iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 05/10/2026

Cardiovascular risk reduction - quality prescribing guidance 2026-2029: consultation 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #Pharmsky www.gov.scot/publications...

This prescribing guide focuses on prescribing advice for early detection and
treatment of hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes, obesity and smoking with the
aim of reducing the long-term impact of cardiovascular disease. It is complementary
to SIGN and NICE guidance, providing practical prescribing advice to all healthcare professionals working in this area, supporting good clinical practice for the people of Scotland.
This consultation provides an opportunity for all interested parties to comment on the
draft guidance.
We will be holding a virtual consultation event during the consultation period and you can register your interest in attending by emailing EPandT@gov.scot.

000 0

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 18/09/2026

British Thoracic Society Professional Development Framework for Pharmacists Working in Respiratory Medicine #Pharmsky @btsrespiratory.bsky.social www.brit-thoracic.org.uk/working-in-r...

The BTS Professional Development Framework for Pharmacists Working in Respiratory Medicine provides guidance on the proposed knowledge, skills and capabilities that pharmacists should develop to work effectively within the wider respiratory team and to support people living with respiratory diseases.

The framework has been developed using a structured approach based on outcomes, capabilities, and descriptors, aligned with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) credentialing process. Together, these components provide a clear, developmental pathway for pharmacists progressing from post-registration through to advanced and consultant-level practice.

000 0

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 11/08/2026

Medicine supply disruption statistics, UK: data to June 2026 From January to June 2026, there were around 700 supply issue notifications. This is lower than the same period in previous years In total in 2025, there were around 1,400 supply issue notifications #Pharmsky www.gov.uk/government/s...

000 0

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 24/07/2026

When patients repeatedly miss medical appointments, health systems often penalise them or drop them from care A new study in @BMCMedicine advocates for a "missingness lens": shifting from punitive rules to trauma-informed, proactive support for vulnerable patients link.springer.com/article/10.1...

023 3

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 23/07/2026

New national guidance for NHS staff on speaking up in NHS Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿. @healthimprovescot.bsky.social www.healthcareimprovementscotland.scot/publications...

Healthcare Improvement Scotland worked with the Independent National Whistleblowing Officer to develop new guidance on speaking up for NHS Scotland staff.

Anyone working in NHS Scotland can raise a concern, including employees, contractors, volunteers and students. This guidance is designed to make speaking up simpler, clearer and easier to navigate.

It sets out:

what speaking up means
when and how to raise a concern
the different routes available for advice and action
NHS Scotland staff can contact Healthcare Improvement Scotland in confidence to raise concerns about the safety or quality of care.

The Independent National Whistleblowing Officer (INWO) provides an independent review process for whistleblowers and can investigate concerns, make recommendations and support learning across NHS Scotland.

Robbie Pearson, Chief Executive, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, and Paul McFadden, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman, released a joint statement:

“Speaking up is essential to safe, high-quality care. Staff, contractors, volunteers and students are often the first to notice when something may not be right. It is vital they feel confident, supported and clear about what to do next.”

010 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 12/07/2026

The percentage of U.S. adults who currently take GLP-1 medications for weight loss purposes has risen to 11% in 2026, up significantly from 3% in 2024. And 15% report having used the medicine for weight loss at some point, an increase of nine percentage points. news.gallup.com/poll/712157/...

100 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 10/07/2026

UK Chief Medical Officers' physical activity guidelines www.gov.uk/government/p...

000 0

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 09/07/2026

Deprescribing in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease Experiencing Polypharmacy: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association #Pharmsky www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/...

