The GPhC recently released their Pre-registration Autumn Bulletin for 2015, this contained a great deal of information regarding the recent changes to the assessment in 2016, much of it new. We’ve created a breakdown of the most important points and how they impact you, giving you plenty of time to prepare for the upcoming assessment in June. Read more GPhC Pre-registration assessment update
Following on from the successes of previous years, the 5th Annual Wales Medicines Safety Conference was quite the event drawing in delegates from a diverse range of health professions, including the professional bodies for nursing, physiotherapy, general practitioners and pharmacists. Read more Collaboration across organisations sets standards for Welsh pharmaceutical care
By Suzanne Scott-Thomas, Chair, Welsh Pharmacy Board
In May 2016 people in Wales will cast their votes in the elections to the National Assembly. Engaging with politicians in the run up to the election is vitally important in helping us secure a better future for patients and the pharmacy profession in Wales.
That’s why we’ve launched our policy vision for Wales, Steps to better health and wellbeing to help shape the manifestos of the political parties. It highlights the importance of maximising the pharmacy workforce and using clinical pharmacy skills to help address the current and future demands on NHS services. Read more Our new policy manifesto for Wales
by Professor Jayne Lawrence, Chief Scientist, Royal Pharmaceutical Society
Antibiotic resistance occurs when medicines are no longer effective in treating bacterial infections. This is potentially catastrophic, as much of modern medicine would become impossible without antibiotics. Simple infections would become life-threatening and common surgery would become unsafe. Antibiotics are not effective against viral infections, yet they are often used to treat them. Pharmacists are on the frontline of fighting antibiotic resistance, but how can we make a difference in practice? Read more How can pharmacists fight antibiotic resistance?
by Rachel Hall, clinical pharmacist
I’m a clinical pharmacist and partner at the Old School Surgery in Bristol, an inner city practice with more than 15,000 patients.
Getting started as a practice pharmacist
During my training, I worked for one day a week at the practice, specialising in treating patients with type 2 diabetes. This work convinced the partners they needed a permanent clinical pharmacist, rather than taking on a salaried GP. Read more Getting started as a clinical pharmacist
By Harpal Dhillon, Chair of the RPS Antimicrobial Expert Advisory Group
Bringing any new drug to market is a time consuming, costly and high-risk endeavour that typically takes 10 years, at an average development cost of about $1.3 billion U.S.
Even then, only one in five drugs tested in people is approved and reaches the market. For antibiotics, the economic considerations are more challenging than for many other medical areas. In addition to the unique scientific and regulatory challenges in antibiotic development, pricing and reimbursement do not reflect the true value of these life-saving drugs. Read more A global approach to antibiotic resistance