NHSE: Pharmacists are ‘managing antimicrobials appropriately’ ... and general practice staff that community pharmacies were ‘managing anti microbials appropriately’ under the service, highlighting work already done on antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) as part of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS). She highlighted that pharmacists were ‘carrying on as business as usual’ and continuing to supply over-the-counter products where appropriate. And she said that the percentage of Pharmac ... Date: 04-03-2024 Categories: • Community • News • Pharmacy First

AMR to be ‘closely monitored’ after Pharmacy First launch ... in antimicrobial stewardship to mark World Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness Week, which began at the weekend. CPE has said that antimicrobial stewardship activities will remain part of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) this year, ‘so this continues to be an important focus for community pharmacy’. Meanwhile, the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) has called for education on AMR and AMS to be str ... Date: 20-11-2023 Categories: • Community • News • Respiratory

‘Solid foundation’ of antimicrobial stewardship ahead of Pharmacy First ... ts to supply prescription-only medicines including antibiotics where appropriate for seven common conditions. Pharmacy checks improve safety and appropriateness of antibiotics Under the 2021/22 Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS), community pharmacy teams were required to use the TARGET Antibiotic Checklist with all patients presenting with an antibiotic prescription during a four-week reporting period, in order to meet ... Date: 05-06-2023 Categories: • News

Government announces medicine VAT changes and reimbursement proposals ... removal of the requirement for a practice-based audit permanently, as well as reviewing the need for practice-based leaflets. The letter restated that contractors would have to undertake a reduced Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) starting from 1 June 2023, which does include a clinical audit. Contractors will have to meet at least one of the criteria relating to: reducing harm from anticoagulants, palliative and end- ... Date: 15-05-2023 Categories: • News

CPCS expanded to include A&E referrals ... ent treatment centres from 15 May 2023. This comes alongside the announcement of controversial regulative easements around opening hours and rest breaks, as well as a reduction in the scope of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS). ‘No point’ introducing new services pharmacies can’t provide From 15 May 2023, contractors may start to receive referrals from UEC – that is, urgent treatment centres and emergency depar ... Date: 28-04-2023 Categories: • News

‘We are working in an environment that is setting us up to fail’ ... we are expected to find the time to do this, as well as to find supervisors - some of whom are charging a hefty fee. Don’t get me started on the numerous hours of personal time doing training for the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS). Then there is the perpetual problem of teams being asked to do more work for no extra funding. It is farcical that the new pharmacy contraception service will launch across England on 24 Ap ... Date: 20-04-2023 Categories: • Opinion

Community pharmacy lacks capacity to deliver vision for the future, says PSNC boss ... g years of the deal. The PSNC last month communicated to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England that new and expanded services, including the contraception service and the Pharmacy Quality Scheme could not go ahead without additional funding, namely a fully funded Pharmacy First scheme. Ms Morrison said there was ‘potential’ for community pharmacy to expand services in areas such as annual ... Date: 04-04-2023 Categories: • News

No new services without more funding, PSNC tells DHSC and NHSE New and expanded services, including the contraception service and the Pharmacy Quality Scheme, cannot go ahead without additional funding, namely a fully funded Pharmacy First scheme, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) told the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) ... Date: 14-03-2023 Categories: • News

Train more community pharmacists, says Chief Pharmaceutical Officer ... el, as this would require an understanding of the local populations. A key priority for ICBs will be addressing health inequalities, he said. Mr Webb added that this was already part of the Year 5 Pharmacy Quality Scheme, and that community pharmacies will have the opportunity to work with their local primary care network to develop an action plan to support the prevention of ill health and address inequalities. B ... Date: 06-03-2023 Categories: • News

NHS England lost £15.7 million last year to pharmacy closures ... by community pharmacies at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, caused by issues including a sharp increase in prescription items in March and April 2020, higher drug prices, delayed payments for the Pharmacy Quality Scheme and extra Covid-19 related costs, according to the report from the NHS Commissioning Board. The report stated that: ‘The government decided and agreed to provide an urgent uplift to the normal adv ... Date: 02-02-2023 Categories: • News

Only half of public comfortable being asked about weight in a pharmacy, survey finds ... articipate in an NHS campaign throughout January, for example by displaying posters and information cards. Pharmacies that choose to participate in the healthy living support domain of the 2022/23 Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) are also required to proactively discuss weight management with at least 25 patients and refer at least four people who meet the criteria to either a Local Authority funded tier 2 weight manage ... Date: 03-01-2023 Categories: • News

A quarter of adults in England are obese, public health survey finds ... al Services Negotiating Committee announced that all contractors must participate in a mandatory weight management campaign this January, As part of the Health living support domain of the 2022/23 Pharmacy Quality Scheme, pharmacy teams are also required to proactively discuss weight management with at least 25 patients and refer at least 4 who meet the criteria for referral to either a Local Authority funded tier 2 ... Date: 15-12-2022 Categories: • News

