July 2022
On the NHS’ last birthday, they announced the world’s first chemo drone delivery. This service was announced with the hopes of cutting delivery times from 4 hours to 30 minutes, especially considering some doses have a short shelf life. Cancer care will now be more convenient to patients living in places such as the Isle of Wight who no longer need to travel to the mainland for treatment.
The use of chemo drone delivery also reduces carbon emissions, improves air quality and is helping the NHS become the first health system in the world to become carbon neutral. Learn more here.
August 2022
In August 2022, patients with Type 1 diabetes were able to start benefiting from life-changing continuous glucose monitors. The sensor called Dexcom ONE Real Time-Continuous Glucose Monitoring attaches to a patient’s arm for up to 10 days and measures glucose levels from just under the skin. Patients are now able to get their starter pack from hospitals or GPs and, once prescribed they can go to a pharmacy for their repeat prescription. Learn more here.
September 2022
Following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, hundreds of thousands of NHS staff worked through the bank holiday weekend providing vital care to patients in need. Staff also helped patients who wished to mark the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II by providing extra TV screens and allowing patients on wards to sign the book of condolence online. Learn more here.
October 2022
It was announced in October 2022 that community pharmacists treated more than 100,000 patients in one month for minor illnesses. Pharmacists play a vital role in caring for patients and allowing them to receive quick care by performing same-day consultations. Alongside this data, the NHS also announced expanded roles for community pharmacies as winter approached. Learn more here.
November 2022
Following the successful rollout for veterans injured in service, the NHS announced that all amputees as young as 9 will now be able to access life-changing bionic arms. The bionic arms, controlled by electrical brain signals, mimic real hand movements and have multi-grip capabilities. Learn more here.
December 2022
In December 2022, the NHS launched a new dementia drive allowing hundreds more people will be checked for dementia. Those living in care homes are now proactively assessed by specialist nurses and other healthcare professionals through 14 new pilot schemes. The new dementia drive is allowing care home staff to manage the condition better and ensures patients are not prescribed unnecessary medication. Learn more here.
January 2023
As of January 2023, NHS waiting lists fell for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Thanks to the efforts of NHS staff, elective care was delivered for 70,000 more patients as the waiting list dropped by almost 30,000 compared to the previous month. Learn more here.
February 2023
Figures released in February 2023 showed that the NHS workforce is the most diverse it has ever been. The analysis showed that more than two-fifths of doctors, dentists, and, consultants, and almost a third of nurses, midwives, and health visitors are from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds. The PDA’s EDI Networks allow members from all backgrounds to campaign around all forms of discrimination and the causes and consequences. Learn more here.
March 2023
17 new centres were opened in March 2023 which offer specialist medical care to pregnant women with pre-existing medical conditions, or conditions that arise during pregnancy. These centres were opened as part of the NHS’ commitment to halve the maternal mortality rate by 2025 and there is at least one centre in every region of the country. Learn more here.
April 2023
In April 2023 the NHS announced that hundreds more people will be able to access personalised CAR-T cancer therapies. Immunotherapies uses a patient’s own immune cells to create a tailored treatment for people with one of two forms of blood cancer. Learn more here.
May 2023
The NHS rolled out a life-extending new combination therapy in May 2023 that can halt the progression of womb cancer for twice as long as chemotherapy. This new treatment will be used for between 500 to 750 women each with advanced endometrial cancer. Learn more here.
June 2023
As the pollen count rises the NHS has offered advice to hay fever suffers with weekly visits to the hay fever page on the NHS website increasing by 252%. Pharmacists can be of help when it comes to those suffering from hay fever such as giving advice and suggesting the best treatments. Learn more here.
Thank you to the NHS
The PDA represents pharmacists and the profession has been proud to be part of the NHS throughout its history. The PDA would like to say a huge thank you for the amazing work of the NHS and all the other healthcare professionals who also go the extra mile to put the needs of patients first.
The PDA supports campaigns to keep NHS services free at the point of delivery and based on clinical need, not the ability to pay. For example, the PDA is a proud member of the Prescription Charges Coalition.
Celebrating 75 years of the NHS
Read what a PDA member has to say about working in the NHS
Get involved
- Raise a cuppa to mark the NHS’s 75th
- Join the national photography competition to mark 75 years of the NHS
- Support the NHS
- Join the PDA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube and say thank you to the NHS by using the hashtags #ThankYouNHS and #NHS75
Learn more
- PDA Member Networks
- PDA joins Prescription Charges Coalition
- Celebrating 73 years of the NHS
- About NHS 75
Not yet a PDA member?
If you have not yet joined the PDA, we encourage you to join today and ask your colleagues to do the same.
Membership is FREE to pharmacy students, trainee pharmacists, and for the first three months of being newly qualified.
Read about our key member benefits here.