With the recent funding cuts and income from prescriptions declining it is becoming increasingly important that pharmacies look towards services to boost lost income. However many pharmacies can be unsure of where to start and tend to try to do everything at once. Setting up and promoting every service at once has the potential to confuse both the pharmacy team and customers.

 

Customers do not fully understand the wide range of services on offer and how they will benefit them while the pharmacy team struggle to remember everything about all the services available and consequently don’t sell them appropriately.

Focusing on particular services at key times of the year can be a more successful and structured approach. We know that flu season starts September and order to successfully deliver, pharmacies should be engaging customers just before and during this time, however other services will have key peaks too. Many people will look at stopping smoking and getting healthy in the New Year (leading up to March No Smoking day) therefore focusing on healthy living at this time could help maximising engagement.

In order to help members gain the maximum benefit from the services they provide Numark have developed a structured programme that runs through the year defining when pharmacies and team members should focus on specific services.

Month Focus Topic Services promoted Planned activities to support
June Focus on understanding local health needs ·         Important to allow targeting of services to match local needs. ·         Pharmacy excellence on understanding local health needs: General overview to introduce key documents such as PNA, STPs, and local health profiles. Guidance on where to access and how they can support.
July, August, September Focus on vaccination services ·         Flu

·         Men ACWY (looking at students and Hajj)

·         Travel

 ·         Link to service toolkits where applicable

·         Downloadable documents (see below)

·         Link to training (platform or external) and PGDs

·         Marketing: leaflet/poster/social media
October, November, December Focus on winter health and minor ailment services ·         Common conditions – responding to symptoms (conversation skills and red flags). Providing advice and products to recommend

·         Adding in PGDs (Strep A, UTIs, Impetigo)

 ·         A4 OTC counter guide listing common symptoms, red flags, and ideas on products to recommend

·         Link to service toolkits where applicable

·         Downloadable documents (see below)

·         Link to training (platform or external) and PGDs

·         Marketing: leaflet/poster/social media
January, February, March Focus on healthy living services ·         BP and Diabetes

·         Alcohol interventions

·         Smoking cessation

 ·         Link to service toolkits where applicable

·         Downloadable documents (see below)

·         Link to training (platform or external) and PGDs

·         Marketing: leaflet/poster/social media

These topics were chosen to reflect the most common and accessible services which pharmacies would engage with across the board.

Each separate three month period will be supported with downloadable online resources which cover:

·         Why pharmacies should look to set up and deliver these services: focus on showing the benefits to the NHS, the local community and patients but also looking the business case for each and potential return (if applicable). Simple step by step guides where applicable to make setting up service straight forward.

·         How to engage with customers: tips for pharmacy teams on how to sell the services to customers: linking to health promotions where applicable as well. Simple staff guides for each service/topic

·         How to engage with stakeholders: templates letters for introducing the service to GPs, engaging with local community organisations and signposting to other services

·         Step by step guide to start up and make a success: where and how to start, checklist to work through, top tips for delivery.
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