At last week’s May Committee meeting, LPC Chair Rachel Fergie had the pleasure of recognising Sue Taylor, Chief Officer, for her 25 years of dedicated service to the LPC.

 

Sue began her role in April 2001, working across two committees—South & West Devon LPC and North & East Devon LPC—while sharing office space and support with the Devon LMC. Over the years, she has supported the organisation through significant changes, from local Health Authorities, moving to Primary Care Groups, Primary Care Trusts and beyond.

 

Early committee discussions focused on services such as domiciliary oxygen, care home visits, and rota arrangements. Sue also remembers meetings often running late into the evening, with lively debates around funding and service development.

 

Upon reviewing our newsletter archives, we discovered a 2003 article authored by Sue titled “An Inspector Calls,” which introduced the now well-known figure in community pharmacy…..Barry Cohen. The newsletter also underscored the significance of providing Patient Information Leaflets (PILs) with MDS trays. While many aspects of community pharmacy have evolved considerably over the years, it is noteworthy that certain topics remain relevant and continue to be discussed 23 years later.

 

Throughout her career, Sue has contributed to many key initiatives, including the first Needle Exchange Scheme in Devon, piloting an EHC service in Torbay,  implementing the Clinical Governance Framework across the county and managing one of the first "Pharmacy First" Services across Devon which was funded through the Prime Ministers' Challenge Fund.

 

Today, she continues to play an important role as Community Pharmacy Devon works within the challenges of the new NHS structures, including ICB clusters and Integrated Neighbourhood Teams.

 

🌟We extend our warm congratulations to Sue and thank her for her outstanding contribution over the past 25 years🌟 

People with diabetes in Devon are being reminded that Levemir insulin will be taken off the market by the end of the year, meaning many patients will need to move to an alternative treatment.

 

While there is no need for any panic, planning is important. NHS Devon, the Devon LMC and Community Pharmacy Devon are asking practices to switch patients gradually, ideally during routine diabetes check‑ups, to avoid putting pressure on supplies of other insulins. View the information leaflet here.

 

The situation can be tricky, as availability can differ depending on things like pen types or cartridges. That’s why pharmacies and GP surgeries are being encouraged to stay in close contact and share information about which alternatives are currently available. By working together and spreading the changes over time it is hoped that patients can change treatments smoothly, with as little disruption as possible.

The University of Bath is offering a range of postgraduate Clinical Pharmacy programmes designed to fit around work, helping pharmacists build advanced clinical skills while staying in practice.

There are two main routes:

Both programmes combine academic learning with a strong practice focus and align with Royal College of Pharmacy credentialling pathways, making them a great option for career progression. 

👉 Find out more and apply here.

There will be a webinar on June 30th with more details. 

📩 For further information, contact email Tim Rennie at twr32@bath.ac.uk.

How well does community pharmacy support public health — and what more could help pharmacy teams deliver these services with confidence? A new UK‑wide research project is asking for your views.

Alison Hemsworth, a PhD researcher at the University of Huddersfield, is running an anonymous online survey exploring the public health role of the community pharmacy workforce and identifying training and development needs. The aim is to better understand the realities of day‑to‑day practice and help shape future support for pharmacy teams.

The survey is open to anyone working in community pharmacy and includes full participant information and consent at the start. It is straightforward to complete and all responses are anonymous.

If you’d like to have your say, please consider taking part — and feel free to share the survey with colleagues who may also be interested.  More information and contact details may also be found following the link.