NUMARK
COMMUNITY PHARMACY: caPItaLISIng on thE oPPortUnItY
by Philip Lowry, Pharmacy Development Manager, Numark
a
fter graduating from QUb School of Pharmacy in 2012, I did not think I would be
writing an article for Pharmacy in focus as a numark Pharmacy development manager some years later – but here I am.
When challenged with writing this article, having been exiled for the previous two years working in consultancy for KPmg in London, I thought it best to document the changes I have seen following initial visits to community pharmacies across the country.
Digital adoption firstly, in a profession which has been slow to adapt to the latest technological innovations, movement into the ‘digital age’ has slowly begun to impact. the use of smartphone and tablet apps to
48 - PharmacY In focUS
place wholesale orders and instantly check Pmr data, for example, is becoming increasingly common in community pharmacy dispensaries. this should only continue to grow given the advent of wearable tech and the ability to remotely monitor key patient data such as bP, blood glucose and cholesterol.
automated buying software solutions are also saving pharmacists time and resource when buying stock - eliminating the need to ask 25 different wholesalers the price of bendroflumethiazide 2.5mg tablets.
Pharmacists locked away in store rooms preparing weekly dispensing trays has slowly begun to give way to pre-programmed sophisticated robots; freeing pharmacists up to deliver patient-centred services, and make a more impactful contribution to the community (not to mention increasing job satisfaction).
Services on the up Service development remains at the fore, with pharmacies now offering excellent private services, such as the seasonal flu vaccination and travel clinics. this is growing public confidence in the community pharmacy offering, whilst serving as an additional revenue stream for contractors.
It is most refreshing to now see pharmacist-led mobile screening events popping up in leisure centres and community halls across the country, serving a vital purpose in identifying undiagnosed conditions, as well as increasing integration with secondary care professionals.
Local opportunity Perhaps the most notable aspect in returning back home is the opportunity which now exists for young pharmacists in northern Ireland. In recent history, full-time
employment opportunities for young pharmacists passing the pre- registration examination have been limited. frustrated with poorly-paid locum work and presented with lucrative relocation packages by large multiples, hundreds of talented pharmacists have left northern Ireland to take up positions down south and further afield across the water. Some have even chosen to leave the profession altogether - a sad state of affairs no doubt.
With the uptake of over 250 experienced pharmacists into new gP practice positions - many of whom have come from community pharmacy - the opportunity for full- time employment for newly-qualified pharmacists has never been greater – and all on your doorstep.
I look forward to meeting many more of you in the near future as I integrate in my new role as Pharmacy development manager for numark. •
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