The first step you should explore is to really understand why you want to collaborate. This should not only be at a pharmacy organisational level, but also on an individual level.

What's your story? Why did you decide to become a pharmacist? What do you personally have to gain in the long term through collaboration? Note that relationships are between people, not organisations. A good start would be to focus on the needs of patients €“ something that all parties have in common.

Be clear on the benefits (and not just the features) that your pharmacy can bring patient and financial outcomes.

General practices are private, for-profit businesses that have NHS contracts, similar to pharmacies. However, our retail setting means that we are sometimes portrayed as placing commercial needs before anything else. This is in contrast to the image presented by a patientcentric general practice.

Understanding the context for collaboration can really help you think outside the box and provide a greater purpose for you and your pharmacy to think about partnering with a practice.

• What's happening to healthcare on a macro level? Think of all the wider pressures, such as economic, social, technological, ecological, media, political, legal and ethical
• What's happening in the community pharmacy sector and within your organisation?
• Think of the driving and restraining forces affecting collaboration
• Why is collaboration important for your staff?
• What does collaboration mean for you?