Contractors must participate in weight management campaign in January ... osters, wallet cards ('info' cards with a QR code) and a dispenser for these cards, or choose digital resources as part of the campaign. As part of the healthy living support domain of the 2022/23 Pharmacy Quality Scheme, pharmacy teams are also required to proactively discuss weight management with at least 25 patients and refer at least 4 who meet the criteria for referral to either a Local Authority funded tier 2 ... Date: 13-12-2022 Categories: • News

Community pharmacies must undertake valproate audit ... ir childbearing years), unless other options are unsuitable and the pregnancy prevention programme is in place’. A similar audit was carried out by some community pharmacies as part of the 2019/20 Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS). PSNC said that the 2022/23 national clinical audit will be based on the PQS audit and will allow contractors to close the audit cycle by re-auditing their practice. PSNC also said that it e ... Date: 15-11-2022 Categories: • News

Four-year requirement for CPPE risk management guide delayed until 2024 New Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) requirements and guidance have been published, setting the areas in which pharmacies can claim additional funding for various areas of practice. This comes after the Community Pharmacy Contr ... Date: 12-10-2022 Categories: • News

New plans for pharmacy explained ... ntractors. This means that Drug Tariff prices will be relatively higher in the new year, allowing the sector to keep an additional £100m that would otherwise have been paid back to the government. Pharmacy Quality Scheme changes Contractors can take part in the Pharmacy Quality Schemes (PQS) in both years, but its scope has been reduced to reflect ‘workload and capacity constraints’. The Year 5 scheme is already a ... Date: 22-09-2022 Categories: • News

Leading pharmacists say DHSC plan ‘won’t work without us’ ... his was ‘in line with the sector’s ambitions, but recognising the capacity pressures on pharmacies’. It also includes efforts to reduce pharmacist workload, including the reduction in scope of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) and amendments to allow pharmacy technicians to deliver the Blood Pressure Check Service and Smoking Cessation Service. Clare Kerr, Head of Healthcare Policy and Strategy at LloydsPharmacy, ... Date: 22-09-2022 Categories: • News

New CPCF arrangements include £100 million excess margin write-off ... w Medicine Service (NMS). The service specifications for the Blood Pressure Check Service and Smoking Cessation Services will be amended to allow delivery by pharmacy technicians. The scope of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) has been reduced, ‘to reflect the workload and capacity constraints, including the impact of the late start in Year 4’. Details of the PQS in year 5 will be published in due course. In advan ... Date: 22-09-2022 Categories: • News

Pharmacists included in NICE self-harm guidance for the first time ... chnicians, pre-registration pharmacists and delivery drivers. Since the publication of the research, Zero Suicide Alliance training for patient-facing pharmacy staff has been incorporated into the Pharmacy Quality Scheme and in 2020-21 was completed by 72,000 pharmacy staff. Dr Hayley Gorton, who worked on the research, said: ‘I’m delighted to see that NICE are recognising that the wide role of other health care p ... Date: 08-09-2022 Categories: • News

New medicine service: 'It’s a huge opportunity and not to be missed' ... Pharmacy group, Derbyshire Name of superintendent pharmacist: Andrea Smith When did you start offering this service? It really started ramping up since the pandemic and has been part of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) for a while now. Why did you start offering this service? NMS provides some funding that is already available to pharmacy that we were not taking advantage of. Wearing my LPC hat, Derbysh ... Date: 01-06-2022 Categories: • Clinical Ambassadors • Minor ailments

Pharmacists to identify patients eligible for weight loss programme ... pe 2), hypertension or both. If eligible, the pharmacy team can refer the patient to the programme by visiting the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme Pharmacy Referral Site. As part of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) for 2021/22 pharmacy teams must refer at least one eligible patient to the NHS weight management programme or a Local Authority funded tier 2 weight management service. Robert Pettifer, a ph ... Date: 22-01-2022 Categories: • News

Contractors have extension to April to compete parts of PQS Contractors now have an additional three months to complete parts of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) in light of additional pressures felt by the sector this winter. Pharmacy teams will now have from 1 April to 5 April to complete a minimum of 20 New Medicine Service (NMS) provisions, which ... Date: 21-12-2021 Categories: • News

PQS deadline extended in recognition of winter pressures Contractors will have additional time to complete the requirements of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) in light of their higher workload this winter, PSNC has announced. This comes as part of a new agreement, in which PSNC, NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I) and the Department of He ... Date: 15-12-2021 Categories: • News

