News summary

True extended role not yet a reality for majority of community pharmacists It will be some years before most community pharmacists have a fully extended role, according to a researcher at the University of Greenwich. However, support mechanisms can help pharmacists take on new activities and services...[more]

Patients sign up for primary care pharmacy services in their droves In the first week since its opening, over 1,000 members of the public have registered for medicines management services that are being offered at the Primary Care Pharmacy in Tamworth, Staffordshire...[more]

Direct advertising to patients could have “disastrous consequences” The current ban on advertising prescription-only medicines to the public in the United Kingdom should not be lifted, the Consumers’ Association says...[more]

UniChem claims to be better than AAH UniChem claims to have reversed its image problem to become the superior wholesaler over AAH in terms of customer service. The claims are based on a customer survey conducted on its behalf by Taylor Nelson Sofres of over 700 community pharmacists...[more]

UniChem unveils new medical record system A NEW Pharmacy Operating System (POS) unveiled by UniChem on 4 July will have a new patient medical record (PMR) system called Enigma at its heart, says John Davidson, management services director...[more]

Boots and Sainsbury plan alliance THE Boots Co Plc is considering a joint venture with supermarket group J. Sainsbury Plc but has denied that a merger is on the cards...[more]

Sales warning for retail pharmacies MOST companies in the community pharmacy sector will see sales stagnate or decline over the next 12 months, according to a new report...[more]

Most community pharmacists against trained technicians self-checking An overwhelming majority of community pharmacists wish to retain the policy statement “Self-checking by non-pharmacists is not recommended” which is part of the guidance document of SOPS for dispensing” published in The Journal on 5 May...[more]

Time to reduce number of health authorities contracts by two years Government plans to reduce the number of health authorities to 30 are being accelerated...[more]

New guidelines for malaria prophylaxis New guidelines for malaria prophylaxis are to be published mid July...[more]

Pharmacy team awarded runner-up prize in NHS Health and Social Care award The pharmacy team at Christie Hospital in Withington, Manchester, has been awarded a runner-up place in the National Health Service Health and Social Care awards...[more]

Weak link between SSRIs and abnormal bleeding PATIENTS prescribed selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may show an increased, but not significant tendency towards abnormal bleeding, suggest researchers from the Drug Safety Research Unit, Southampton University...[more]

SSRIs: review of suicide tendency A WARNING that patients should be closely monitored for suicidal tendencies during the early stages of treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) has been added to the summary of product characteristics for Seroxat (paroxetine)...[more]

Report reveals wide variations in the prescribing of antipsychotics An 8.7-fold variation in the prescribing of atypical antipsychotic drugs exists across the United Kingdom, according to research published this week by the Zito Trust. This is despite evidence and guidelines that support their use over older medicines...[more]

New mental health institute for England A NATIONAL institute for mental health has been created by the Government in an initiative to promote changes and improvements in mental health services in England...[more]

Pharmacy-based asthma care success PHARMACEUTICAL care of patients with asthma provided by local pharmacies has a clear and positive impact on patients’ asthma management and quality of life, say researchers from Germany...[more]

Overhaul for NHS clinical negligence scheme announced Health Secretary Alan Milburn has announced a major overhaul of the system of National Health Service clinical negligence compensation in the hospital service in England...[more]

Starting statins post MI When should statins be started in patients who have had a myocardial infarction? Current guidelines suggest waiting three months, but doctors are now starting to believe that early treatment, at the time of the infarct, might be beneficial. They argue that this could take advantage of possible non-lipid statin actions...[more]

Benefits now shown for extended thromboprophylaxis with heparin EXTENDED treatment with heparin for up to seven weeks following total knee or hip replacement significantly reduces the frequency of venous thromboembolism, say the authors of a meta-analysis of randomised trials...[more]

Decline in MMR vaccinations The number of children vaccinated with the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine in the United Kingdom has declined...[more]


NEWS IN BRIEF

Primary health care strategy JANE HUTT, Welsh Assembly Health Minister, has announced a new strategy to strengthen and develop primary care services in Wales. The strategy proposes the setting up of primary care resource centres to support the existing practice model of primary care by providing local services.

Lloyds diabetes training Lloydspharmacy is running a series of diabetes-care training days for pharmacists. Those taking part receive training on the different types of insulin available, and the different clinical regimens that patients will be on, depending on the form of diabetes that they have. Participants are selected because of their interest in diabetes and because of the work that they do within their pharmacies with regard to diabetes care.

Warnings over contaminated heroin Drug users are being warned of the possibility of a contaminated batch of heroin. The Department of Health said on 10 July that there were unsubstantiated rumours that the remainder of the batch of heroin that may have been responsible for a number of deaths from systemic sepsis last year is to be released on to the market. Heroin users should be warned that if they get swelling, redness or pain at an injection site, they should seek medical help.

Launch of electronic compendium The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) has launched a new version of the electronic medicines compendium (www.emc.vhn.net). The electronic version of the ABPI’s data sheet compendium was originally launched to health care professionals in October 1999 (PJ, 23 October 1999, p667). The APBI says that the new version will allow pharmaceutical companies to publish information on the website immediately after gaining approval from the Medicines Control Agency.

PPA records could reveal number of Shipman’s victims Records held by the Prescription Pricing Authority could reveal the true number of patients prescribed overdoses of diamorphine by Harold Shipman. Professor Richard Baker, professor of quality in health care at the University of Leicester, has told the public inquiry investigating the murders that PPA records of Shipman’s prescriptions have not yet been inspected.

Lottery money for heart disease National lottery money is to be made available to improve the treatment of heart disease, the Secretary of State for Health, Alan Milburn, announced this week. In a press release, the Department of Health says that £110m, which will come via the Government-developed New Opportunities Fund, will be spent on updating diagnostic and ambulance equipment and on improving cardiac rehabilitation. Areas with high rates of coronary heart disease will be a priority.

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