Polypharmacy in patients with cardiovascular disease occurs frequently across the age spectrum and can lead to inappropriate prescribing and adverse outcomes. Despite polypharmacy being a known problem for decades, there is limited guidance describing how to manage polypharmacy in patients with cardiovascular disease, including when and how to initiate deprescribing strategies. Although polypharmacy can occur at any age, studies often focus on older adults. The prevalence and consequences of polypharmacy, coupled with current gaps in the deprescribing literature, highlight the need for a scientific statement focused on deprescribing in all patients with cardiovascular disease. Deprescribing can improve outcomes and can apply to both cardiovascular and noncardiovascular drugs because both contribute to polypharmacy and poor outcomes associated with inappropriate prescribing in patients with cardiovascular disease. This scientific statement reviews the consequences of polypharmacy in patients with cardiovascular disease and provides tailored deprescribing strategies across the life span, with an emphasis on the unique considerations in pediatric, adult, and older adult populations. These strategies include observing clinical cues and triggers, using validated deprescribing tools, engaging in shared decision-making, and leveraging the roles of all members of the health care team to address barriers to deprescribing. Last, this scientific statement highlights current challenges related to polypharmacy and deprescribing and suggests some strategies to address them.

001 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 01/07/2026

Better access to pharmacy resource for Hospital at Home teams is required to help meet patient’s medical needs more speedily and create parity with acute hospital care in terms of access to medicines. Hospital at Home in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 evaluation #Pharmsky www.gov.scot/publications...

The high-level summary of findings set out below is based on feedback from NHS
Scotland workforce involved in either delivering Hospital at Home (H@H) or
referring patients into H@H services. Their views were captured through an online
‘workforce’ survey (Nov 25 - Jan 26), focus groups and interviews (March 26). Note
that the brevity of this summary precludes the full breadth and depth of findings
from being presented. These findings comprise Phase 1 of the H@H evaluation;
the upcoming Phase 2 will produce an impact evaluation through interviews with
workforce, H@H patients and their families/carers, as well as an economic
analysis.

011 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 30/06/2026

Can the NHS afford Mounjaro? It spent £574m on the jab last year despite most eligible patients not getting it @bmj.com www.bmj.com/content/393/...

111 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 20/06/2026

Ensuring continued access to essential inhaled respiratory medications: a call to action from the Inhaled Respiratory medicine Innovation and environmental Sustainability (IRIS) group @europeanrespsoc.bsky.social #Pharmsky publications.ersnet.org/content/erj/...

010 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 19/06/2026

Our Path Ahead: Chief Medical Officer for Scotland Annual Report 2025–2026 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 www.gov.scot/publications...

000 0

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 20/05/2026

At least 80% of the responsibility for ill health in old age lies in how we choose to live our lives. There is always a doctor in you, so take charge of your health. Mindset, Exercise, Diet, Stress, Sleep, Social Connection and learn to be your happiest you. static1.squarespace.com/static/5d6cd...

032 3

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 15/05/2026

The BNF and BNFC’s guidance on medicines that cause drowsiness has been updated to help prevent co-sleeping deaths. #Pharmsky

000 0

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 08/05/2026

Pharmacy First Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 35% of the Scottish population (1,958,711) used Pharmacy First Scotland in the most recent 12 months reported (1 October 2024 to 30 September 2025). #Pharmsky

121 2

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 07/05/2026

National therapeutic indicator data 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 The number of inhalers licensed for AIR and/or MART prescribed as a proportion of all ICS and ICS/LABA inhalers prescribed has increased over time, from 32% in October to December 2023 to 43% in October to December 2025 publichealthscotland.scot/publications...

The indicator selected for this quarter focuses on the prescribing of inhalers licensed for maintenance and reliever therapy (MART) and anti-inflammatory reliever (AIR) therapy. The main treatment for asthma is inhaled therapy. The collaborative asthma guidelines developed by the British Thoracic Society (BTS), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) recommend the use of a combination inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)/formoterol inhaler prescribed as AIR or MART for all people newly diagnosed with asthma, as well as for those with poor control or adherence on their existing treatment. AIR and MART inhalers provide both anti-inflammatory treatment and symptom relief within a single inhaler. This approach can simplify treatment, improve asthma control, and reduce the need for separate reliever inhalers.