Pharmacies need more support from Government this winter, says PSNC ... nbsp;  The body is seeking additional support to ease the pressure on all contractors, which could include regulatory support, the removal of administrative burdens and changes to the current Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS).  PSNC said that measures put in place to help pharmacy teams would ‘be in line’ with the current support that has been given to general practice.   Bharat Patel, vice chai ... Date: 06-12-2021 Categories: • News

Clinical audit to focus on valproate harm reduction during pregnancy ... e is used prescribed to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorder and to prevent migraine headaches. The plan follows a recent presentation by NHS England and Improvement (NHSE&I) on the results of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) 2019/20 valproate audit. PSNC said the results of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) 2019/20 valproate audit demonstrated that ‘while a high number of patients were aware of the safety consid ... Date: 18-11-2021 Categories: • News

Exclusive: No PQS time extension request despite additional workload Pharmacy bodies say they are unlikely to approach NHS England (NHSE) for additional time for pharmacy contractors to complete the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) this winter, amid concerns that contractors will not have the capacity to complete it. This comes after some pharmacists called for the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) ... Date: 27-10-2021 Categories: • News

New PQS to have ‘realistic’ targets to support recovery from Covid The new Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) for 2021/22 will have ‘realistic’ targets to help reduce the impact on workload and support recovery from Covid, the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has said. The PSNC, ... Date: 12-08-2021 Categories: • News

Exclusive: Over 600 more pharmacies completed PQS during Covid Over 11,100 pharmacies across England completed part one of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) this year, 640 more than the number that completed the scheme last year, the Pharmacist has learned. According to data provided by NHS England, 11,108 community pharmacies declared they had ... Date: 15-06-2021 Categories: • News

PSNC calls for pharmacists to be allowed time to 'focus exclusively' on vaccinations ... o take to help address workload and staffing pressures during the second wave. Delay PQS requirements PSNC has also asked that contractors are given more time to complete the second part of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme, but that this ‘does not delay delivery of the associated funding’. Under part 2 of the scheme, contractors had to choose one of five domains, such as infection control or risk management, and ful ... Date: 27-11-2020 Categories: • News

Contractors can claim £1,630 for meeting Covid-19 requirements ... armacy contractors are being offered a payment of £1,630 for meeting requirements that relate to their response to the Covid-19 pandemic, as part of NHS England and NHS Improvement’s (NHSE&I) new Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS). The first part of the scheme was announced earlier this week (13 July). It sets out the 14 actions contractors must have undertaken in order to qualify for their first payment and to be eli ... Date: 17-07-2020 Categories: • Analysis • Covid-19 • Latest News • News

Urgent drug supply and delivery services on the table for community pharmacy ... e PSNC said. Other measures that have been agreed between the PSNC, NHS England and NSH Improvement (NHSE&I) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) include: postponement of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) for three months, with the date open to review. The £18.75m freed up will be delivered to contractors for Covid-19 response activitydelay of the hepatitis C testing service for at least three m ... Date: 19-03-2020 Categories: • Covid-19 • Latest News • News

Pharmacy contract: the sector reacts ... s Service. ‘Nonetheless, it is frustrating that money remains at the same rate for new services and the limited details on some of the updates in the deal, particularly regarding the review of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme. ‘Pharmacists and community pharmacy teams work incredibly hard every single day but they are already extremely stretched financially in terms of resources and capacity. The wellbeing of the workf ... Date: 25-02-2020 Categories: • Latest News • News

Pharmacy contract: all you need to know about the changes ... is A and cholera. Funding will be allocated as more details are agreed. Blood pressure testing and smoking cessation referrals from hospitals – pilots will be rolled out throughout 2020/21. The Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) will launch (April 2020) – the update to the old quality payments scheme will entail new payment bands and alterations to the way points are allocated. Payments will vary according to prescript ... Date: 24-02-2020 Categories: • Latest News • News

Community pharmacies need to be more involved in PCNs if they are to help address health inequalities, says RPS ... ogether and with other healthcare providers in local PCNs serving around 30-50,000 patients. The new community pharmacy contract incentivises integration with PCNs as part of its updated Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS), while the Government has made clear that the community pharmacy and GP contracts will continue to align. Date: 18-02-2020 Categories: • Latest News • News

Pharmacy bodies welcome CPCS 'success' ... important service: this has not been easy against the backdrop of flat funding, cost pressures, capacity challenges, winter pressures, flu vaccinations and a significant amount of work related to the Pharmacy Quality Scheme this winter.’ CCA: Service has made ‘significant impact’ Company Chemists Association (CCA) chief executive Malcolm Harrison said: ‘We would like to congratulate all of the community pharmacy t ... Date: 14-01-2020 Categories: • Latest News • More News • News

