"I think we are beginning to change minds,” PSNC chairman Sir Mike Pitt told the Conference of LPCs on Thursday. “I would like to confine the last two years to history, to put them behind us." Talking about the attitude of Ministers, he said: "I do feel we are reaching a turning point,” he said, “and the overall context is beginning to change.

Describing himself “relieved” to hear new Secretary of State Matt Hancock say he was going to invest in primary care, with a specific mention of pharmacy, Sir Mike said PSNC and partner organisations were beginning to have constructive discussions with Government and the NHS. “We will be a contributor to the NHS 10-year plan.”

Sir Mike highlighted the new “Think Pharmacy First” posters produced by the NHS Wiltshire Clinical Commissioning Group, which he’s seen on a visit to his own local pharmacy recently. “Two years ago I don’t think you would have seen that sort of thing in a pharmacy.”

The future depends on working with, and planning with Government, he said. “We will continue to emphasise the crucial role community pharmacy plays in the NHS”.  However, things will not get better unless we are prepared to change and adapt to the changing context, he warned. “It’s in our interests to accept change, to share our Government and Secretary of State’s enthusiasm for technology in particular.” 

He said PSNC and LPCs have a crucial leadership role in helping contractors adapt and change, to modernise themselves, to invest in technology, “if we are going to be the right sort of organisations for the next five to ten years.”