The chart below shows that the number of inhalers licensed for AIR and/or MART prescribed as a proportion of all ICS and ICS/LABA inhalers prescribed has increased over time, from 32% in October to December 2023 to 43% in October to December 2025. This suggests improved compliance from prescribers with the asthma guidelines.

021 2

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 07/05/2026

'I no longer feel asthmatic': more than a million people now using new style inhalers The change follows a landmark guideline published jointly in 2024 by NICE, BTS & SIGN @nicecomms.bsky.social #Pharmsky www.nice.org.uk/news/article...

For decades, the little blue inhaler was a lifeline for millions of people with asthma. But doctors now know it can make the condition worse - and a quiet revolution in treatment is already transforming lives.

Lee Newton-Proctor has had asthma since he was 3 years old. By the time he reached his late thirties, he had been hospitalised 18 times and was using up to 18 blue inhalers a year. In the year before he changed treatment, he missed over 5 weeks of work.

"I was dependent on it for day-to-day activities," he says. "It was my psychological safety net."

Then he switched his inhaler on his doctor's advice. Today, Lee, 41, runs, cycles and exercises regularly. "My life has been transformed. I no longer feel asthmatic. I can do what I want, when I want."

Lee is one of more than a million people in England now using a combination inhaler that prevents and relieves - and for the first time, that number has overtaken those still relying on the blue inhaler alone. It is a tipping point that doctors are calling a life-saving cultural shift in how asthma is treated.

The landmark guideline recommended that patients move away from the traditional blue inhaler - known medically as a short-acting beta2 agonist or SABA - towards combination inhalers that don't just relieve symptoms but tackle the underlying inflammation that causes attacks in the first place.

The problem with the blue inhaler, doctors say, is that it masks the problem without fixing it. Overuse is linked to a higher risk of attacks, hospital admissions and death. Nearly half of all blue inhaler users in England (48%) were prescribed more than two in 2024 to 2025, a level that specialists consider a warning sign.

"They make people feel better, but only briefly," says Dr Amina Al-Yassin, a GP and clinical lead for children and young people's services at Brent Integrated Care Partnership. "We now know that over time they are likely to make asthma worse. Seeing a blue inhaler used alone is now a dangerous s…

021 2

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 30/04/2026

From medicine cabinets to ecosystems: a Europe-wide assessment of household pharmaceutical waste disposal practices #Pharmsky www.frontiersin.org/journals/pha...

000 0

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 24/03/2026

Quality Prescribing for Chronic Pain: A Guide for Improvement 2026-2029 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #Pharmsky www.gov.scot/publications...

000 0

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 17/03/2026

The UKCPA Handbook of Pharmacogenomics Free-to-access online resource. @ukcpa.bsky.social #pharmsky pharmacogenomics-handbook.ukclinicalpharmacy.org/about-us/

The UKCPA Handbook of Pharmacogenomics aims to support the use of pharmacogenetic results to optimise medicines by providing healthcare professionals with evidence-based advice and guidance in a simple and easy to use format. It is a free-to-access online resource.

044 4

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 15/03/2026

Safe disposal of unused medicines A One Health approach for national systems. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) #pharmsky wedocs.unep.org/rest/api/cor...

001 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 15/03/2026

In patients with prior weight loss and metabolic improvement on GLP1 therapy, reduced-frequency maintenance dosing preserved outcomes. These findings support structured de-escalation as a promising strategy. #pharmsky onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10....

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate whether reduced-frequency dosing of GLP1 receptor agonists maintains weight loss, body composition, and metabolic syndrome improvements following successful initial treatment with standard weekly therapy.

Methods

This retrospective case series included 30 adults who achieved weight plateau while on weekly semaglutide or tirzepatide. Patients transitioned to reduced-frequency dosing (usually every other week) at their existing dose. Data were collected at three time points: pre-treatment, plateau (weekly dosing), and maintenance (reduced-frequency dosing). Primary outcome was change in body weight from plateau to maintenance. Secondary outcomes included body composition and metabolic syndrome comorbidities.