Contractors keen to collaborate but 'need help to free up time', says LPC lead ... s integration with primary care networks (PCNs) – groups of practices backed by funding to work together and with other healthcare providers serving around 30-50,000 patients – as part of its updated Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS). Mr Patel said: ‘I can see the enthusiasm and commitment of community pharmacies, but I think they need help to free up time.’ In a recent survey conducted by the LPC, all 60 respondents ... Date: 25-11-2019 Categories: • News

Collaboration across PCNs ‘bloody difficult’ for community pharmacies, says PSNC chief ... to work together and with other healthcare providers in local PCNs serving around 30-50,000 patients. The new community pharmacy contract incentivises integration with PCNs as part of its updated Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS), while the Government has made clear that the community pharmacy and GP contracts will continue to align. Speaking at the conference, a local commissioner told delegates that collaboration i ... Date: 22-11-2019 Categories: • News

Capacity: Community pharmacy's challenge that keeps Simon Dukes 'awake at night' ... aces ‘significant challenges’. These include the sector's capacity to deliver the contract's stipulations, including the community pharmacist consultation service (CPCS), collaboration and the new Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS), he said. He told delegates: ‘[Capacity] is the one that keeps me awake at night because we can only [deliver the CPCS and the contractual framework] if we have the capacity within business ... Date: 20-11-2019 Categories: • News

How to make sure you get paid for the Pharmacy Quality Scheme With NHS data showing that a third of community pharmacies have yet to meet key Pharmacy Quality Scheme criteria, the PSNC services team explains how to rectify this by the 30th November deadline. A key change in the 2019/20 Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) to previous quality schemes has been the intr ... Date: 15-11-2019 Categories: • Analysis • News

GPs need community pharmacy to help deliver PCN objectives, says deputy chief pharmaceutical officer ... disease (CVD) strategy, early detection of patients with undiagnosed disease, prevention and cancer.’ The new community pharmacy contract incentivises integration with PCNs as part of its updated Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS), while the Government has made clear that the community pharmacy and GP contracts will continue to align.   PCN pharmacists from community backgrounds   Mr Warner added that th ... Date: 16-10-2019 Categories: • Latest News • More News • News

The five top qualities every community pharmacy PCN lead should have ... and with other healthcare providers in local primary care networks (PCNs) serving 30-50,000 patients. The new community pharmacy contract incentivises integration with PCNs as part of its updated Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS), while the Government has made clear that the community pharmacy and GP contracts will continue to align. However, contractors need to present a united front and LPCs have been asked to find ... Date: 08-10-2019 Categories: • News

PSNC negotiates flu vaccine fee hike to £9.58 and axes patient questionnaire ... tronic systems. Contractors must now make claims for flu jab payments via the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) Manage Your Service (MYS) platform, which will also be the route for claiming Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) payments. To support health secretary Matt Hancock’s aim to ban fax machines in the NHS by April 2020, notifications of patient receipt of a vaccination can no longer be sent to the patient’ ... Date: 23-08-2019 Categories: • News

Are HLPs essential to community pharmacy’s future? ... anisations, demonstrated that these results could be replicated in other areas. Since then, we have seen HLP embraced by thousands of pharmacies as part of the Quality Payments Scheme, soon to be the Pharmacy Quality Scheme under the new contract. From April 2020, HLP will be an essential contractual requirement for all pharmacies in England. Looking to the next decade, the new contract will redefine the integral rol ... Date: 20-08-2019 Categories: • Views

Everything we know so far about the new contract ... on will be remunerated with a £14 fee. This payment model will be reviewed from 2021/22 onwards.   An updated quality payments scheme The quality payments scheme has been renamed the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS). As with the quality payments scheme, the new scheme will allow contractors to claim back money for meeting certain quality targets. According to the contract, the PQS will run for the next ... Date: 25-07-2019 Categories: • Latest News • More News • News

Mixed reaction to English community pharmacy contract ... is now critical that all community pharmacies embrace the new urgent care services and engage with PCNs so that the sector is more integrated within the NHS. We are also pleased to see the use of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme to support the sector-wide agenda for patient safety improvement.’   Phoenix UK: ‘a funding cut in real terms’ PHOENIX UK group managing director Steve Anderson welcomed the contract’s focus ... Date: 23-07-2019 Categories: • News

English community pharmacy secures 'landmark' £13bn five-year funding deal ... autumn, bringing together the NHS urgent supply advanced service (NUMSAS) and the digital minor ailments referral service (DMIRS) into one service. The quality payments scheme has been renamed the Pharmacy Quality Scheme. As with the quality payments scheme, the new scheme will allow contractors to claim back money for meeting certain quality targets. The pharmacy access scheme will continue The pharmacy integr ... Date: 22-07-2019 Categories: • Latest News • More News • News