6 DECEMBER 2024
www.pharmacy.biz
NEWS Quarterly News Round-up
ongoing public awareness campaign to ensure
the service has maximum impact.”
She stresses that a long-term campaign is
essential to increase patient referrals from GP
practices and NHS 111.
RSV infections lead to 640,000
antibiotic prescriptions a year
A study suggested that interventions to reduce
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections,
including the new vaccine programme, could
lower antibiotic use and, in turn, reduce
antibiotic resistance.
While antibiotics are ineffective against
viruses, they are sometimes prescribed in
primary care because it is difficult to distinguish
between bacterial and viral infections.
The study conducted by the UK Health
Security Agency (UKHSA), Imperial College
London, and Oxford Population Health, found
that RSV infections result in 640,000 antibiotic
prescriptions a year.
Approximately 2.1% of antibiotic
prescriptions in English GPs were linked
to RSV infections, with the highest number
prescribed to those over 75 and infants.
Dr. Lucy Miller, a co-author of the study and
Modeller at UKHSA, stressed the importance
of reducing antibiotic use to address antibiotic
resistance.
“To tackle antibiotic resistance we need to
ensure antibiotics are being used only when
necessary. But we also need to drive down
infections, to reduce the need for antibiotics in
the first place.”
Analysis predicts that RSV vaccination
programme could prevent 70,000 RSV illnesses
in infants under 12 months and 60,000 illnesses
in eligible older adults.
Return unused medicines to
pharmacies
The NHS in Suffolk and North East Essex has
launched a new campaign to reduce the amount
of unused medicines that cost the NHS around
£300 million a year.
Across the UK, it is estimated that £100
million worth of medicines are returned to
pharmacies, with an additional £90 million of
unused prescription medicines stored in homes.
People are encouraged to return unused
prescriptions to pharmacies and avoid
stockpiling or throwing them away.
Tania Farrow, who is leading the campaign
on behalf of NHS Suffolk and North East Essex
Integrated Care Board (ICB), highlighted
that everyone has a part to play in reducing
medicines waste.
“It is an issue where patients, GPs,
pharmacists and hospitals can all work together
to make a difference,” she said.
Patients are advised to keep no more than a
one-month supply at home and to review their
medicine stock before placing new orders.
Anyone unsure about their medicines should
consult their pharmacist or GP practice., she
noted.
Pharmacies ‘deeply worried’ about
National Insurance rise
The new Labour government’s first budget
has not been well received by community
pharmacies, who are ‘deeply worried’ about the
increase in National Insurance and the national
living wage.
They have also voiced their dissatisfaction
with the Autumn Budget 2024 for lacking
measures to address pharmacy closures.
Commenting on the Chancellor’s Budget,
Paul Rees, CEO of the National Pharmacy
Association (NPA) said: “There’s absolutely
no mention in the Budget of action to halt the
closure of our vital NHS pharmacy network,
which has been shrinking at the rate of seven a
week as pharmacies are forced to close through
underfunding.”
Furthermore, he said that the increase in
National Insurance and the national living wage
will add further pressure on pharmacies that
are already struggling to remain open due to
funding cuts.
Malcolm Harrison, chief executive of the
CCA, has underscored that importance of
investing in community pharmacy to deliver the
government’s three big shifts in healthcare.
He said: “It is very likely that increases to
employer NIC, the national minimum wage and
business rates will further negatively impact
on investment and jobs across the pharmacy
network.
Sudlow review recommends setting
up national health data service
Major health, care and research bodies,
including the Department of Health and Social
Care and the Office for National Statistics,
should establish a national health data service
in England to improve patient care and
research – an NHS-commissioned review has
recommended.
Professor Cathie Sudlow’s independent
review of the UK health data landscape
concluded that “complex and inefficient” data
systems prevent and delay crucial analysis of
health conditions affecting millions of people
across the UK.
The review — ‘Uniting the UK’s health
data: a huge opportunity for society’, published
on 8 November 2024 — stressed the need for
coordinated action across multiple organisations
and stakeholders to ensure the greatest benefits
for patients and the public from health-relevant
data.
Professor Sudlow said: “We are simply not
maximising the benefits to society from the rich
abundance of health data in the UK.
“Far too often research about health
conditions affecting millions of people
across the UK is prevented or delayed by the
complexity of our data systems. We are letting
patients and their families down as a result.
This review shows that getting this right holds a
great prize, for our own care and for an effective
NHS.”
Dr Joanne Brown receives inaugural
Barnett Award at RPS Annual
Conference
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society
(RPS) honoured Dr Joanne Brown with
the inaugural Barnett Award at its Annual
Conference today, recognising her exceptional
commitment to mentorship and professional
development in pharmacy.
As Clinical
Education Lead at
the Northern Health
and Social Care Trust
in Northern Ireland
for over 15 years, Dr
Brown has played
a pivotal role in
supporting pharmacy
professionals at all
career stages – from
undergraduate students
to consultant-level practitioners.
Her work spans a wide range of activities,
including developing curriculum materials,
organising workshops and mentoring pharmacy
teams.
She has also led initiatives to improve
learning systems across Northern Ireland,
partnering with schools of pharmacy and
contributing to international education
committees.
Beyond her formal duties, Dr Brown has
mentored more than 50 individuals through
postgraduate training.
She actively encourages personal growth
through tailored guidance, creating a supportive
culture and positively impacting pharmacy
education across various sectors.