Shortage of pharmacists remains a big challenge for community pharmacies as the chief executives of the national community pharmacy bodies met with senior NHS England and NHS Improvement officials to discuss the precarious situation in October-end.

After a series of internal pay negotiations and conciliation meetings, Boots has made a revised pay offer to its pharmacists.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has urged members of the public to treat pharmacy staff with respect at all times after the government once again made wearing of masks mandatory to curb the spread of a new variant of coronavirus.

Even as the UK agrees deals for 14 million additional covid-19 vaccine doses from Moderna and Pfizer, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society has renewed its calls for community pharmacies in England to play an increased role in delivering booster jabs for Covid-19.

While the latest report by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) showed a 33 per cent drop in total number of new HIV diagnoses in England in 2020, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society has called on the government to make the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) tablets available at community pharmacies across Great Britain.