The PJ Pod

Electronic Prescription System (EPS) nominations connect patients with the pharmacy where they can collect their medication – and often access other services, help and advice while they’re there.

Only patients can set up or change their nominated pharmacy – it can’t be done by the pharmacy or GP unless at the patient’s request.

But recently, reports have emerged that nominations have been changed without patient consent, sometimes in bulk, and possibly using an automatic system. One integrated care board received as many as 92 complaints about this in the last year.

In this ‘Spotlight’ episode of The PJ Pod, executive editor Carolyn Wickware and investigations editor Joanna Robertson discuss the impact that nomination switching has on patients and pharmacies, the scale of the issue and what’s being done about it.

This episode was produced by Geoff Marsh.

In this episode of Pharmacy Inside Jobs, Joanna Robertson, senior clinical reporter, talks to Mark Stuart, a sports pharmacist whose 25-year career has spanned Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth games, as well as anti-doping education at the International Testing Agency.

Our conversation also touches on the growing use of supplements, how a pharmacist's expertise helps athletes think through how their medication might impact their performance and how to navigate doping regulations.

Listen to this episode to find out more about this rapidly developing area of pharmacy practice and explore more resources relating to sports pharmacy below.

This episode was produced by Geoff Marsh.

In this episode of The PJ Pod, senior features editor Siobhan Chan examines how the issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is being communicated outside of traditional clinical and policy settings. 

The episode talks about Lifeline, a musical that brings together the history of antibiotics and the modern realities of drug-resistant infections.

We speak to two practising pharmacists who perform in the chorus of Lifeline: Marsha Boltova, an emergency department pharmacist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust; and Shay Khan, a specialist infection pharmacist and advanced clinical practitioner. They describe how their day-to-day work places them at the forefront of antimicrobial stewardship, from influencing initial antibiotic prescribing in A&E to managing complex infections with limited treatment options.

Also, playwright Becky Hope-Palmer explains how the musical demonstrates that AMR remains an urgent global challenge.

The episode also explores the wider context of AMR in England. Diane Ashiru-Oredope, lead pharmacist for AMR at the UK Health Security Agency, outlines the current state of AMR, using the latest surveillance data. She discusses why — despite some progress in reducing antibiotic use — resistance remains a significant and growing threat.

This episode was produced by Geoff Marsh.

Over the past two years, around 200 community pharmacies in England have been involved in NHS England’s ‘Community pharmacy independent prescribing pathfinder programme’, trialling different clinical models to discover what a community pharmacy prescribing service could look like.

In this episode of The PJ Pod, senior clinical reporter Joanna Robertson shares on-the-ground reporting from two pharmacies involved in the programme, as well as discussions with pharmacy leaders about what building blocks will need to be in place for a nationally commissioned service in England.

With thanks to the contributors featured on this episode: Omar Sawar, pharmacy manager at Farah Chemists in Newcastle, Mark Burdon, community pharmacist at Burdon Pharmacies, Ewan Maule, clinical director for medicines and pharmacy at North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, and Harry McQuillan, chair of Numark and former chief executive of Community Pharmacy Scotland.

This episode was produced by Geoff Marsh.

On 15 April 2026, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society became the Royal College of Pharmacy and — as Karen Baxter, the organisation's interim chief executive, says — that date “isn't the end of this story: it's just the foundation stone”.

In this episode of The PJ Pod, Baxter and outgoing chief executive Paul Bennett reflect on the journey up until this moment, the path that now lies ahead and the sense of optimism that surrounds this historic moment.

Thank you to Karen and Paul for taking time out to share their thoughts with us.

This episode was presented by reporter Corrinne Burns and produced by Geoff Marsh.