Nigel Praities
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Health journalist and head of content for careers and learning @bmj_company. Former editor @pulsetoday @pjonline_news - mostly in the 'other place' these days
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Articles by Nigel Praities
Commission proposes UK-wide federation to lead professional development of pharmacy
A report on professional leadership — commissioned by the four UK chief pharmaceutical officers — has called on all pharmacy leadership bodies to form an “inclusive federation” to work on setting post-registration standards for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
Nigel Clarke and Dame Jane Dacre: 'In a way, this is resetting the button 13 years later'
The final report from the UK Commission on Pharmacy Professional Leadership, published on 6 February 2023, contained some far-reaching recommendations for the future of pharmacy.
Serious shortage protocols issued for three penicillin oral solutions
Pharmacists have been given emergency powers to supply alternatives for three phenoxymethylpenicillin oral solutions without a change to the prescription. The serious shortage protocols (SSPs) were issued across the UK on 15 December 2022 for phenoxymethylpenicillin 250mg/5mL oral solution and sugar-free oral solution and phenoxymethylpenicillin 125mg/5mL sugar-free oral solution. Under the SSPs, pharmacists are allowed to supply alternative strengths or tablets with immediate effect.
More than 80 NHS staff deaths from COVID-19 were not investigated by government safety body
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) decided not to investigate nearly 300reports of occupational exposure to COVID-19 submitted by NHS organisations, including 83 deaths, according to information obtained by The Pharmaceutical Journal.
David Webb: 'It is time to step away from historic rivalries and focus on patients'
It must be difficult to start a job when the previous incumbent was in role for more than 16 years and made such a powerful impact. And yet, David Webb, chief pharmaceutical officer for England, has made his mark since taking over from Keith Ridge in February 2022.
Pharmacist independent prescribing pilots will begin across England from 2023
Pharmacist independent prescribing services will be trialled across England in 2023, in a potentially “game-changing” expansion of the services the profession can provide on the NHS. Speaking to The Pharmaceutical Journal, David Webb, chief pharmaceutical officer for England, confirmed that new ‘pathfinder’ sites will launch in every region of England from the beginning of 2023 and will include NHS-funded pharmacist prescribing services based in community pharmacies.
Pharmacy regulators will set responsible pharmacist rules, announces government
The government has announced that it will proceed with changes to legislation to enable pharmacy regulators to determine the duties of a responsible pharmacist, including if they can be in charge of more than one premises. The draft Pharmacy (Responsible Pharmacists, Superintendent Pharmacists etc.) Order 2022, published on 28 April 2022, is the official government response to a consultation on changes to the rules over responsible pharmacists, which took place in 2018.
Pharmacy regulators will set supervision rules, announces government
The government has announced that it will proceed with changes to legislation to enable pharmacy regulators to determine the circumstances where a responsible pharmacist can oversee more than one premises at a time. The draft Pharmacy (Responsible Pharmacists, Superintendent Pharmacists etc.) Order 2022, published on 28 April 2022, is the official government response to a consultation on changes to the rules over supervision of pharmacies, which took place in 2018.
Royal Pharmaceutical Society proposes restructure of executive team
The move to restructure the executive team is in line with plans detailed in the RPS strategy for 2021–2026, launched in May 2021 Royal Pharmaceutical Society The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) is working on a proposal to change the structure of its executive team, in line with its five-year strategy announced in May 2021.
Vacancy rate for community pharmacist roles in England has doubled since 2017
Pharmacists were added to the Home Office’s shortage occupation list in March 2021 Jeff Gilbert / Alamy Stock Photo Community pharmacies are having to cope with major gaps in their workforce, show results from a survey published by Health Education England (HEE) on 20 January 2022.
The Pharmaceutical Journal launches pharmacy project on genomics
Data from the survey will be used to inform future coverage about genomic medicine Mclean The Pharmaceutical Journal has launched a new initiative looking at the potential of genomic medicine to revolutionise patient care and the role that pharmacy should have in that change.
Your voices: the top 10 opinion articles of 2021
The Pharmaceutical Journal‘s opinion section features a wide range of comment pieces, including analysis from experts in all areas of science and medicine, powerful personal stories of people doing great things in pharmacy and Q&As with interesting people in pharmacy.
Trailblazing female pharmacy professionals hailed in 'Women to Watch' list
The phenomenal work of 12 female pharmacy professionals who are breaking boundaries in the profession has been recognised in the publication of The Pharmaceutical Journal’s ‘Women to Watch’ list for 2021. The list is the final result of a nationwide search to find women in the pharmacy profession who deserve greater recognition for their work.
