Clear communication

Building relationships with key local stakeholders

Many Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) have created smaller consortias of local GPs working in a specific area within borough boundaries. It is here where more tactical, operational issues can be discussed relating to how best to implement strategic plans developed and agreed by the main board.

In the City & Hackney area in London, for example, the Local Pharmaceutical Committee (LPC) nominated a community pharmacist to attend the regular monthly update meetings and see how the local contractors could work more closely with the local general practices.

The LPC created a template to support each pharmacist attending these meetings. This ensured that there was a consistent message delivered to each consortium, which reduced any likelihood of confusion or misinterpretation. As the initial slot for the communication was only for 15 minutes, it was vital that the format was thought through and planned.

The three parts of the communication or agenda items were identified as follows:

1. Outline the purpose of a local community pharmacist attending the meeting.

These were identified as:

• Provide consortia with updates, insights and factual information on the services carried out in the pharmacy (e.g. New Medicine Service or targeted Medicines Use Reviews)
• Address any concerns, assumptions or queries the consortia may have (e.g. stock availability issues)
• Identify where local pharmacists could support some of the consortia priorities to help improve patient outcomes (e.g. support COPD patients with regular technique follow-ups)
• Provide consortia with a single point of contact.

2. Describe the background to community pharmacy services currently operating in the area.

3. Offer an opportunity for the group to ask any initial questions they may have. For example:

• What else would you like to get out of our attendance at these meetings?
• Are there any immediate matters of concern that you would like me to pick up, either now or for next time?