Community Pharmacy Devon Weekly Dose 💊
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Thursday 27th August 2026
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Welcome to your weekly injection of local and national pharmacy news. As always, if you have any feedback or comments, please contact us by email at admin@cpdevon.org.uk.
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MP Visit to Buckland Pharmacy
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Martin Wrigley, MP for Newton Abbot, recently visited both Buckland Pharmacy and Day Lewis Pharmacy in Devon Square where he met with local pharmacy teams to gain a better understanding of the current challenges facing community pharmacy.
During the visit, Martin was keen to learn more about how community pharmacies operate and the increasing pressures they face. At Buckland Pharmacy the team explained the impact of ongoing medicine shortages and pricing concessions, highlighting that pharmacies are legally required to dispense exactly what is prescribed, even when certain medicines are difficult to obtain.
The discussion also covered the range of clinical services offered by community pharmacies, many of which rely on referrals from other healthcare organisations. The significant challenges facing the sector across Devon were highlighted, including the fact that the county has experienced one of the highest levels of established pharmacy contractor closures in recent years, with the effects being felt across local communities.
At Day Lewis Pharmacy, the team shared similar concerns around financial pressures, changing prescribing practices, and the underutilisation of pharmacy services. Despite these challenges, staff spoke passionately about their commitment to supporting patients and providing accessible healthcare within the community.
One example that particularly resonated with Martin was a recent incident where a patient suffered a seizure in the pharmacy. To ensure the patient's privacy and allow the team to provide appropriate support, the pharmacy temporarily closed. The experience highlighted the vital role community pharmacies play, not only in supplying medicines but also as an essential part of the local healthcare network.
The visit provided an important opportunity to showcase the value of community pharmacy, while also highlighting the urgent need to address the challenges facing the sector to ensure patients continue to have access to local pharmacy services in the future.
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Community Pharmacy England has published guidance on pharmacy opening requirements during bank holidays for the remainder of 2026 and throughout 2027. Please view this here.
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Update to the NHS Community Pharmacy Hypertension Case-Finding Service
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The updated NHS Community Pharmacy Hypertension Case-Finding Service Specification has now been published and will come into effect from Thursday 3 September 2026, allowing community pharmacy teams time to prepare for the forthcoming changes.
The updated specification includes:
• Clarification that patients can access the service once every five years.
• Revisions to the eligibility criteria, including clarification on which patients may be referred into the service by general practice teams.
• Greater emphasis on the average wake-time Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) reading as the key measure to be shared with the patient's GP, supporting the diagnostic process.
• Additional guidance relating to off-site service delivery arrangements.
The current service specification will remain in place until 3 September 2026.
The updated service specification can be accessed here.
Please ensure all relevant team members familiarise themselves with the changes ahead of implementation
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PQS: Clinical Audit Published
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NHS England has published the clinical audit, developed with Community Pharmacy England, that must be undertaken by pharmacies wanting to complete Domain 2 (Professional practice) of the Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS). The audit focuses on the quality of Pharmacy First clinical pathway consultations and record keeping for those consultations. You can view it here.
Pharmacy owners must ensure the audit, action plan and peer discussion are completed no later than 31st March 2027.
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Get Ready to Join the Pharmacist Enhanced Practice Pathway Pilot
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Newly qualified, early career pharmacist prescribers in their first year of post-registration practice, can register to join the Pharmacist Enhanced Practice Pathway (PEPP) pilot from 1 September 2026. To find out more visit the CPPE website.
What is the Pharmacist Enhanced Practice Pathway pilot
NHS England is working collaboratively with the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education (CPPE) and the Royal College of Pharmacy to develop a new education and training pathway for newly qualified, early career pharmacist prescribers, registering from summer 2026. The Pharmacist Enhanced Practice Pathway aims to create consistent and equitable training and support for newly qualified, early career pharmacist prescribers across all sectors in patient-facing roles.
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Contraception Update for Healthcare Professionals in Devon and Torbay
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Devon Sexual Health has published its latest Contraception Update for healthcare professionals, featuring recent news, guidance and service updates. The newsletter is available to download from the Professionals section of the Devon Sexual Health website, where you can also access a range of useful clinical resources and information.
Find the newsletter and resources here.
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If you have a positive news story to share with us please send it to admin@cpdevon.org.uk and it will be featured in an upcoming edition of the review. If featured, you will also win a surprise gift for you and your team up to the value of £25!
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COMMUNITY PHARMACY DEVON SECRETARIAT TEAM
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