 as new employment costs are due to take effect.This would include reducing opening hours, having fewer pharmacies opening in the evenings and weekends, limiting home deliveries and withdrawing from locally commissioned schemes.

We recognise the severe financial pressures facing community pharmacies due to years of real-term funding cuts, rising costs, and an absence of a sustainable financial settlement from the government.

New, unfunded costs are due to hit pharmacies on 1 April 2025. New costs include national insurance, national living wage and business rates.

PDA responds to announcement on future of NHS England
 

We have commented after after the Prime Minister announces plan to scrap NHS England (NHSE) and move its functions into the Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC).

Earlier this month, we responded to suggestions that up to 50% of the combined NHS and DHSC jobs would be cut in restructuring. Since then, the 42 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) which are the equivalent of Health Boards in the other UK nations, have been told to cut their running costs in half by December 2025. ICBs had already been ordered to cut running costs by 20 per cent over the past two years.

On 13 March, the Prime Minister and Health Secretary have now confirmed that the government’s plan is to abolish NHS England entirely as a arm’s length body and to move its responsibilities into the DHSC.