Results

Patients maintained reduced-frequency dosing for an average of 36.3 weeks. Weight decreased from 87.9 ± 2.4 kg at pre-treatment to 74.1 ± 2.4 kg at plateau and further to 72.4 ± 2.2 kg on maintenance dosing (p < 0.01). Total body and truncal fat declined, while skeletal muscle mass stabilized on the reduced-frequency regimen. Metabolic parameters improved during weekly dosing and these gains were maintained during reduced-frequency therapy.

Conclusions

In patients with prior weight loss and metabolic improvement on GLP1 therapy, reduced-frequency maintenance dosing preserved outcomes. These findings support structured de-escalation as a promising strategy to reduce treatment burden without sacrificing efficacy.

000 0

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 08/03/2026

Large-Scale Insulin Overdoses From Syringe-Related Errors: Analysis and Insights Across 47 Hospitals #Pharmsky patientsafetyj.com/article/1466...

000 0

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 08/03/2026

Public service spending and performance in Scotland. "Scottish public services are struggling to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, and cuts to some services loom." ifs.org.uk/publications...

Public services play an important role in supporting households’ well-being and their members’ life chances. This is especially true for low- and middle-income households, for whom the in-kind services received represent a larger share of overall consumption and for whom equivalent private services may be prohibitively expensive.
Most public service spending in Scotland – including the vast majority of what is spent on health, education, social care, transport, public order and safety, environmental and rural affairs and housing – is devolved to the Scottish Government and Scottish local authorities. But some – such as a significant share of research funding – is reserved to the UK government. Spending on public services – both devolved and reserved – was 22% higher per person in Scotland than in England in 2024–25, while benefit spending was 12% higher per person.
But how is this higher spending allocated across different services? How have these allocations changed over time? What are the trade-offs between services in future? And how do a range of headline indicators of public service outcomes vary between Scotland and the rest of Great Britain?

000 0

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 02/03/2026

Polypharmacy Guidance: appropriate prescribing, making medicines safe, effective and sustainable 2026 - 2029 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #Pharmsky www.gov.scot/publications...

Updated polypharmacy prescribing guidance. 'Appropriate Prescribing - Making medicines safe, effective and sustainable 2025-2028' aims to further improve the care of individuals taking multiple medicines through the use of 7-Steps medicine reviews and promotes a holistic approach to person-centred care.

033 3

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 18/02/2026

The new NICE Type 2 Diabetes in adults guidance recommends that most people should now be offered metformin along with an SGLT-2 inhibitor from the start. The guidance also recommends that people should be given a slow-release form of metformin. #Pharmsky www.nice.org.uk/news/article...

032 3

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 10/02/2026

People with respiratory conditions deserve excellent care, and clinicians deserve comprehensive support from health systems in order to provide it. As this report shows, there are many areas in which inhaler care needs to be improved. @asthmaandlung.org.uk www.asthmaandlung.org.uk/all-puffed-o...

Asthma deaths have increased by nearly 25% since 2014 and basic asthma care – including vital guidance on how to correctly use inhalers – is given to fewer than 1 in 3 people with asthma each year despite being advocated by national guidelines. Basic asthma care should be the norm, and limited access to this care increases a person’s likelihood of having an asthma attack, being hospitalised, or dying.
Following the new national asthma guideline published by BTS, NICE and SIGN in November 2024, Asthma + Lung UK is calling for better care for the 7.2 million people in the UK with asthma. The guideline presents a key opportunity to review and improve inhaler care, revolutionising asthma treatment through new approaches to treating asthma and expanding access to basic asthma care to improve health outcomes.
The new guideline makes ICS-formoterol the reliever of choice for most people with asthma. Where this isn’t the case, healthcare professionals should ensure concurrent prescribing of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) with a SABA inhaler as reliever. In all cases an appropriate personalised asthma action plan should be completed and shared with the patient to outline how to self-manage their condition.
A key part of good care is having the right inhaler, which may mean switching from one inhaler to another. This is a key opportunity to optimise a person’s asthma care and ensure they are receiving the best care. However, our survey of those who have had their inhaler changed recently found a worrying situation, and patients are clearly in need of significantly more clinical support.
We found that:
22% of people were switched with no appointment to oversee and explain the switch.
A third of patients say their condition control is worse after their inhaler has been switched.
39% of people who have their inhaler switched aren’t given any inhaler technique guidance at all.
Of those who were given some form of inhaler technique guidance, only 19% received gold standard guidance,…

