Media Coverage

Updated June 2020

Pharmacy in the news

There’s already been intense media interest in pharmacy and medicines, in light of coronavirus.

12 Mar

The Mirror. Pharmacists ramp up pressure on Rishi Sunak and top Tories to cover Covid costs

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/pharmacists-ramp-up-pressure-rishi-23703384

Sky News. The simple hand signal that lets people know you’re in danger – and other ways to ask for help

https://news.sky.com/story/the-simple-hand-signal-that-lets-people-know-youre-in-danger-and-other-ways-to-ask-for-help-12243563

9 Mar

Pharmacy Business. NPA members take funding campaign to ministers’ own backyards; MPs debate pharmacy in Commons

NPA members take funding campaign to ministers’ own backyards; MPs debate pharmacy in Commons

8 Mar

Pharmacy Business. NPA pharmacy jobs scheme reaches 100 milestone

NPA pharmacy jobs scheme reaches 100 milestone

3 March

ICP. Pharmacy leaders condemn ‘exasperating’ Sunak budget

https://www.independentpharmacist.co.uk/668787-pharmacy-leaders-condemn-exasperating-sunak-budget

BBC. Contraception: Should the pill be sold over the counter?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56147693

Pharmacy Magazine. NPA deal with Medicspot enables pharmacies to sell Covid-19 PCR tests

https://www.pharmacymagazine.co.uk/npa-deal-with-medicspot-enables-pharmacies-to-sell-covid-19-pcr-tests

1 March

C&D. NPA chair: It’s time for DH to make good on pharmacy funding promises

https://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/opinion/npa-chair-its-time-dh-make-good-pharmacy-funding-promises

17 February

Pharmacy Business. NHS lowers minimum threshold to 400 jabs a week for pharmacy-led vaccination sites

NHS lowers minimum threshold to 400 jabs a week for pharmacy-led vaccination sites

16 February

C&D. GPhC changes position on sale of COVID-19 rapid antibody tests

https://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/news/gphc-reviews-its-position-sale-covid-19-rapid-antibody-tests

10 February

The Guardian. Pharmacists in England considering strike action over Covid debts

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/feb/10/pharmacists-in-england-considering-strike-action-over-covid-debts

5 February

The Independent. On the vaccination frontline: ‘A bike shop owner said we could use half of his store for free’

https://inews.co.uk/news/health/vaccination-frontline-bike-shop-owner-store-free-raj-patel-hollowood-85995

4 February

ICP. PHE pulls guidance advising against Covid testing in pharmacies

https://www.independentpharmacist.co.uk/663864-phe-pulls-guidance-advising-against-covid-testing-in-pharmacies

3 February

Kent Messenger TV. Amish Patel interview on vaccine fears.

https://www.kentonline.co.uk/kmtv/video/pharmacists-in-kent-are-urging-people-from-bame-communities-to-take-up-their-coronavirus-vaccines-33288/

29 January

Pharmacy ‘first ports of call’ are disappearing in struggling communities

https://www.pharmaceutical-journal.com/news-and-analysis/features/pharmacy-first-ports-of-call-are-disappearing-in-struggling-communities/20208763.article

28 January

Pharmacy Business. More pharmacies join network of over 1,400 vaccination sites

More pharmacies join network of over 1,400 vaccination sites

21 January

ICP. Another 65 pharmacies begin Covid vaccinations

https://www.independentpharmacist.co.uk/661122-another-65-pharmacies-begin-covid-vaccinations

20 January

The Independent: On the vaccination front line: pharmacists feel close to our patients – we’re honoured to be involved in jabs

https://inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/vaccination-front-line-pharmacist-vaccine-rollout-836906

14 January

BBC News: Andrew Lane interview

BBC: Covid-19: High Street chemists start vaccinations in England

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55649947

Independent: Codeword scheme in pharmacies to give domestic abuse victims ‘lifeline’

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/domestic-abuse-pharmacies-codeword-scheme-boots-b1786810.html

Eastern Eye: Let local pharmacists help with vaccinations

https://www.easterneye.biz/let-local-pharmacists-help-with-vaccinations/

13 January

ICP. NPA and RPS celebrate milestone anniversaries

https://www.independentpharmacist.co.uk/659320-npa-and-rps-celebrate-milestone-anniversaries

8 January

Pharmacy Magazine. Vulnerable communities will get vaccine says minister

https://www.pharmacymagazine.co.uk/people-at-risk-of-missing-covid-vaccine-will-get-one-says-equalities-minister

BBC News: NPA Chair, Andrew Lane discusses COVID vaccinations.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcnews

7 January

NPA took part in important, can-do meeting with Kemi Badenoch, Jo Churchill and Nadhim Zahawi.

5 January

FT: Frontline UK teams query ability to vaccinate most vulnerable

https://www.ft.com/content/62422c11-3c63-4c70-a196-610d26fd2cb2

31 December

Daily Telegraph (paywall). Boris Johnson to move ‘heaven and earth’ to roll out vaccine and ease tough new restrictions

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/coronavirus-news-tier-4-announcement-covid-restrictions-oxford/

FT (paywall). How does the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine work?

https://www.ft.com/content/52d37cb2-e23c-4881-b7f1-416d554f248e

17 December

ICP. Pharmacy Covid funding petition passes 40,000 signatures

https://www.independentpharmacist.co.uk/655971-pharmacy-covid-funding-petition-passes-40000-signatures-

14 December

Conservative Home. Steve Brine: The pharmacists have helped us through this crisis. Yet their future is threatened.

https://www.conservativehome.com/platform/2020/12/steve-brine-the-pharmacists-have-helped-us-through-this-crisis-yet-their-future-is-threatened.html

Pharmacy Magazine. AAH axes pharmacy surcharges following critical NPA report

https://www.pharmacymagazine.co.uk/aah-weve-stopped-surcharges-on-pharmacies

11 December

Pharmacy Business. Campaigners urge for COVID-19 funding to save pharmacies from closure

https://www.pharmacy.biz/campaigners-urge-for-covid-19-funding-to-save-pharmacies-from-closure/

ICP. NPA creates 400 placements for unemployed youth

https://www.independentpharmacist.co.uk/654336-npa-reaches-400-placements-in-new-unemployment-scheme

5 December

The Sun. Brits urged to get flu and COVID-19 double vaccination this winter – but at least a week apart

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/13394856/patients-urged-to-get-flu-covid-jabs-apart/

25 November

Pharmacy Magazine. Pharmacies need share of NHS £3bn, NPA tells Sunak  https://www.pharmacymagazine.co.uk/some-of-the-3bn-outlined-for-nhs-must-go-to-pharmacy-warns-npa

9 November

ICP. NPA ‘won’t stop lobbying for funding support’

https://www.independentpharmacist.co.uk/649715-npa-we-wont-stop-lobbying-for-funding-support

Pharmacy Business. Nearly 70 per cent of UK adults visited pharmacy during pandemic: NPA survey

https://www.pharmacy.biz/nearly-70-per-cent-of-uk-adults-visited-pharmacy-during-pandemic-npa-survey/

4 November

C&D. How pharmacy further integrated with NHS during ‘gruelling’ COVID-19

https://www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/feature/pharmacies-nhs-covid

15 October

Mirror. Local chemists warn they could close just as coronavirus second wave strikes

13 September

Mirror. 1,300 pharmacies beg chemist’s son Rishi Sunak to save them from closure

Mirror. Jackie Doyle-Price: Stop quibbling over pharmacy funds and avert a national tragedy

4 September

Mirror. ‘End of local chemist’ as fears thousands of essential family businesses could close

Andrew Lane, NPA Chair on BBC News, and Sky News: