Letter from Chief Pharmaceutical Officer Alison Strath
Published: 24/12/21

The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for Scotland has written a letter of thanks to CP teams across Scotland thanking them for the contribution made by pharmacy teams during what has been an exhausting 21 months.
Dear colleagues,
As we come towards the end of 2021, I wanted to take the opportunity to let you know how immensely thankful I am to all pharmacy teams across all sectors of the NHS. I have never been more proud of the contribution made by pharmacists and pharmacy teams during what has been an exhausting 21 months.
Each of you have reduced the impact of the pandemic on your local communities and I am aware of the toll has had and that the continued support of colleagues has been essential in these difficult times. The collective effort by you all on behalf of your patients and wider public has been nothing short of extraordinary.
I know we were all hoping that COVID-19 would be less dominant across health and social care services as we move into the New Year, but the Omicron variant is clearly going to put a great deal of pressure on services and all health and social care professionals.
The vaccination programme, and booster vaccines in particular, remain our best countermeasure against this variant and I would encourage those of you who have not yet made arrangements to receive your booster vaccine to visit NHS Inform and book your booster vaccine as soon as possible - Coronavirus (COVID-19) booster vaccination | The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine (nhsinform.scot). This is the best way to keep you, your family, your colleagues and your patients safe.
In addition, to strengthen the reach and impact of our ongoing activity, the Scottish Government is launching a focused #BoostedByTheBells campaign from December 26 to increase the uptake of the booster vaccine in the last days of 2021. I would really appreciate your support from 26th to 31st December to help encourage as many people in Scotland as possible to come forward to get the booster.
As we head into 2022 and a New Year in which we will no doubt face many more challenges, I want to reiterate my unwavering confidence in you all and again my ongoing thanks for all that you continue to do to provide pharmaceutical care services to your local communities.
Thank you.
Alison Strath Chief Pharmaceutical Officer
NHS Inform offers Women’s Health pages with advice and support. Resources for promoting these pages and raising awareness about endometriosis are available from the SG Campaign Resource Centre. Community pharmacies in Scotland provide support for women’s health issues through Pharmacy First.
Your next courier collection is scheduled for Thursday, April 3rd, 2025. We have produced the following guidelines for your prescription bag submissions.
Community pharmacists who completed the CPS/NES Independent Prescribing Training can attend a Teach & Treat (T&T) session after qualifying and completing four Clinical Skills days. These sessions, led by experienced prescribers, offer valuable support. New hubs are now open in Saracen Pharmacy and Garscadden. For details, check your TURAS account.
NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is seeking volunteers to help develop the Pharmacy Foundation Training assessment for 2025. Subject matter experts are needed for 45-minute interviews via phone or Microsoft Teams to create scenarios for Situational Judgement Tests (SJTs). Interested individuals should contact Jo at Work Psychology Group to schedule an interview. No financial compensation is provided.
Our colleagues at NSS have let us know that there is planned downtime of the patient registration service from 6pm on Friday April 4th to 8am on Monday the 7th of April.
FT/ PT Pharmacist role days negotiable for local community Pharmacy in Lochgilphead. Would suit experienced or newly qualified pharmacist looking for a stable work/learning environment. Potential to support Independent Prescribing course should this be desirable. Possible live in accommodation due to location.
This week’s MCR Ready Reckoner has been updated and is now available to download or you can view it via the App.
As a Senior Dispenser, you will be a key player in the smooth operation of our luxurious, high-end pharmacy, where we pride ourselves on delivering premium service in a spacious and elegant environment.
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.
Sheila MacFarlane Pharmacy is an independent, family-run, two-branch pharmacy based in the heart of Broughty Ferry. Customer service is at the heart of everything we do, and we have an experienced team of support staff.
We are seeking an experienced pharmacist looking to take on a management position in our Milton Road pharmacy. The pharmacy is a large business and requires someone who can work at a fast pace and deliver excellent customer service to our patients.
We are seeking a Pharmacist who is looking for a manager position within a mid-sized pharmacy business. This position would suit someone starting out in their management career or someone who is looking to build and grow a service base with independent prescribing clinics.
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.

Digital Communications Officer
This Circular advises community pharmacy contractors that the Serious Shortage Protocol for Estradot® (Estradiol) 50 micrograms / 24 hours transdermal patch (SSP079), a hormone replacement therapy (HRT) product, due to expire on 21 March 2025 has been extended until Friday 4 April 2025.