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In what is a constantly changing environment for pharmacy, John Pignone, sales director at Alliance Healthcare, urged delegates at the Avicenna conference (today 24 October) to €be bold and be brave€.

Appreciating that pharmacy is facing many market challenges outside of its control €“ from stock shortages, Brexit, and changes to supply models, to NHS financial strains, revalidation and threats from automation €“ Mr Pignone told delegates that pharmacy has to adapt. €Pharmacy has to adapt, diversify, be agile and reposition itself. You are a room full of entrepreneurs, change is nothing to be scared of. You've done it before.€

However, in what was a common theme of the conference, Mr Pignone insisted that where there is change there is opportunity. €How you respond is what is important,€ he said, €as a sector, community pharmacy has not yet reached its full potential. Reposition, develop and demonstrate the value of community pharmacy.€

This could be done in four ways, he explained: move away from a strictly dispensing model and deliver value added services; embrace new technology and digital developments, including social media; diversifying; and demonstrating that community pharmacy should be the first point of contact for patients seeking healthcare advice.

Community pharmacy is already making a difference to patients and demonstrating cost effective outcomes, said Mr Pignone, who gave three particularly positive examples. €In a recent NHS England flu vaccination survey of 100,000 patients who had their vaccination at a pharmacy last year, 99.9 per cent said they would do it again.€ Mr Pignone also cited NHS Digital statistics on the electronic prescription service which has saved the NHS £130 million in the last three years, prescribers £327 million and saves both prescribers and patients significant time. What's more, he said, the Community Pharmacy Future project concluded that the NHS could save over £470 million each year if healthcare service were rolled out to more than 11,000 pharmacies across England.

Community pharmacy needs to present €win-win-win solutions for the NHS, patients and community pharmacy€ said Mr Pignone concluding his speech: €You are in a unique position to make a difference to patients and demonstrate cost effective outcomes for the NHS and Department of Health.€