The new medicine service is a real boon to patients and pharmacists. Here is one advanced service that lets you show just what you can do. Quite simply, the service is the most important development in pharmacy services since MURs.
Value-based pricing is, at its heart, a simple idea. Rather than agreeing the cost of a medicine by negotiating with the manufacturer, you set the cost of the drug according to the benefit it brings to patients.
There are no direct treatments for metabolic syndrome: treatment aims to reduce the negative consequences of the syndrome: hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, CVD and diabetes. However, the underlying cause - excess weight, specifically abdominal fat - needs to be tackled. Without this, patients are likely to require progressively more aggressive treatments to deal with complications.
Unstable angina and other acute coronary syndromes are medical emergencies. This Update tells you how to identify the condition, how it is managed, and how to reduce risks to patients.
Do you believe in growing pains? A boy of 13 complains of pain mostly in his legs but sometimes in his arms as well. He is a bit moody and off his food. Which condition in children and adolescents is often initially put down to growing pains?
You have noticed a small error on a prescription for methadone - after it has been dispensed. What should you do, and what are the potential consequences of this error? Share your views with other pharmacists. Email
chris.chapman@ubm.com
You are due to start a locum shift at 9am but the technician has to start preparing methadone doses at 8am. You are asked to sign in that you were responsible for the pharmacy from 8am. Would you agree to do this?
Pharmacists face ethical dilemmas every day. To help you make the right decisions, every month C+D presents a scenario likely to arise in a community pharmacy and offers comment from the Pharmacy Law and Ethics Association on the legal and ethical implication of the actions open to you.
A child is brought into the pharmacy with a sore and inflamed nose. The child has recently had a cold, the parent says, but the crusting around the nose seems to be getting worse. You suspect the crusting is caused by impetigo.
QUESTIONS
1. Staphylococcal and streptococcal bacteria are the two most common causes of impetigo. True or false?
2. Impetigo always develops in previously damaged skin, such as cut or scratch. True or false?
3. The rash always develops within 24 hours of contact with the bacteria in another affected individual. True or false?
4. The infection may be spread by towels and flannels, so any affected patients should avoid sharing these. True or false?
5. This condition is very rare in patients with diabetes, as insulin usually has a protective affect. True or false?
Improve your Medicines Use Reviews with the C+D MUR Zone - an online library of essential information about Medicines Use Reviews.
Written by practising pharmacists experienced in conducting MURs, the C+D MUR Zone explains everything about MURs, from the very basics of 'what is an MUR?', to details about MUR accreditation and tips to help you conduct MURs, which have been categorised by conditions and drugs/drug types.
C+D offers an interactive MUR accreditation course in conjunction with the Medway School of Pharmacy. Skills for MURs is endorsed by PSNC. Click here for more >>
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Make your CPD journey as easy as 1,2,3 with C+D Update 2011
As the General Pharmaceutical Council continues its call and review of CPD records, make sure you're prepared with this guide from Priya Rasanayagam, CPD manager at the RPSGB.
From educational articles to accredited training courses, C+D provides pharmacists with the knowledge and skills to provide effective patient and customer service. For more information:
A training resource which provides the knowledge, information and tools required to plan and deliver basic medicines management training to staff working within care homes.
Retail Skills for Pharmacy Staff is a distance learning course from Chemist+Druggist and Hamacher Group, supported by SSL International, to improve the retailing skills of pharmacy staff.
Help your pharmacy staff prevent sales of medicines containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine being diverted for the illicit manufacture of crystal meth with this retail training programme.
The RPSGB has set minimum mandatory CPD standards for practising pharmacists and registered technicians in Great Britain. Farida Sharafali explains what the changes mean for you.
Want to learn more about a particular clinical topic? Find Pharmacy Update articles, scenarios from A Practical Approach and MUR Tips all organised by topic in our clinical article index.
Every week ahead of the pre-reg exam we will help you test your knowledge by publishing a quick Q&A. Just read the question then check your answer and work through the explanation.
A new question will appear every week on this page and also on the C+D Clinical email newsletter.
Which d
rugs require safe custody, and which require entries into the CD register? Test yourself with these three questions for the closed book pre-registration exam.
