Sophie Willis

Jan 22, 2025 | pharmaceutical-journal.com | Graham Clews |Sophie Willis

Speaking during a debate in the House of Commons in November 2024, Kim Leadbeater, Labour MP for Spen Valley, West Yorkshire, described a surge of public opinion in favour of the legalisation of assisted dying for terminally ill patients.

Jan 8, 2025 | pharmaceutical-journal.com | Sophie Willis

The impact that socioeconomic and health inequalities can have on cancer referrals has been included in updated guidance on referrals for suspected cancer in Scotland. The draft ‘Scottish referral guidelines for suspected cancer’, published in December 2024, has been updated from the 2019 version to support the Scottish government’s ‘Cancer Strategy for Scotland 2023-2033‘, which aims to speed up the detection and diagnosis of cancer.

Jan 8, 2025 | pharmaceutical-journal.com | Sophie Willis

The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has warned that it may be left with “little choice” but to advise pharmacies to take collective action over delays to pharmacy contract negotiations. In a statement published on 8 January 2025, the NPA said that continued delays to negotiations on the ‘Community pharmacy contractual framework’ (CPCF) meant pharmacies were being “left in the dark”, with some pharmacy owners forced to take out “six figure loans” to stay afloat.

Jan 7, 2025 | pharmaceutical-journal.com | Sophie Willis

Community pharmacies in Wales are taking part in the Welsh government’s flu vaccination ‘mop-up’ programme, which is aimed to tackle low vaccination uptake. In a letter to health boards and community pharmacies, sent on 4 December 2024, Keith Reid, deputy chief medical officer for Wales, shared concerns that participation in the winter respiratory vaccination programme was “well below” where the government would like to see it.

Jan 6, 2025 | pharmaceutical-journal.com | Sophie Willis

The government has said it will be “maximising Pharmacy First approaches” to ear, nose and throat (ENT) care, as part of plans intended to cut NHS waiting lists. The ‘Reforming elective care for patients’ plan, published by the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England on 6 January 2025, says it will shift care from hospitals to the community and work with the private hospital sector to reduce the backlog of patients waiting for NHS treatment.