NEWS
WHY PHARMACY MUST MOVE WITH THE TIMES
by Wayne Harrison Membership Development Manager
IT’S BEEN SOME MONTHS NOW SINCE BBC3 TOOK THE BOLD DECISION TO MOVE ALL ITS CONTENT ONLINE AND AWAY FROM MAINSTREAM TELEVISION. THIS STRATEGIC DECISION BY THE BBC COULD BE CONSIDERED IN TWO WAYS:
1. Ratings were low and it wasn’t working (ie, the channel is costing too much money).
2. The future is online/on demand and ‘Auntie’ has decided to move with the times and engage in a medium that a 2016 audience expects.
It made me wonder exactly how bold the BBC have been with this decision and how some UK pharmacies have done the same in embracing the new world. That said, some traditional bricks and mortar pharmacies have barely dipped their toes in the digital water.
It also made me think - have the BBC really been that bold?
I guess it’s all about how you interact with your customers with the rise of digital.
In pharmacy, the clear majority would still say face to face, yet we must
accept that times are changing. It’s not just BBC3 that has moved online. You only have to look at how our everyday lives have been affected by technology. Thin about how you get your daily news, how often you get a letter or postcard from a family member. Times have moved on; are we too slow to embrace this, or is pharmacy different in how we interact with our customers?
Online is here to stay, but what is the most effective way of pharmacy embracing this technology? Can internet pharmacy replace bricks and mortar?
Perhaps the latter isn’t for this blog, but as internet pharmacies are establishing themselves in some parts of the UK market, they must be on to something.
The advent of EPS in England shows that the days are almost gone when the standard SOP would follow:
1. Patient rings the pharmacy.
2. Pharmacy places an order for a repeat from the surgery.
3. Pharmacy collects the prescription to fulfil.
4. Patient collects the prescription from the pharmacy or it’s delivered to their homes (or to the pub, in one case an NI pharmacist told me).
To an extent, this process is still happening in pockets of NI, but how long is this sustainable? Some GPs already insist that patients request their repeats from the surgery, removing contractor involvement until the prescription is collected.
There is no doubt that the concept of EPS improves efficiency in the dispensing process, but it still doesn’t address the main issue: how do you effectively interact with the patient?
I can’t argue with the fact that there may be a market for internet
pharmacies, but for me the question is around how successful these pharmacies can be with interaction with patients on medicines adherence and service delivery.
It seems the answer may lie somewhere between the two.
Like ‘Auntie’ we need to move with the times and embrace the digital age but not neglect our patients as a result. Talk to us about how can help you achieve this balance and continue to deliver service excellence. •
LIFETIME BAN ON BLOOD DONATION LIFTED
Just a few weeks into her new post as Health Minister, Michelle O’Neill has taken the decision to lift the ban on blood donations by men who have had sex with other men (MSM).
The decision follows an Appeal Court ruling in March, which confirmed that this was a devolved matter, and that substantial new evidence had shown that the risk of contracting HIV from donated blood is lower with a one-year deferral than with a lifetime ban.
'My first responsibility in this matter is patient safety,' the Minister said as she announced her decision. 'Evidence from across the UK has provided assurance that the risk is lower with a one-year deferral. My decision is based solely on the evidence regarding the safety of donated blood.'
The Health Minister went on to stress the importance of donor's compliance with the deferral rules.
56 - PHARMACY IN FOCUS
'The safety of donated blood depends on two things: donor selection and the testing of blood. Every blood donation is tested for HIV and a number of other organisms. Not even the most advanced tests are 100 per cent reliable, so it is vitally important for every donor to comply with any deferral rules that apply to them. I will instruct the NI Blood Transfusion Service (NIBTS) accordingly. To allow NIBTS adequate preparation time, the new policy will come into effect on 1 September 2016.'
Michelle O’Neill
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64