UK government orders 730,000 doses of COVID-19 antivirals for this winter
Speaking at a press conference on 20 October 2021, Sajid Javid said that the antiviral treatments will be used "as soon as possible" PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo Health secretary Sajid Javid has announced what he called “landmark deals” to secure hundreds of thousands of doses of two antiviral treatments, which have not yet been approved by the medicines regulator.
PJ joins more than 200 health journals to publish climate change plea
The editorial details the “catastrophic harm to health that will be impossible to reverse” if global temperatures are allowed to increase above 1.5°C Shutterstock.com The Pharmaceutical Journal has joined with more than 200 health journals from around the world to publish the same editorial, calling on international leaders to commit to emergency action to limit global temperature increases, restore biodiversity and protect health.
Claire Anderson: 'What you see is what you get with me'
“I must be mad,” says Claire Anderson, after I ask her why she wanted to become president of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). After all, it is not a position where you can please everyone. “What you see is what you get with me, I’m not going to pretend to be anybody else. But I’ve got to have as many people with me as possible, there’s going to be people who dissent but hopefully those will be silenced by the large majority.” This mirrors her personality.
Steve Tomlin: ‘If two-year-olds can swallow a piece of Lego, they can swallow tablets’
Steve Tomlin, chief pharmacist at Great Ormond Street Hospital Courtesy of Steve Tomlin Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) has been at the forefront of new and innovative treatments for children for nearly 170 years, and Steve Tomlin is the man responsible for managing the pharmacy team there.
Revalidation: how to complete your reflective account
Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians can record their reflective account through the Royal Pharmaceutical Society MyCPD app Shutterstock.com Revalidation officially began on 30 March 2018, replacing the old continuing professional development (CPD) process[1] . Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians entering their second year of revalidation now need to submit one peer discussion and one reflective account, as well as four CPD entries covering planned and unplanned learning.
Revealed: Education chiefs planned to slash preregistration funding by half
Exclusive: Health Education England was concerned over the risk of disruption to the pharmacy workforce. Health education chiefs have pulled back from much deeper cuts to salary support for preregistration placements because they were concerned over the risk of disruption to the pharmacy workforce, reveals a document obtained by The Pharmaceutical Journal.
Nigel Clarke: 'Pharmacy isn’t just handing over a bag of medicine'
The chair of the General Pharmaceutical Council’s plans to revamp pharmacy training, the regulation of online pharmacy and data which show white pharmacists are less likely to be struck off the register. The chair of the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), Nigel Clarke, is gesturing at the impressive view from the regulator’s London headquarters in Canary Wharf.
Drug rehab services face 'serious pressure' after 500% increase in buprenorphine price
Despite Steve Brine assuring the House of Commons that buprenorphine shortages would ease soon, Public Health England says in a letter to directors of public health that they should expect serious financial pressures beyond 2018. Opioid dependence services are likely to face “serious financial pressures” in the long term after the price of one of the most common treatments they use soared for the second time in a year, public health chiefs have warned.
‘Not enough’ cold-chain storage to ensure no deal Brexit medicines supply, MPs told
MPs have heard that the lack of appropriate cold-chain storage in the UK could impact on medicines supply after Brexit — something that the health and social care secratary Matt Hancock has refuted. There are not enough cold-chain warehouses in the UK to ensure the supply of medicines, such as insulin or vaccines, in the event of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit, and it could take up to a year to build new ones, MPs have heard.
‘Not enough’ cold-chain storage to ensure no deal Brexit medicines supply, MPs told
MPs have heard that the lack of appropriate cold-chain storage in the UK could impact on medicines supply after Brexit — something that the health and social care secratary Matt Hancock has refuted. There are not enough cold-chain warehouses in the UK to ensure the supply of medicines, such as insulin or vaccines, in the event of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit, and it could take up to a year to build new ones, MPs have heard.
Rose Marie Parr: 'We want to make pharmacies the first port of call'
We meet Rose Marie Parr as the global pharmacy world descends on Scotland for the 2018 International Pharmaceutical Federation Congress. It is a big event, with more than 3,000 delegates in Glasgow over five days, and as Scotland’s chief pharmaceutical officer, Parr is keen to show how her big plans for pharmacy are going. Unlike some other areas of the UK, pharmacy in Scotland has a clear blueprint for the future.
Is it time for community pharmacy to let go of dispensing?
Perhaps it is time for pharmacy to give up dispensing, a professor in health economics argued at the FIP Congress in September 2018 — an idea that was strongly contested by colleagues from across the globe. It was the most polarising debate of the conference. A panel of pharmacists at the 2018 International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Congress in Glasgow was asked to discuss whether the days of pharmacists handing out white bags will soon be over.
