Why pharmacies urgently need digital empowerment

The path out of the current NHS crisis may lie in harnessing technology to enhance community pharmacy’s frontline role, says Santosh Sahu

2023 will be remembered as a defining moment in NHS history. Industrial action, pressure from a record backlog, and rising costs have exacerbated the challenges faced by the UK’s healthcare system, leading to the shadow minister declaring earlier this month that “patients can no longer rely on the NHS”.

This crisis has been visible not only in the corridors of the hospitals they visit, but in their town centres too.

Community pharmacies, once staples of any bustling high street, are now under threat. Since 2016, more than 600 pharmacies have closed in England – and 30 per cent of these closures have occurred in the most deprived areas of the country.

The path out of this crisis may lie in using technologies already at our disposal to enhance the role community pharmacies play in primary care.

They would be able to improve the delivery of their offering, increase revenue and spread awareness within their local communities about the services they are able to offer.

Digitisation and revenue

As we entered 2023, the Company Chemists’ Association (CCA) confirmed in its funding gap report what many pharmacists had been aware of for the last decade – that community pharmacies are “seriously underfunded”.

The report described an institution on its knees, revealing that pharmacies are suffering a £67,500 annual shortfall, and that if the sector had kept pace with GDP since 2015/16, the value of the contract in 2022/23 would be more than £3.36bn. In reality, community pharmacies are dealing with a shortfall of more than £750m a year. 

A key symptom of this shortfall in revenue can be found in the outdated and inefficient systems used by many pharmacists to run their pharmacies on a day-to-day basis. With the phone ringing off the hook and unexpected issues with deliveries often causing significant disruption to essential daily activities, many pharmacists simply do not have the time to dedicate to virtual or face-to-face consultations and other essential revenue- generating streams.

Accelerating the digitisation of pharmacies should be the primary prescription for these ailments. This can free up vital time for pharmacists to perform crucial duties by making it easier for them to manage prescriptions, appointments, and vital follow ups and deliveries which allow pharmacists to claim money from the Government.

The funds generated by providing these services can therefore help community pharmacists close the funding gap and stem the flow of pharmacies from our high streets.

High quality care

For communities, digital platforms can also have an instant effect on the quality of services they can access through their pharmacies. 

Nearly 40 per cent of all pharmacies in the UK are either very small chains or independent stores, making it challenging for pharmacists working in these stores to deliver the high quality, time efficient services their patients are looking for.

Indeed, patients needing repeat prescriptions or regular check-ups at their pharmacy are relying on pharmacies keeping a good record in-house, with pharmacists using outdated computer systems and paper records or sometimes even keeping no record whatsoever of OTC consultations.

A large part of delivering high quality A key symptom of this shortfall in primary care and alleviating pressure on the NHS comes down to the number of services community pharmacies can provide. There are now more than 35 conditions that no longer require a prescription from a GP, and under a new NHS pilot, pharmacists will be able to refer patients directly to cancer specialists if they spot ‘red flag’ symptoms.

However, communities are unable to take advantage of these services partially because they are unaware that these services are available in the first instance. In a recent survey, only 5.8 per cent of respondents were aware that blood pressure checks could be performed at their local community pharmacy.

Multi-level support

Technical support will enable community pharmacies to become the main site for primary care within a community. Government support on both a national and regional level is vital, as it will take an additional push from ministers to ensure that communities up and down the country are made aware of the services they can offer.

Looking ahead to the next 75 years, 5 July 2023 marks 75 years of the National Health Service. The challenges that were faced by its founders are not dissimilar to those we face today. With the NHS struggling under the enormous weight of the covid backlog, funding constraints, and labour disputes, it is time for a revision of our healthcare system.

However, the key difference here is that the tools to enhance our healthcare system are more advanced and are ready to be implemented. UK pharmacists should embrace technological innovation, with the Government supporting them through this process. 

Santosh Sahu is CEO and founder of Charac                      
Charac.co.uk