Better consultations focus less on a single problem and solution, and are more interactive in nature. Sharing expertise between the health professional and the patient also allows for more informed decisions to be made.

Back in 2014, the Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education and Health Education England joined forces to launch an initiative to help pharmacists and pharmacy technicians enhance their communication and consultation skills. Last reviewed by CPPE in 2022, Consultation Skills for Pharmacy Practice is a set of practice standards highlighting the skills, behaviours, knowledge and attitudes that pharmacy professionals should be able to demonstrate when communicating and consulting with patients.

The consultation standards are structured around a number of areas:

• The management of patient-centred consultations
• Context-specific skills
• Delivering a comprehensive approach to patient care
• Understanding the health needs of your local population
• Essential features that relate to you as a pharmacy professional.

The guidance emphasises the fact that excellent organisational and management skills are central to successful consultations (see table, left). It encourages pharmacists to adopt a ‘health coach’ approach to consultations and to support patients so they ‘own’ their health goals. This has been shown to enhance the likelihood of patient behavioural change.