PHARMACY Pharmacy Brunch Northern Ireland
As we go to print, the next NI Pharmacy Brunch is about to take place. The session will focus on how pharmacies can run more efficiently, while creating the capacity to grow services and strengthen their teams.
It will explore practical ways to improve workforce management, make better use of the skill mix in the dispensary and build trust within pharmacy teams so staff can take on greater responsibility. The discussion also intends to look at the regulatory landscape in Northern Ireland, with guidance from local experts on how to navigate compliance while developing new services.
Watch out for the full round-up in the next edition of Pharmacy in Focus.
Binge Drinking on the Up
The number of generation z adults who are binge drinking or taking illegal drugs is on the up, according to a new study by the University College London.
The research found 68% of young adults aged 23 reported binge drinking in the past year, an increase from 53% when the same participants were aged 17. The study also found that rates of frequent binge drinking, defined as consuming six or more alcoholic drinks in one sitting, tripled in the same period from 10% reporting doing so once a month or more at age 17 to 29% when they were 23.
Regular binge drinking was more common among 23-year-olds in Scotland (37%) and Northern Ireland (35%) than in England (28%) and Wales (26%).
Those behind the study said their findings highlight the need for “sustained policy attention to substance use and addictive behaviours in young adults”.
PSNI’s New Corporate Strategy
A new corporate strategy for the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has been released. Developed with input from a range of stakeholders, it sets the key objectives and vision for PSNI for the coming years.
The Society said an annual business plan would be produced to reflect the various work streams that would be progressed. The Council of the PSNI will be regularly updated and there will be a mid- cycle review in 2027. Full details on developments will also be included in each year’s annual report.
In separate PSNI news, it was announced by the Professional Standards Authority for
44
pharmacyinfocus.co.uk
Health and Social Care (PSA) that the Society had met 14 out of 18 standards in its 2024/25 annual performance review. Commenting on the review, PSNI President, Dr Geraldine O’Hare said: “I am pleased to see an improvement in our performance, which is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all staff and Council colleagues. Whilst the Society is encouraged by the progress and improvements being made, we are of course, disappointed not to have met all of the standards. The Society is confident that, with the appropriate funding and resources in place, it can further improve on its performance for the 2025/26 reporting period.”
Keep up to date with the latest Northern Ireland Community Pharmacy news at
pharmacyinfocus.co.uk and watch out for more in-depth articles on some of these topics in future editions of the magazine.
NEWS
In case you missed it on the Pharmacy In Focus website, here is a quick round up of what has been taking place within the Northern Ireland community pharmacy sector over the past couple of months and what’s coming up.
PSNI Starts Prescriber Consultation
The Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has opened a 12-week consultation on the proposed draft standard for pharmacist prescribers and its regulatory expectations of them. The consultation will close at 5pm on June 11, 2026.
The updated standards will replace standards and guidance from 2013 and will reflect significant changes in legislation, education and practice. All newly qualified pharmacists will become independent prescribers from September 2026.
The PSNI said the new standards had been designed to:
• Protect patients and the public
• Support professional judgement across diverse practice settings
• Promote safe, accountable and evidence-based prescribing
• Reflect modern models of care, including remote and digital prescribing
The standards are structured around seven core principles, covering person centred care, scope of practice and competence, clinical judgement, communication and collaboration, safety and accountability, reflective practice and professional and ethical standards.
Pharmacists, trainees, employers and other healthcare professionals are among those being invited to provide feedback. Views gathered in this consultation will help to inform the final version of standards.
Learn more at
PSNI.org.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
