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Streaming live from the UK and Baku, Azerbaijan, join us for presentations and panel discussions on the future of community pharmacy with sector leaders, policymakers, industry representatives and senior figures from the wider health community. Click here for the day 1 session.

Day one saw presentations from CPE’s director of NHS Services, Alastair Buxton, delving into the detail on the new contractual framework settlement in England, what happens next and the negotiating body’s key priorities for the future. So much will depend on the outcomes of the Government’s NHS 10 Year Plan and comprehensive spending review, he said.

New NPA chair Olivier Picard gave his vision on ‘Pharmacy for a new generation’. He called the new deal “a necessary first step” but said that it falls “well short” of what pharmacy owners need to fill the gaping funding black hole in pharmacy. A service-led approach, both private and NHS, had to be the answer, delegates heard.

Giving the local perspective, Shilpa Shah, chief executive of North East London LPC, called on pharmacy teams to “keep their eyes on the size of the prize” by maximising NHS services. If they don’t, they could be leaving £450 on the table – enough to hire an additional member of staff. The abolition of NHS England could mean that pharmacy will benefit as the ears of DHSC will be closer to the ground, she said.

All speakers agreed that independent prescribing, local collaboration and skill mix were key to pharmacy’s long-term success.

Also on day one, Mark Samuels from Medicines UK (formerly the British Generics Manufacturers Association) and Chris Pilsbury from IQVIA looked at the many areas of exciting innovation from the pharmaceutical industry heading pharmacy’s way as the UK’s demand for medicines continues to grow. These include a surge of “innovation hotspots” including new molecules for oncology, immunology and – leading the way – obesity.

The business session concluded with a lively panel session chaired by CIG’s director of policy and public affairs, Rob Darracott.

Keep up to date with the big stories from Baku on www.pharmacymagazine.co.uk/news. Click on this link tomorrow, Tuesday May 13, to hear presentations from the UK's four chief pharmacists and Duncan Rudkin from GPhC, starting at 2pm UK time.

The day 2 business session starts at 12:30pm UK time with a workshop from Salim Jetha and Brij Valla from Avicenna. We’ll see you then.

The livestream is brought to you by Sigma Pharmaceuticals and Communications International Group.