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The Pharmaceutical Journal
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Established in 1841 as the RPS's official journal, The PJ is a trusted source of news, analysis, learning and research on pharmacy, medicines and pharmaceutical sciences

https://pharmaceutical-journal.com
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Our #QuoteoftheWeek is from #HenriettaHughes, calling out "disappointing" delays to #valproate compensation for affected patients and families. Read more below 👇

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February 6, 2026 at 6:30 PM
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A weekly summary of important developments in health news that you may have missed, including a travel warning to Cape Verde, more research needed to tackle antimicrobial resistance in children and the latest on medicines shortages

#ukpharmacy
Health news round-up: travel warnings, AMR in children, and the latest on medicine supply
This week, The Pharmaceutical Journal has dug deep into community pharmacy prescribing, rounded up everything you need to know about GLP-1s for weight loss and investigated how quickly online…
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February 6, 2026 at 5:00 PM
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Health minister Zubir Ahmed has confirmed that aspirin supplies are expected to return to normal “over the coming weeks”.

#ukpharmacy #aspirin #medicinesshortage
Aspirin supplies expected to stabilise ‘over coming weeks’
Health minister Zubir Ahmed has confirmed that aspirin supplies are expected to return to normal “over the coming weeks”. In a response to a written parliamentary question, published on 4 February…
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February 6, 2026 at 4:50 PM
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A patient has died after contracting a Burkholderia stabilis infection associated with non-sterile alcohol-free wipes, the UK Health Security Agency has confirmed

#ukpharmacy #bacterialinfection
Patient died from infection associated with non-sterile alcohol-free wipes
A patient has died after contracting a Burkholderia stabilis infection associated with non-sterile alcohol-free wipes, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed. In a joint statement…
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February 6, 2026 at 4:35 PM
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Everything you need to know about GLP-1s for weight loss — our latest guide shares latest evidence and best practice

#obesity #weightloss #GLP1s #semaglutide #tirzepatide
Everything you need to know about GLP-1s for weight loss
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists were touted as “breakthrough” drugs in 2023 — and their popularity has soared since.  Around 2.5 million people each month accessed GLP-1s privately…
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February 6, 2026 at 7:30 AM
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All #Jhoots pharmacies taken over by #AlliedPharmacies to reopen over the next four to eight weeks

#communitypharmacy #pharmacybusiness #ukpharmacy #pharmacyworkforce

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All ex-Jhoots pharmacies taken over by Allied Pharmacies to reopen
All Jhoots pharmacies taken over by Allied Pharmacies will reopen over the next four to eight weeks, the company has said. The company acquired 61 Jhoots branches in November 2025, and a further 68…
pharmaceutical-journal.com
February 5, 2026 at 3:55 PM
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National community pharmacy cessation service could expand access in deprived areas and support more than 225,000 quit attempts each year, says #CCA

#smokingcessation #communitypharmacy #stopsmokingservice

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National pharmacy stop-smoking service could support more than 200,000 quit attempts annually
A nationally commissioned community pharmacy stop-smoking service could significantly expand access in deprived areas and support more than 225,000 quit attempts each year, according to a Company…
pharmaceutical-journal.com
February 5, 2026 at 3:27 PM
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#RPS announces candidates for the inaugural elections for the future Royal College of Pharmacy

#rcpharm #ukpharmacy #rpharms

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Candidates for the inaugural National Pharmacy Advisory Council elections
The following nominations have been received for the forthcoming elections to the National Pharmacy Advisory Councils of England, Scotland and Wales. These are the inaugural elections for the future…
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February 5, 2026 at 12:12 PM
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In this comment piece, #MairiAnneMcLean highlights that by implementing preceptorship programmes across pharmacy teams, leaders have an opportunity to guide workforce development by evidence and strategy, rather than chance or goodwill

#ukpharmacy #advancedpractice
Preceptorship: the key to unlocking advanced pharmacist practice
Expectations of advanced practice roles are expanding across healthcare, driven by NHS workforce strategy, professional strategy from professional bodies such as the Royal Pharmaceutical Society…
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February 5, 2026 at 8:30 AM
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Pharmacists can provide support to people experiencing #mentalhealth symptoms in a variety of ways, such as helping to identify people at risk, providing education and giving medicines advice

Visit our dedicated hub page for a selection of resources
Mental health
Medicines are a primary treatment tool for many mental health conditions. For pharmacists to use their expert skills to help patients who have mental health challenges, it is vital for them to have a…
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February 4, 2026 at 7:00 PM
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Community pharmacies in England will take on an expanded role in cancer prevention and early detection under the government’s national cancer plan

#ukpharmacy #vaccination #HPV #cancer
Pharmacies to deliver HPV ‘catch-up’ vaccines and early cancer detection under national cancer plan
Community pharmacies in England will take on an expanded role in cancer prevention and early detection under the government’s national cancer plan. In the ‘National cancer plan for England‘,…
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February 4, 2026 at 4:55 PM
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Medicines availability should be treated as a national security issue and ministers must take a more proactive, coordinated approach to tackling shortages, according to a House of Lords Public Services Committee report

#ukpharmacy #medicinesshortages
Medicine shortages are ‘national security issue’, says Lords committee report
Medicines availability should be treated as a national security issue and ministers must take a more proactive, coordinated approach to tackling shortages, according to a House of Lords Public…
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February 4, 2026 at 4:45 PM
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A minister has confirmed the government will spend an additional £1bn on new medicines over the next three years, following changes introduced as part of a UK–US life sciences deal

