News summary

New health minister’s first speech focuses on contribution of pharmacy The first public speech by the newly appointed parliamentary under-secretary of state for health, Hazel Blears, focused on pharmacy and the contribution it can make to the health of patients...[more]

Dorset pharmacies to find those patients at risk of heart disease Ten community pharmacies in Dorset are piloting a health authority scheme to try to identify patients unaware that they are at risk of developing heart disease...[more]

Stoke pharmacist awarded MBE Philip Broadhurst, MRPharmS, was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours in recognition of his service as musical director to the Audley Male Voice choir for 25 years and service to the community in Stoke-on-Trent...[more]

Scots to cut NHS administration National Health Service administration in Scotland is to be reduced by replacing 43 health boards and trusts with 15 health boards by September 30...[more]

Consultation on remuneration in Scotland to consider impact of RPM Reduced pharmacy revenues due to the abolition of resale price maintenance will be considered during negotiations over National Health Service remuneration for Scottish pharmacy contractors...[more]

Pharmacists appointed to guide NHS Direct and walk-in centres Two pharmacists have been appointed to help the Department of Health teams responsible for National Health Service walk-in centres and NHS Direct...[more]

£25m raised for cannabis research GW Pharmaceuticals, the company created to develop new medicines from cannabis, has raised £25m by selling shares and gaining a listing on the alternative investment market...[more]

Scottish model schemes win awards Two of Scotland’s model schemes for delivering pharmaceutical care in the community have been recognised at the Pharmaceutical Care Awards 2000...[more]

“Herbalist” fined in Ireland A self-styled herbalist who escaped justice in Britain for allegedly selling unlicensed creams containing steroids for the treatment of eczema has been fined IR£3,000, with IR£2,700 costs, by a court in the Irish Republic...[more]

Single-use syringes may promote sharing by drug misusers Switching to single-use hypodermic syringes, or difficult-to-reuse (DTR) syringes, intended to reduce syringe and needle sharing among drug addicts is counter-productive and may actually lead to greater problems, according to campaigning groups. In effect, the transmission of hepatitis C and HIV would increase, contrary to the intention...[more]

Patients failed, says cancer charity Reimbursement procedures mean that new anti-cancer treatments become available too late for many patients, according to the Cancer Research Campaign...[more]

P-to-GSL switches proposed Two non-sedating antihistamines currently restricted to pharmacy sale are to become general sale list medicines in October under proposals issued by the Medicines Control Agency...[more]

Technicians develop code of practice The Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) has agreed to work with non-member technicians to develop a code of practice as an enabling step towards registration...[more]

Education of health professionals is key to better outcomes More attention to the training needs of health professionals is critical to providing essential health services, says Commonwealth Pharmaceutical Association president, John Bell...[more]

NEWS IN BRIEF

Boots compliance aid Boots The Chemists has introduced a new compliance aid, called Boots Medisure, for use in locally funded medicines management schemes. Boots staff are now to work with commissioning bodies to set up schemes using Medisure.

Software to save £500m? Computer science students at Warwick university have designed software with the potential to cut National Health Service prescribing costs by £500m. ScriptSwitch is designed to run alongside existing general practice systems to suggest cheaper options when GPs input prescriptions.

AAH clinical pharmacy course AAH Pharmaceuticals has launched a 10-week community clinical pharmacy course in conjunction with Aston University to help pharmacists work with general practitioners.