Be more proactive to convince medics, pharmacists urged
Pharmacists should be proactive and start comversations about patient concerns with medical colleagues if they want their recommendations to be taken seriously, an Australian academic told delegates at the 2018 International Pharmaceutical Federation Congress in Glasgow. Pharmacists need to communicate more positively and proactively, as half of their recommendations are ignored, says a prominent Australian academic.
Community pharmacy can significantly improve care in long-term conditions, large-scale analysis finds
A Cochrane review of the benefit of community pharmacy in managing long-term conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, has given its “cautious” endorsement. A large-scale analysis of the evidence for basing schemes to improve the management of long-term conditions in community pharmacy has given a “cautious” endorsement of their effect on patient care.
Women will make up 72% of pharmacy workforce ‘by 2030’
There will be a 40% growth in the amount of people working in pharmacy by 2030, shows the largest ever study into the global workforce. The Pharmacy Workforce Intelligence: Global Trends report by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) was published at the FIP Congress in Glasgow on 4 September 2018. It maps trends in the pharmacy workforce from 2006 to 2016, and predicts that around 72% of the profession will be female by 2030.
Community pharmacists to receive new set of professional standards, reveals RPS chief
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society has started work on a new set of professional standards for community pharmacy, its chief executive Paul Bennett announced at the International Pharmaceutical Federation Congress 2018. Paul Bennett, chief executive of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), has revealed that the Society has just begun the development of a new set of professional standards for community pharmacy.
Keith Ridge: 'I regret the pain, but this is a watershed moment for pharmacy'
Keith Ridge is a busy man. It has taken many emails with his office to get a date in the diary for this interview with The Pharmaceutical Journal. But here we are, on a summer day in a sweltering room at NHS England’s headquarters with the man himself, and two members of his media team. Ridge is not known for his tolerance of journalists, but he carefully answers all our questions, barely touching the water bottle resting beside him.
NHS failing to address 'giant' risks to patients, claims former head of medication safety
David Cousins, former head of safe medication practice at the National Patient Safety Agency and NHS England, says the current focus of the NHS is to identify new patient safety issues, rather than seeking to prevent long-standing issues that cause the most harm. The NHS has forgotten to ensure that it has an adequate system to tackle “giant risks” that cause harm to patients, says the former head of medication safety at NHS England.
Role of MHRA post-Brexit undecided, reveals government guidance
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has said in its technical guidance that most aspects of medicines regulations will remain unchanged until the end of 2020. The future role of the UK’s medicines regulator is still “a matter for further discussion with the EU”, according to a document detailing the impact of a Brexit implementation period on the life science sector.
Chief pharmaceutical officer 'hopeful' urgent medicines service will be renewed
Exclusive: Keith Ridge, the chief pharmaceutical officer for England, has said the NHS Urgent Medicine Supply Advanced Service is “proving to be successful” and that “we can’t do without it”. Keith Ridge, chief pharmaceutical officer for England, has said it would be “difficult to justify” not renewing the NHS Urgent Medicine Supply Advanced Service (NUMSAS) in community pharmacies as it has become an important part of the services they offer patients.
Pharmacists told to report packages containing unidentified substance
A warning has been issued to inform pharmacists that they should notify the police, NHS England and Public Health England if they receive an unsolicited package. The chief medical officer (CMO) has issued a ‘class one’ alert to all hospital and community pharmacists regarding unsolicited packages being sent to health-related organisations over the past 24 hours.
Pharmacies to get phased delivery of flu vaccines for over 65s from September
Community pharmacies will receive 40% of their supply of the trivalent flu vaccine in September 2018, with the rest following after that, in order to ensure an “equitable supply”. The adjuvanted trivalent flu vaccine (aTIV) will be used for patients aged 65 years and over in the coming flu season for the first time, but there is only one licensed vaccine in the UK — Fluad made by the company Seqirus.
Millions of patients could be affected by 'no-deal' Brexit medicines shortages, says MHRA chief
Source: Courtesy of Michael Rawlins Sir Michael Rawlins, chair of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, says the government needs to work out how Brexit is going to work before drug supply issues arise Many patients — including the prime minister herself — could be “seriously disadvantaged” by disruption to the drug supply chain if the UK exits the EU without a deal, the head of the UK’s medicines regulator has said.
Mental Health awareness
Pharmacists in community settings should be enabled to holistically support people with mental health problems when starting out on their medicines, according to a new report published by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). Image: Self Portrait 15, painted 27th June 1991 from The Self Portrait Series by Bryan Charnley. © James Charnley and SANE (www.BryanCharnley.info).