#ukpharmacy #newmedicines
DHSC will fund £1bn increase in new medicines spending over next three years
A minister has confirmed the government will spend an additional £1bn on new medicines over the next three years, following changes introduced as part of a UK–US life sciences deal. In a letter sent…
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February 4, 2026 at 4:20 PM
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Pharmacist Support received 88 applications for bursaries from students across 24 universities in Great Britain in 2025

#pharmacystudent #PharmacistSupport #UKpharmacy

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Students from 24 out of 28 pharmacy schools applied for a bursary in 2025
Charity Pharmacist Support received 88 applications for bursaries from students across 24 universities in Great Britain in 2025, which means that they had applications from students from all but four…
pharmaceutical-journal.com
February 4, 2026 at 11:20 AM
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Patients with rare cancers will be able to register their interest to join clinical trials through the #NHSApp #BePartofResearch
Patients will be able to join clinical trials through NHS App
Patients with rare cancers will be able to register their interest to join clinical trials through the NHS App. On 31 January 2026, the government announced that it will be further integrating the…
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February 4, 2026 at 10:00 AM
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"I will not stop holding government to account until this is resolved for the patients and families harmed”

#HenriettaHughes said she will approach #KeirStarmer directly to secure compensation for people affected by valproate

#valproate #healthcare #ukgovernment

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Patient safety commissioner to approach PM over ‘disappointing’ delay to valproate compensation
Henrietta Hughes, patient safety commissioner for England, has said she will approach prime minister Keir Starmer directly to secure financial compensation for people affected by valproate, after the…
pharmaceutical-journal.com
February 4, 2026 at 9:30 AM
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*Improving resilience in pharmacy practice: reducing the burden of multitasking*

The first article in a short series that will explore how to improve resilience in pharmacy practice

#pharmacypractice #resilience #communitypharmacy

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Improving resilience in pharmacy practice: reducing the burden of multitasking
Community pharmacy can seem an incredibly busy, verging on chaotic, place. Pharmacy staff may be answering phones, speaking with patients, receiving inventory, dispensing medications, teaching…
pharmaceutical-journal.com
February 4, 2026 at 9:22 AM
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In this learning blog, #ZubinAustin explains how his team discovered the outsized impact that managerial decisions can have on staff wellbeing

#ukpharmacy #pharmacypractice
The unexpected importance of workplace resilience in pharmacy practice
All pharmacists and technicians who work in day-to-day, patient-facing practice experience the stresses, rewards, opportunities and challenges of being a healthcare professional.  There have been…
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February 3, 2026 at 8:30 AM
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*Case-based learning: insect bites and stings*

This learning article offers advice on how pharmacists can identify and manage insect bites and stings, as well as prevention methods

#ukpharmacy #insectbites
Case-based learning: insect bites and stings
Introduction Being stung or bitten by an insect is almost an inevitability, with estimates suggesting it happens in up to 94% of the population at least once during their lifetime​[1]​. Reactions to…
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February 2, 2026 at 7:00 PM
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Explore our #minorailments collection, which covers the conditions specified by the Welsh common minor ailments service, NHS Pharmacy First Scotland and #PharmacyFirst in England

Click below to find out more 👇

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Minor ailments
Pharmacists have a leading role within primary care in the treatment of many common minor ailments with services expanding across the UK. In order to provide effective advice and treatment for…
pharmaceutical-journal.com
February 2, 2026 at 5:30 PM
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A registry of all patients who are regularly prescribed ‘off-label’ ketamine or esketamine would help to reduce harms from the drug, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs has said

#ukpharmacy #ketamine #harmreduction
Patient register would help reduce harm from ketamine use, says advisory council
A registry of all patients who are regularly prescribed ‘off-label’ ketamine or esketamine would help to reduce harms from the drug, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) has said. The…
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February 2, 2026 at 4:40 PM
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It is “fundamentally inequitable” that pharmacy students in Wales are not currently eligible for the NHS Wales bursary scheme, according to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society

#ukpharmacy #bursary #communitypharmacy
RPS calls for pharmacy students to be included in NHS bursary scheme
It is “fundamentally inequitable” that pharmacy students in Wales are not currently eligible for the NHS Wales bursary scheme, according to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS). In response to a…
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February 2, 2026 at 4:00 PM
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Siobhan Chan, senior features editor at The Pharmaceutical Journal, has been awarded ‘Newcomer of the Year’ at the Avicenna Media Awards 2026, held at Ironmongers’ Hall in London on 30 January 2026

#ukpharmacy #thePJ
The Pharmaceutical Journal’s Siobhan Chan awarded ‘Newcomer of the Year’
Siobhan Chan, senior features editor at The Pharmaceutical Journal, has been awarded ‘Newcomer of the Year’ at the Avicenna Media Awards 2026, held at Ironmongers’ Hall in London on 30 January 2026.…
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February 2, 2026 at 3:40 PM
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Click below to explore our collection of resources on #sexual and #reproductive health, which help pharmacists provide confidential advice and refer patients to related services

#sexualhealth #reproductivehealth #ukpharmacy

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Sexual health
The impact of poor sexual and reproductive health is wide ranging. Unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and fertility challenges have significant physical and psychological…
pharmaceutical-journal.com
February 1, 2026 at 4:01 PM
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In this episode of #ThePJPod, our editorial team talks about the importance of speaking up if you have a safety or wellbeing concern and how to go about it

#ukpharmacy #communitypharmacy
Speaking up: how to raise concerns in the pharmacy workplace
There are approximately 25,000 reports made about safety concerns within the NHS each year. Often referred to colloquially as ‘whistleblowing’, the most common issues reported are inappropriate…
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February 1, 2026 at 10:30 AM