MISSED OPPORTUNITIES TO MAXIMUM IMPACT
In today’s challenging financial climate, community pharmacies in Scotland face increasing pressure to remain sustainable.
By Lynette Roberts
W we grow?”
The answer may lie not in doing more, but in maximising the impact of the everyday opportunities we already have by moving from transactional interactions to impactful conversations.
By making every patient interaction more purposeful and meaningful, community pharmacies can unlock the full potential of NHS clinical services like Pharmacy First. In doing so, we not only improve patient care but also generate much-needed income.
From autopilot to advantage Take a moment to reflect on how your team typically interacts with patients. When someone collects their prescription, is the exchange limited to confirming their name and address? Are counter conversations focused solely on product selection and safety questions? Are your team members running on autopilot, delivering safe care, but not always seeing the opportunity to do more?
Now picture these familiar scenarios:
• A customer self-selects medicated throat lozenges and brings them to the counter. The usual response? “Is it for you? Have you had it before?”
But what if, instead, your team recognised this as a cue to say; “You know, we offer a free Pharmacy First consultation for sore throats. You might be eligible to speak to the pharmacist and get treatment today without needing a GP appointment.” That single sentence reframes the conversation from a sale to a service.
• A woman asks for cystitis relief sachets. She’s likely uncomfortable, maybe even embarrassed and just wants to get on with her day. Rather than handing over the sachets and moving on, what if the team gently asked;
“Did you know we can treat UTIs like cystitis through the Pharmacy First service? The pharmacist can assess you today and, if appropriate, supply treatment without needing to wait for the GP.”
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scotpharm.com
ith reduced margins on dispensing, rising operational costs and stagnant funding, the question is: “Where can
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