110 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 04/02/2026

National therapeutic indicators data visualisation Data to September 2025 The indicator chosen to highlight this quarter relates to prescribing of amoxicillin. Data suggests improved compliance from prescribers with the antibiotic prescribing policies. publichealthscotland.scot/publications...

The indicator chosen to highlight this quarter relates to prescribing of amoxicillin. This indicator, shown below, presents the proportion of five-day courses of amoxicillin prescribed as a proportion of all amoxicillin prescriptions. Amoxicillin is an antibiotic commonly prescribed for respiratory infections, and NICE guidance recommends five days' treatment for most common community respiratory infections. This is to ensure that antibiotics are not taken longer than is clinically necessary, and to slow the development of antimicrobial resistance. The chart below shows that the number of 5-day course amoxicillin prescriptions as a percentage of all amoxicillin prescriptions (items) has increased over time, from 70% in July to September 2023 to 76% in July to September 2025. This suggests improved compliance from prescribers with the antibiotic prescribing policies.

000 0

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 04/02/2026

The Essentials of Safe Care is a practical package of evidence-based guidance and support that enables Scotland’s health and social care system to deliver safe care. @healthimprovescot.bsky.social www.healthcareimprovementscotland.scot/improving-ca...

SPSP Essentials of Safe Care

Creating the conditions for safe care, improving outcomes for every person, every time across health and care.

The Essentials of Safe Care is a practical package of evidence-based guidance and support that enables Scotland’s health and social care system to deliver safe care. It forms the building blocks for each SPSP programme of work.

The essential drivers of safe care

Working in partnership with health and social care teams and several representative bodies across Scotland, the following essentials have been identified as being central to supporting the safe delivery of care across health and care.

A people-led approach to the planning and delivery of safe care
Effective and inclusive communication
Leadership at all levels to support a culture of safety
Safe clinical and care processes

021 2

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 04/02/2026

Estimated prescribing patterns for care home patients aged 65 years and over in England #Pharmsky nhsbsa-data-analytics.shinyapps.io/estimated-pr...

Key findings

The estimated number of care home patients aged 65 years and over who received prescribing has increased since 2020/21. The number of prescription items and associated drug cost also increased.

In 2024/25, we estimated a monthly average of 331,000 care home patients aged 65 years and over receiving prescriptions. They received an estimated 42 million prescription items at a drug cost of £410 million.

Care home patients aged 65 years and over received a higher rate of prescribing than non-care home patients. This includes prescribing of drugs associated with a falls risk and anti-cholinergic burden. They received less prescribing of medicines associated with kidney injury.

Care home patients also received a different range of medicines to non-care home patients. They were more likely to receive Vitamin D and drugs for pain relief. Non-care home patients were more likely to receive Atorvastatin. The total drug cost for Paracetamol for care home patients has doubled in the last five years to an estimated £22.4 million, whereas costs have reduced for non-carehome patients.

Almost two-thirds of care home patients aged 65 years and over who received prescriptions were female. Just over 4 in 10 were females aged 85 years and over.

Monthly prescribing costs and volumes varied by age, gender, care home type and geography. These insights will benefit from local interpretation.

000 0

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 23/01/2026

www.publications.scot.nhs.uk/publication/...

000 0

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 21/01/2026

SGLT2 inhibitors in frailty: a review of current evidence, and clinical recommendations. #Pharmsky bjcardio.co.uk/2026/01/sglt...

