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A strange ennui seems to have gripped the sector during the dog days of summer. There's still no news of a funding settlement in England (word on the street is that the Treasury is dragging its feet), although the long-awaited NMS evaluation is expected any time now. Maybe the two are linked?

Pharmacy's cause overall isn't exactly helped when the press get hold of stories such as the sale of electronic cigarettes to under-18s. The sooner this is banned, the better.

On a more positive note, it was pleasing to read the Royal Society for Public Health backing the role of community health champions, such as those in healthy living pharmacies, as an effective means of tackling unhealthy behaviours.

Most health champions in the HLP programme are medicines counter assistants, a section of the workforce under scrutiny over the quality of their advice in the wake of the Which? investigation €“ and how worrying is it that over a third of pharmacists were unaware of the report?

While it is encouraging to see how the sector is getting its act together over this issue (see Standards must improve), it was disappointing that no one had thought to invite any support staff to the event organised by the RPS and GPhC €“ an opportunity missed.

To find out how pharmacy team members truly excel in their work, turn to our special Recognition of Excellence Awards winners supplement, published with this month's Training Matters. It's truly uplifting stuff. Congratulations to all those featured.