Where do you find out if medicines should be stored in the fridge? And what benefits does GPhC membership grant? Test yourself with these two questions.
What CPD can you submit to the GPhC? And which of our selection are true counselling points for warfarin? Test yourself with these two questions for the closed book exam.
What juices can you drink while taking simvastatin and warfarin? Test your knowledge with these questions and hone your skills ahead of the closed book exam.
If you're looking for some pre-registration exam practice over Christmas, look no further. Try these two questions on molecular weight for the closed book exam.
Do you know what endorsements to make on prescriptions? Prove it by answering these two questions from the pre-registration exam. You are allowed to use the Drug Tariff to find the answer.
Test your knowledge on veterinary medicines with these three questions from the open book pre-registration exam. You'll need a copy of the MEP to hand.
Test yourself or your pre-registration pharmacist on these two questions for the open book exam. You'll need a copy of Medicines, Ethics and Practice to hand.
Pit your wits against these two questions from the open book pre-registration exam. You'll need a copy of the BNF, Drug Tariff and Medicines, Ethics and Practice.
Looking to hone your skills ahead of the pre-registration exam? Test yourself with these two questions from the open book. You'll need a BNF, MEP and Drug Tariff.
Feeling assertive? Try these two multiple assertion questions for the pre-registration exam. One is from the closed book, the other from the open book, so make sure you have a BNF, Drug Tariff and MEP to hand.
If you're already qualified and want to check your knowledge, or are looking to get your pre-registration year kicked off to a flying start, try these two questions from the closed book exam.
If you're just starting your pre-registration year or just want to brush up on your clinical knowledge, try these two questions from the closed book exam.
If you're getting ready for the pre-registration exam or just want to hone your clinical diagnosis skills, try these three questions from the closed book
and see if you can identify the presenting conditions.
Looking for some calculations practice ahead of the pre-registration exam? Have a go at these two questions and make sure you're ready for the closed book paper.
Make sure you're prepared for the pre-registration exam with these two questions from the open book on controlled drugs rules. You'll need to use your copy of Medicines, Ethics and Practice.
Make sure you're up to speed on controlled drugs regulations ahead of the pre-registration exam, with these two questions for the open book paper. You'll need a copy of Medcines, Ethics and Practice to hand.
How are you on controlled drugs rules ahead of the pre-registration exam? Try these two questions from the open book and find out. You'll need your copy of Medicines, Ethics and Practice.
Looking for some practice ahead of the pre-registration exam? Try these two questions on controlled drugs from the open book exam. You'll need your BNF, MEP and drug tariff to hand.
It's controlled drugs month here at C+D, so see if you can pass these two questions for the open book exam. You'll need your BNF, MEP and drug tariff to hand.
Chris Chapman looks at the possibilities for the new medicine service
There are no direct treatments for metabolic syndrome: treatment aims to reduce the negative consequences of the syndrome: hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, CVD and diabetes. However, the underlying cause - excess weight, specifically abdominal fat - needs to be tackled. Without this, patients are likely to require progressively more aggressive treatments to deal with complications.
Unstable angina and other acute coronary syndromes are medical emergencies. This Update tells you how to identify the condition, how it is managed, and how to reduce risks to patients. 
Do you believe in growing pains? A boy of 13 complains of pain mostly in his legs but sometimes in his arms as well. He is a bit moody and off his food. Which condition in children and adolescents is often initially put down to growing pains?
You have noticed a small error on a prescription for methadone - after it has been dispensed. What should you do, and what are the potential consequences of this error? Share your views with other pharmacists. Email
You are due to start a locum shift at 9am but the technician has to start preparing methadone doses at 8am. You are asked to sign in that you were responsible for the pharmacy from 8am. Would you agree to do this?
A child is brought into the pharmacy with a sore and inflamed nose. The child has recently had a cold, the parent says, but the crusting around the nose seems to be getting worse. You suspect the crusting is caused by impetigo.
As the General Pharmaceutical Council continues its call and review of CPD records, make sure you're prepared with this guide from Priya Rasanayagam, CPD manager at the RPSGB. 
Help your pharmacy staff prevent sales of medicines containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine being diverted for the illicit manufacture of crystal meth with this retail training programme.