032 3

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 23/12/2025

NHS Scotland - climate emergency and sustainability: annual report 2025 www.gov.scot/publications...

This year’s report shows how NHS Scotland is working to reduce its environmental impact and adapting its infrastructure and services to address the risks presented by climate change. It also illustrates some of the wider benefits which work in this area offers.

011 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 23/12/2025

Position Statement on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by NHS professionals when answering medicine-related questions #Pharmsky www.ukmi.nhs.uk/fileDownload...

034 4

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 17/12/2025

Carbohydrate Reduction and a Holistic Model of Care in Diabetes Management: Insights from a Retrospective Multi-Year Audit in New Zealand Overall, 32.1% of patients with type 2 diabetes at baseline achieved reversal. www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/17...

010 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 02/11/2025

Hospital at Home | Guiding principles for service development 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 www.healthcareimprovementscotland.scot/wp-content/u...

010 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 29/10/2025

Isotretinoin - updates to prescribing guidance and survey of services | Drug Safety Update #Pharmsky www.gov.uk/drug-safety-...

Overview of Measures

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has reviewed the impact of the implementation of the recommendations advised by the Commission on Human Medicines (CHM) who were informed by its Isotretinoin Expert Working Group (IEWG) and Isotretinoin Implementation Advisory Expert Working Group (IIAEWG) in 2023.

The CHM has endorsed changes to the isotretinoin prescribing guidance of the IIAEWG and an addendum to the IIAEWG report has been published to amend and clarify previous advice, regarding follow-up consultations, pregnancy testing and sexual function monitoring.

In addition, the CHM agreed an effective approach is required to monitor the adherence to risk minimisation measures going forward, whilst supporting patient access to treatment across all age groups.  As such, the MHRA seeks to undertake a survey of services where isotretinoin is prescribed to support its safe prescribing.

Both NHS and private services which prescribe isotretinoin for the treatment of acne will be asked to complete a baseline survey by 16 November 2025. This data will be used to inform the CHM recommendations on the regulatory requirements of isotretinoin, whilst supporting patient access to treatment across all age groups. It will also provide baseline information to monitor adherence to risk minimisation measures, to ensure the continuation of safe prescribing.

010 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 15/10/2025

AN OVERVIEW OF THE SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH IN SCOTLAND: THE COLLABORATION FOR HEALTH EQUITY IN SCOTLAND www.instituteofhealthequity.org/resources-re...

020 2

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 11/10/2025

AGA Clinical Practice Guideline on Management of Gastroparesis #Pharmsky www.gastrojournal.org/article/S001...

010 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 01/10/2025

Empowering patients and upskilling clinicians to tackle overprescribing #Pharmsky thehealthinnovationnetwork.co.uk/news/empower...

The programme has successfully engaged with over 12,000 healthcare professionals to support them with the skills and confidence to tackle overprescribing, delivered 124 communities of practice across the country, and co-developed vital resources to empower patients in conversations about their medicines.
The programme was launched in April 2022 to address the urgent and growing challenge of problematic polypharmacy – when a patient is taking multiple medicines, some of which may no longer be necessary or could be causing harm.
The scale of the issue is considerable. In March 2025, more than 718,000 people aged 65 and over in England were taking 10 or more medicines, a figure projected to exceed 1.1 million by 2035 without effective intervention.
To address this, the programme, which engaged all 42 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) across England, was built on a core three-pillar approach:
Population health management: using NHS data to identify patients most at risk of harm from their medicines.
Education and training: upskilling the primary care workforce to confidently and safely stop unnecessary medicines.
Changing public behaviour: co-producing resources to support patients in having better, shared-decision-making conversations about their medicines.
A range of Polypharmacy education and learning events reached 12,891 health and care professionals, including 1,301 GPs and pharmacists who completed the Polypharmacy Action Learning Sets (ALS) course, which has been exceptionally well-received:
99% of ALS participants said they would recommend the course to colleagues.
83% reported making changes to their practice as a result, including increasing shared decision-making with patients and actively stopping medicines.
Participants highly valued the interactive, peer-to-peer discussions and specialist input, particularly from geriatricians. One GP described the course as transformative, saying: “This will change my practice more than any learning event I have ever done.”

