Strengths and weaknesses are often two sides of the same coin; your location might be a strength in relation to some contexts but a weakness in relation to others. Some of the factors you might consider in terms of strengths and weaknesses include:

• Relationships with local surgeries: A positive relationship with local surgeries is an obvious strength in an NHS that works as a system. Referring patients between pharmacies and surgeries to deliver services effectively can only be achieved through relationships based on trust and honesty.

• Relationships with other local pharmacies: In the evolving NHS, primary care will be delivered by teams of teams. All pharmacies may not be commissioned to provide all services. When your pharmacy can’t deliver a service, due to days off or holiday, the patient may need to be passed on to another pharmacy to deliver the service. We need systems in place to hand over patients between pharmacies to ensure they get a timely, good quality service. The quality of relationships between pharmacies will be crucial.

• Dispensing volume: A high dispensing volume would be considered a strength. However, high volumes of dispensing into monitored dosage system (MDS) devices or dispensing that are delivered for free might be see as weaknesses due to the poor profit margin.

• Location: your position in a community or on a high street will be a strength or a weakness depending on the vision you have for the future of your pharmacy business.

• Customer base: This may be related to location. Working in a community where there is a high population of students may be a strength if you are looking to develop your business around the pharmacy contraceptive service but would be a weakness if your view is to expand in the area of New Medicine Service (NMS) or hypertension case finding.

• The pharmacy team: A strong team with a good skill mix that allows the pharmacist to delegate effectively will be a strength, especially if supported by an effective succession plan that mitigates the risk of key personnel leaving. 

• The availability of locums: Having reliable locums that are able and willing to provide the services that your pharmacy business provides would be a strength. A reliance on random locums who might expect to work only with the dispensing business and not provide services will be a weakness.

• Your pharmacy’s facilities: You probably have a consulting room, but how fit is it for the purpose you want to use it for. Do you have a suitable area for people to wait comfortably? Do you have enough capacity with one consulting room for the pharmacy business you want? Does your pharmacy IT system facilitate the pharmacy business you want to have?

• You: Are you a strength or weakness for the pharmacy business you want in the future? Do you have the knowledge, skill and confidence to deliver the pharmacy business you want? Do you have the enthusiasm to change your business model? 

Pause to reflect

 Identify the strengths and weaknesses of your pharmacy business:

• Identify factors that are clear weaknesses or strengths

• Identify factors that are weaknesses or strengths in the context of opportunities