Jane's Pharmacy

Jane's Pharmacy is located in a housing development near a GP surgery. The owner is reviewing staffing costs to improve the profitability of the business.

The pharmacy receives 65 per cent of its prescriptions through a collection service from the local surgery. The remainder are acute prescriptions, some repeats from patients who prefer not to use the collection service and a small number from doctors who don't practice at the local surgery. These form a steady stream throughout the day.

The retail element of the business is limited. The pharmacy team includes one pharmacy technician, one full-time dispenser and two part-time dispensers €“ one working mornings, the other working afternoons. The owner also employs a locum for a day every other week to give time for a small number of MUR and NMS reviews.

The owner decides to change the way collected prescriptions are dispensed. The technician trains as an ACPT and both part-time dispensers now work together in the morning to dispense the repeat prescriptions. The prescriptions are collected late in the afternoon and are clinically checked by the pharmacist, ready for dispensing the following morning.

The full-time dispenser and the pharmacist manage nearly all the walk-in prescriptions. The pharmacist now spends more time on the pharmacy counter dealing with patients and customers.

The owner now finds that there is no need to employ a locum to undertake MUR and NMS services as her involvement in the dispensing of repeat prescriptions has declined. This has produced a saving of about £5,500 per year. She also finds she is able to increase the number of MUR and NMS services provided.

The hours of the full-time dispenser and technician are reduced by three hours a week. This is cost-neutral as it balances the extra salary costs incurred in giving the technician greater responsibility.

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