Interview: John Pignone, sales director, Phoenix Healthcare Distribution

John Pignone joined Phoenix earlier this year, bringing more than 15 years’ experience of the pharmacy sector. He tells P3pharmacy about the challenges facing his customers

Talk us through a typical week in your job. 

I’m responsible for all the downstream sales in Phoenix, as well as for Numark. The way I view my role is very much customer facing – I probably spend two to three days out in the field meeting customers across the UK. It’s important for us as an organisation to understand what our customers are looking for, what their needs are. The other two days are spent doing all the boring but necessary stuff.

That time with customers must be invaluable. What are the main messages you’re hearing from them?

Really, it’s the challenges they’re facing. Certainly in England, the lack of adequate pharmacy funding is a real issue – I hear that loud and clear across the market. But it’s not just funding – people also mention the supervision regulations, and the fact they have to close temporarily if a pharmacist isn’t available. I’m also hearing a lot about the lack of a workforce strategy, and what is perceived as primary care networks poaching pharmacists, which doesn’t really add to patient care.

Then there’s the rising number of concessionary prices. It raises the question, does the Government need to reconsider how pharmacy is remunerated?

Do you see examples of pharmacies being innovative in response to these challenges?

I do. It’s interesting having joined Phoenix and seen how innovative it is as an organisation. Using the example of the Golden Tote, we’ve tried to look at the ever-changing needs of our customers, with services set to play a very important role in the future.

One of the big issues is trying to find the time to actually carry out the services, and we’ve seen that some customers who’ve taken on the Golden Tote service from us have had time freed up to focus on that. The hardest thing is delivering services when you don’t have the time or manpower available; the dispensing process is quite laborious.

Automation certainly has a place in pharmacy, but it’s very expensive – it’s a big capital outlay at a time when finances are very tough in pharmacy. From a wholesaler perspective, if we can help customers and find ways to improve their efficiencies without having to make a very large investment in automation then obviously I think it’s a very crucial role that we can play.

What is Phoenix’s offer to pharmacies?

Firstly, looking at Numark, it is the largest membership organisation in the UK at around 5,000 members. It makes running a business easier: it gives customers a chance to be part of a much larger family, and members have access to the best pricing in the market, as well as twice daily deliveries with Phoenix, insurance cover and other support services like PGD and staff training.

Numark also helps pharmacies with the retail element, which is valuable at a time when pharmacies are trying to maximise every potential profit. For a traditional independent pharmacy, OTC will never be a really large part of their income, but there is certainly potential there.

What goals do you have for your first year in the role?

We’ve got to keep being innovative and offer solutions that meet the changing needs of our customers. If they’re successful, we’re successful – it’s a joint effort.