The Beginning of the End of the Road? Britain and the European Council Meeting, 8-9 December 2011

What will the outcome of last week’s EU summit mean for the future of the UK’s position within the Union? According to Dr. Simon Green, Professor of Politics at Aston University, UK, it could spell disaster for Britain in the single market of the EU. In his essay entitled The Beginning of the End of the Road? Britain and the European Council meeting, 8/9 December 2011, originally published in Aston University’s Aston Centre for Europe blog, Dr. Green explains that Prime Minster David Cameron’s decision to exclude the UK from the EU’s new intergovernmental pact will alienate the UK from the Union more than ever before.

Primary care pharmacists: a profile

A survey was carried out in 1998 in 43 English health authorities of primary care pharmacists (employed to provide prescribing advice to GPs at medical practice level). 119 responses were received (66%). Most combined working as a PCP with another occupation, usually community pharmacy (57%), hospital pharmacy (13%) or as an academic (7%). 53% of respondents worked 8 hours or less per week as a PCP. Only 18 respondents were employed full-time as a PCP. The most common activities were drug information (91%), PACT analysis (90%), drug cost containment (90%) and review of individual patient medication (88%). (7 refs.)