‘We need to move on and get the best deal for community pharmacy’
Source: Jeff Gilbert Ministers had better watch out when they first meet community pharmacy’s chief negotiator. Simon Dukes has more than a shade of the Bond villain about him, as he leaps up the steps of the white-washed basement lair housing the hard-working Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) team, in a sharply tailored pinstriped suit.
Judicial review of community pharmacy cuts ‘not relevant’, says PSNC chief
Simon Dukes, new chief executive of the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, has promised a more collaborative approach, but has yet to meet pharmacy minister Steve Brine. Community pharmacy’s chief negotiator has promised a more “collaborative” approach to negotiations with the government, adding that the ongoing judicial review appeal at the High Court would not affect his approach to talks.
Hospital pharmacist wins PJ writing competition
Mark Borthwick, a consultant pharmacist at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, won the Editor's Prize for his entry entitled ‘2039: Pharmacy after the fall’ A consultant pharmacist has scooped the top prize in a writing competition for pharmacists run by The Pharmaceutical Journal. Mark Borthwick, consultant pharmacist in critical care at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, won the Editor’s Prize for his 500-word take on the topic 'Future Pharmacist'.
Pharmacists can help improve mental health, but not under current structures
For pharmacists to make a difference in mental health care, there must be a push to provide appropriate training and resources. The government is working towards a ‘parity of esteem’ between mental and physical health, and there is some evidence that this approach is bearing fruit. Over 700,000 more patients received cognitive behavioural therapy through the improving access to psychological therapies programme in 2016, compared with the previous year.
Almost 200,000 patients at risk from NSAID prescribing, NHS data show
Hundreds of thousands of patients patients aged over 65 years in England were prescribed a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) without a gastroprotective medicine over a three-month period in 2017, show new data published by NHS Business Services Authority intended to improve patient safety.
Second Carter review will "release hospital pharmacists from paperwork"
The second Carter productivity review — due for publication in May 2018 — will recommend a new national database to “release” hospital pharmacists from paperwork, its professional lead for medicines and pharmacy has hinted. In a presentation to the Clinical Pharmacy Congress held in London on 27 April 2018, Ann Jacklin suggested that the second stage of the review could seek to recommend practical solutions to free up hospital pharmacists’ time to do more clinical work.
Digital system to check free prescription eligibility to be piloted in summer 2018
NHS Digital director of digital medicines says plans for a digital system which can check eligibity for free prescriptions will be piloted in summer 2018. Pharmacists will be able to check if a patient is eligible for free prescriptions under plans for a new electronic system to be piloted in the summer, it has been revealed.
Third of private online prescribers ‘fail to inform GPs’
Exclusive GPs are being kept in the dark over what drugs their patients are taking, as private online services fail to inform them about what they have prescribed. A Pulse analysis of CQC reports found that a third of online prescribers have been criticised for not informing a patient’s GP after prescribing medications such as inhalers and opioids, including in one case for over two years.
Pulse Today
01 Mar 2018 By Sofia LindA petition to stop cash-for-cuts referrals has gained nearly 100,000 signatures, after being launched this morning.28 Feb 2018 By Sofia LindThe Labour Party has called on the health secretary to addres Parliament to 'rule out' the 'cash for cuts'-style GP referral schemes revealed by Pulse today.28 Feb 2018 By Nigel PraitiesReview seven days of #GPnews28 Feb 2018 By Emma WilkinsonA CCG is offering practices incentives to cut all referrals – including cancer referrals...
Weekly news round-up: The unflushable stool
Pulse released a major investigation today into the cash incentives that GP practices are being offered to reduce pressure on elective hospital services. Most of these schemes are above board and simply pay practices to peer review referrals, but a minority offer controversial payments linked directly to changing GP behaviour. GPs are being offered up to a 50% cut of any savings made in some areas.
Weekly news round-up: Why are we waiting?
It is nearly the end of February and we still have not had sight of the new contract for GP practices in England for 2018/19. Normally the heads of agreement are published in November, so it is quite unusual to not have any details whatsoever at this point. Normally, this would be a dangerous sign of ministers being intransigent in negotiations, or number 10 trying to put their sticky fingers all over it, but the mood music coming out of the GPC is that not much change is coming.
Weekly round-up: What's going on with Jeremy Hunt?
After being health secretary for so many years, you would have thought Jeremy Hunt would be a known quantity. But he has continued to surprise after his reappointment. First, there was his intervention in the case involving Dr Hadiza Bawa-Garba. He forced the GMC onto the back foot after saying he was ‘perplexed’ that the regulator acted as it did. Then, he ordered a ‘rapid review’ into use of manslaughter charges so doctors ‘know where they stand’.
GP funding allocation to fall to 7.1% this year
General practice will see a falling proportion of the NHS budget in England, as other sectors benefit from the boost in funding announced in last year’s Budget.
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