The University of Dundee’s Drug Discovery Unit (DDU) has received €5 million of funding to develop antiviral treatments for Covid-19 and future coronaviruses. This significant investment by the COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator, initiated by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome and Mastercard, will enable DDU scientists to begin work immediately on identifying novel anti-coronavirus agents. The three-year Lead [...]
A video celebrating the dedication of pharmacy teams across the UK in the face of COVID-19 is spreading rapidly across social media. Created by the National Pharmacy Association, the video is based on the hit song, Rise Up, and features pharmacists and pharmacy staff from across the country. Health Secretary Matt Hancock posted a message to [...]
Top Scots actor Gerard Butler is urging ladies across Scotland to take part in the ultimate girls’ night in to help raise vital funds for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (better known as CHAS). The Big Girly Quiz, to be streamed live on Facebook on Friday 5th June, has been organised in place of four [...]
Young people aged from 12 to 17 years old in Scotland are being asked to share their views and experiences of how the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting their lives. The changes in school and home life have caused massive upheaval for young people. The study – called TeenCovidLife - will gauge how young [...]
A University of Dundee researcher has uncovered why parasitic worm infections seem to protect people from developing asthma, paving the way for potential future treatments for the disease. Although it has been known for some time that parasites called roundworms, which live in the intestines of people and animals, can prevent the development of allergic [...]
RPS has issued a short survey as part of a call for evidence to inform the future of pharmacy practice after COVID-19. We know the past few weeks have been challenging for pharmacists and their teams, who have been going above and beyond during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst day-to-day pressures will continue, we’re also starting to talk [...]
This weekly release by Public Health Scotland presents data on COVID-19 across NHSScotland. New analysis included this week: Ethnicity – COVID-19 outcomes. Main points As at 18 May 2020, there have been 14,594 confirmed COVID-19 cases, equating to 267 confirmed cases per 100,000 population. The number of new admissions for patients who test positive for [...]
The PDA and Usdaw (Union of shop, Distributive and allied workers) have written a joint letter to Health & Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock, calling on him to facilitate tripartite discussion between government, community pharmacy employer representatives and the trade unions to agree safe working practices across the sector. With increasing strains on PPE [...]
RPS Scotland is delighted to see confirmation that pharmacists and community pharmacy staff responding to COVID-19 are defined as category 1 key workers for the purpose of access to childcare. In response to a Parliamentary Question submitted by David Stewart MSP, John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, confirmed their status and added that “The [...]
Today, we’re saying thank you to nursing staff everywhere for the remarkable contribution they make to the lives of millions of people. International Nurses' Day is celebrated around the world each year on 12 May, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth. This year in particular it’s an extra special occasion because not only does it [...]
