PHARMACIES THRIVING WITH NEW SERVICES BEGIN BY LISTENING - TO PATIENTS, TEAMS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES
Cross-training, clear roles and trust build confidence and continuity. When the team feels capable, services flourish.
Top Tips for Enabling Your Team • Delegate and trust your team. • Cross-train so no one is indispensable. • Appoint a “service champion” to drive momentum.
Enabling Services Through Tech: Creating Time, Not Taking It Technology emerged as essential across both panels. Automation, online bookings and communication tools help pharmacies focus on what matters most - patients.
Gemma McCartan shared, “We got a robot last year and it was genuinely transformative. We used to have six or seven people in a cramped space; now everything runs smoother and calmer.”
Simple digital upgrades like WhatsApp follow- ups, digital booking forms and automated notifications also made a big difference.
As one panellist noted, “If your system can save you one click, that’s another minute back with a patient.”
Top Tips for Using Tech to Enable Services • Automate repetitive admin. • Enable online bookings and payments. • Use tech to create time, not consume it.
Marketing Services: Care First, Sell Second When marketing, the message was clear: great experiences lead to great results. Harry McQuillan reminded us, “Care first, sell second - not the other way around.” Great care remains the most powerful marketing strategy.
Gemma McCartan agreed, “Word of mouth has been our biggest driver. When you treat people well, they tell their friends - and suddenly you’re fully booked.”
Saam Ali suggested smart digital tactics: “Change your Google business name to include your services - like ‘Springfield Pharmacy & Travel Clinic - so patients can actually find you when they search. It’s transformed visibility for many of the pharmacies we work with.”
Top Tips for Marketing Your Services • Lead with care - selling follows naturally. • Rename your Google listing to include services. • Make it easy to book and find you online.
The Big Takeaway - And What’s Next The strongest message was this: you don’t need to have it all figured out, you just need to start. Every panellist spoke about the courage to move beyond dispensing into new services. It’s not about perfection but about momentum.
Thanks to UCA-NI, the Pharmacy Shows team, McLernons (our headline sponsor) and our panellists for an inspiring event.
If these insights sparked ideas for your pharmacy, join us on Wednesday 28th January at the NI Pharmacy Trade and Retail Show, Crowne Plaza Belfast. This year’s event sold out, so register early for your free ticket at
www.pharmacyshows.co.uk/event/ni-pharmacy- trade-show/ to avoid missing out.
Start small. Start bold. Just start - and I hope to see you in Belfast.
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