Community pharmacies, often referred to as retail pharmacies, are a pillar in many communities. Providing services that are instrumental in the overall health and knowledge of the community, they are both essential and beneficial for a host of reasons.
The Role of a Community Pharmacy
A community pharmacy is far more than just a dispensary. Offering a range of services to fit the needs of the community, they typically provide the following:
Dispensing of medicines
A pharmacy is a go-to place for anyone in the community to collect any medication they have been prescribed by their GP, as well as provide the option for people to purchase a range of over-the-counter medications, such as paracetamol.
Disposal of unwanted/unneeded medicines
As well as issuing medication, pharmacies are also well-versed in safely disposing of unwanted or unneeded medications too. This is an extremely valuable service as it ensures correct procedures are taken to dispose of these medicines, and reduces the risk of them causing harm if disposed of incorrectly or irresponsibly.
Providing advice on healthy living
Pharmacies typically hire a range of registered pharmacists, registered pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy assistants. These team members provide the community with advice on various healthy living matters such as how to cut down on alcohol intake and how to quit smoking.
Advanced services
The aforementioned services are all classed as ‘essential services’. These are classified as mandatory for all community pharmacies and must be provided as part of their contract with the NHS.
Pharmacies can also choose to offer optional advanced services too, including flu vaccinations and advisory services for patients taking new medication.
How a Community Pharmacy Benefits the Local Community
Pharmacies are incredibly beneficial to communities for a range of reasons.
Firstly, for many people, travelling a considerable distance to collect medication is not possible. The accessibility of a community pharmacy means medication can be obtained in proximity to people’s homes.
Pharmacies don’t only provide convenience for the community; they also remove considerable strain from local GP surgeries. The easy-to-access, informal appointments made available by community pharmacies save the NHS 24 million GP appointments annually.
How to Set Up a Pharmacy in your Local Community
If you are considering setting up a community pharmacy, you will first need to ensure you have the required pharmacist qualifications, as well as sufficient experience working as a pharmacist.
You will then need to consider the operational side of opening a pharmacy, including finding a suitable premises and obtaining the correct pharmacy insurance.
It is handy to have a good understanding of the local community in which you are hoping to operate in order to run a successful pharmacy.
Once you have completed these steps, you can then begin looking into making a formal application in accordance with NHS regulations and contract frameworks.
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