The Chief Medical Officer along with the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer and the Interim Chief Nursing Officer has writing to provide members with important details regarding the 2025 Spring COVID-19 vaccination programme, which will run from 31st March to 30th June 2025.

The CPS Board is currently discussing and reviewing the following top three items. While these are still "works in progress" and specific details are not yet available, further information will be provided as it becomes available.

We are pleased to confirm that the next Independent Prescribers meeting will take place on Thursday 27th March 2025.

You will have received a form in February, directly from CPS, asking you to send details for your organisation's finance lead and inviting you to join the CPS WhatsApp Groups. If you have not completed and returned the form, you need to do so asap.

As part of the policy team’s involvement on the Digital Prescribing and Dispensing Pathways programme we are looking for your input on some key questions to help inform how the system is built.

The Specialist Pharmacy Services (SPS) website represents a valuable resource to Pharmacy teams and is well worth taking a look at for those not already aware of it.

Recent reports have highlighted an increase in sudden collapse after injecting or smoking heroin. This appears linked to a rapid onset into overdose and multiple repeat doses of naloxone being required to reverse overdose.

Our colleagues at the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) will be hosting a virtual event to engage with pharmacy professionals on the key issues shaping the future of pharmacy.

Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS) is delighted to host its 11th Annual Charity Golf Day at the stunning Mar Hall Golf and Spa Resort. To help raise essential funds for this remarkable charity, we have expanded our sponsorship opportunities, allowing more businesses to contribute and gain valuable exposure.

Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS) attended the annual Pharmacy in Practice Conference on the 12th March 2025 in Edinburgh. The day consisted of a breadth of panel discussion sessions focusing on innovation in, and the future of pharmacy practice.

Your next courier collection is scheduled for Thursday, March 20th, 2025. We have produced the following guidelines for your prescription bag submissions.

The Detect Cancer Earlier campaign ‘Be the Early Bird’ is LIVE throughout March 2025 but with a difference! A new Early Bird, ‘Bonnie’, has been introduced to raise awareness of lesser known head and neck cancer symptoms. We are delighted to share NEW campaign material and would welcome your support in helping us spread this important #BeTheEarlyBird message once again.

Endometriosis Awareness Month is taking place throughout March and is dedicated to raising awareness about endometriosis, a chronic and painful condition affecting many women across the UK. This month provides an opportunity to increase public understanding of the condition and encourage those who are suffering to seek medical advice from their GP practice.

From 1st April 2025, it will be a legal requirement for individuals to be a member of the PVG Scheme when carrying out a regulated role with children, protected adults, or both.

There have been some clinical incidents as a result of higher than expected levels of Vit D3 being in the product.

Pharmacies across Scotland have the opportunity to contribute to the development of the future pharmacy workforce by supporting student pharmacist experiential learning (EL) in the 2025-26 academic year.

This Circular advises community pharmacy contractors that the Serious Shortage Protocol for Estradot® (Estradiol) 50 micrograms / 24 hours transdermal patch, a hormone replacement therapy product has been extended.

We are pleased to see that the House of Lords recently held a debate which used community pharmacy as a central talking point, eventually voting overwhelmingly in favour of granting an exemption to this rise in business costs.

The approved list of products for the NHS Pharmacy First Scotland Service has been updated from the 1st March 2025.

Due to the day on which the 1st March falls this year, we will publish the March edition of Part 7 on the website slightly later than usual, early next week.

We are pleased to let you know that there are two new Teach and Treat Hubs coming in April. The new hubs will be in Saracen Pharmacy and Garscadden Pharmacy, and will support the delivery of the Teach & Treat sessions.

Congratulations to everyone who has recently passed their Independent Prescribing Courses. Well done! Once you have had the chance to celebrate, here are some details for next steps.

As part of the preparations for the recruitment process for the summer 2026 intake of Foundation Training Year (FTY) trainee pharmacists,

Your next courier collection is scheduled for Thursday, March 6th, 2025. We have produced the following guidelines for your prescription bag submissions.

From 4th November 2024, the Ask for ANI scheme has no longer been available in pharmacies. However, the Safe Spaces scheme has continued in over 6,000 Pharmacies, Banks and Building Societies across the UK. The Safe Spaces scheme is overseen by Scottish Women’s Aid/Hestia.

Do you have questions about NHS Pharmacy First Scotland / NHS PFS Plus and or the UCF Module?

New resources have been developed to support healthcare professionals in the management of Valproate prescribing.

Our Community Pharmacy Health Board (CPHB) committees are at the forefront of local service negotiation. Currently, a number of our CPHB Committees have vacancies available for Associate Members for the term 2025-2028.

Vicky Park, a Senior Educator with NES Pharmacy, is currently looking for participants for an MSc research project on the remote assessment of physical assessment skills, which may support our understanding of assessment options going forward.