021 2

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 01/10/2025

Five years of a greener NHS: progress and forward look. "NHS Carbon Footprint emissions have already decreased by 14% since the strategy to deliver a net zero NHS was published, and over 68% since 1990". #Pharmsky #Medsky www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/fi...

In 2020, the NHS became the first healthcare system in the world to commit to becoming net zero.

This commitment was made in response to the evidence that climate change is no longer a distant threat but is already affecting the health and wellbeing of patients and communities across the country.

The benefits of taking action not only reduce the future impacts of climate change, but also deliver more immediate benefits for health.

Such action sits alongside the urgent need to adapt the NHS to the impacts of climate change, which will be felt hardest by the most vulnerable in our society, and will place significant strain on NHS infrastructure, staff and finances.

Healthcare in England is estimated to contribute between 4% and 5% of national emissions, and around 40% of all emissions generated by the public sector.

Not only does the NHS have a clear responsibility to minimise its environmental impact, building a more sustainable NHS offers a unique opportunity to deliver better patient care while minimising cost and impact on future services.

NHS England committed to regular reviews of progress, and this report is the first assessment.

To support this work, the NHS Net Zero Expert Panel – comprising global leaders and specialists in environmental sustainability, healthcare and carbon analytics – was convened to provide guidance on the next stages of this critical journey.

Despite the challenges over recent years, NHS staff have demonstrated extraordinary dedication. They have embraced sustainability principles, implemented impactful solutions and driven change.

Thanks to their efforts, NHS Carbon Footprint emissions have already decreased by 14% since the strategy to deliver a net zero NHS was published, and over 68% since 1990 – an impressive achievement given the context, and a reflection of their commitment.

051 5

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 17/09/2025

Palliative Care Matters for All Palliative care strategy (2025–30) 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Working together to improve life, health and care for people of all ages living with life shortening conditions or dying in Scotland. www.gov.scot/publications...

110 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 11/09/2025

Oral methylcobalamin significantly lowered the severity of hand-foot syndrome by reducing the incidence of grade ≥2 symptoms without unexpected safety concerns in women with HER2 negative early breast cancer who were receiving adjuvant capecitabine treatment. #Pharmsky www.bmj.com/content/390/...

010 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 04/09/2025

Chronic heart failure in adults: diagnosis and management | NICE guideline 106 (updated 2025). Core Treatments for heart failure. #Pharmsky

000 0

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 04/09/2025

Chronic heart failure in adults: diagnosis and management | NICE guideline 106 (updated 2025). Specialist heart failure pharmacists as part of the heart failure MDT - new recommendation. #Pharmsky @nicecomms.bsky.social www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng106

142 4

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 01/09/2025

Home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) should be available for patients with suspected and diagnosed hypertension. Only upper arm cuff monitors that have been validated by the British & Irish Hypertension Society should be used to ensure accuracy of the monitors. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 SHTG shtg.scot/our-advice/h...

011 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 01/09/2025

Quality Prescribing for Chronic Pain 2026-2029 | Consultation closes 31 October 2025 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #Pharmsky www.gov.scot/publications...

010 1

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 25/08/2025

SGLT2 inhibitor use is associated with improved outcomes in very elderly patients with heart failure and high comorbidity burden. #Pharmsky #Medsky www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/...

142 4

Euan Reid @euanreid.pharmsky.app · 25/08/2025

Pharmacist interventions reduce all-cause and HF hospitalisations, underscoring their role in alleviating HF's clinical burden. Prioritising their integration into multidisciplinary teams is essential to advance HF care. #Pharmsky bpspubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

000 0