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biz
September 2021 THE VOICE OF COMMUNITY PHARMACY Volume 19 No 253

PHARMACY FUNDING
Pharmacists in despair
over frozen funding

GUEST COLUMN
PAGB chief backs self care
in community pharmacy

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 www.pharmacy.biz
CONTENTS

Founder and Editor-in-Chief:

Ramniklal C Solanki CBE
1931-2020

GROUP MANAGING EDITOR:

Kalpesh R. Solanki – 020 7654 7728
EXECUTIVE EDITOR:
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4 18 29
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SALES AND MARKETING
MANAGER (DISPLAY):
NEWS TECHNOLOGY
Louis Hird – 020 7654 7789 Mob: 07486 853590 4 Keith Ridge to retire as chief pharmaceutical officer 18 Tariq Muhammad discusses tactics for community
louis.hird@amg.biz in Feb pharmacy to thwart Amazon
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
MANAGER (Classified): 5 RB Healthcare acquires 11 pharmacies in North 19 Gary Paragpuri on pharmacies’ appreciation of
Shubha Srivastava – 020 7654 7730 West digital and in-person experiences
shubha.srivastava@amg.biz
DESIGN & LAYOUT: 6 Bradford University wins grant to train pharmacists
Kamlesh Patel – 020 7654 7759
kamlesh@gujarat.co.uk 7 RPS concerned over Vectura takeover bid PAIN MANAGEMENT
EVENTS MANAGER: 22 Paul Battersby on acupuncture’s credibility as a
Tanuja Parekh – 020 7654 7740
tanuja.parekh@amg.biz NEWS ANALYSIS viable treatment option for pain
CIRCULATION MANAGER: 8 Massive increase in demand for cannabis-related 23 Dr Rod Hughes on helping patients suffering from
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products during pandemic inflammation of joints
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gloria.jones@amg.biz 10 Pharmacists in despair after Treasury refuses 27 Mikael Sodergren and Simon Erridge share their
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Pharmacy Business
No. 1 Silex Street, London SE1 0DW 28 Bill Griffin on what pharmacy contractors need to
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E: editor@pharmacy.biz 11 PAGB’s Michelle Riddalls on promoting self care 29 Alexej Pikovsky on market projections, consumer
The views of our columnists are not in community pharmacy trends and future of CBD industry
necessarily the views of Pharmacy
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 NEWS
Amanda Pritchard named first
female chief exec of NHS England
N
HS England has appointed
Amanda Pritchard as the new
chief executive officer, making her
the first woman in health service his-
tory to hold the post.
In her new role, Pritchard will be
responsible for an annual budget of
more than £130 billion while ensuring
that everyone in the country receives
high quality care.
“I am honoured to lead the NHS,
particularly as the first woman chief
executive of an organisation whose
staff are more than three quarters fe-
male,” she said.
Keith Ridge to step down in Feb
A fter 16 years in the position,
Keith Ridge, England’s chief
pharmaceutical officer (CPhO), will
step down in February 2022.
The chief advisor on pharmacy
and the use of medica-
tions, as well as the
head of the pharmacy
profession, Ridge has
over the years played a
leading role on issues
such as medicines opti-
misation, digital medi-
cines and pharmacy
educational reform.
Keith Ridge
He has been instru-
mental in establishing the National
Institute for Health and Clinical Ex-
cellence, which was later renamed
as National Institute for Health and
Care Excellence, and the General
Pharmaceutical Council. Ridge has
also been the driving force behind
the ‘healthy living’ pharmacy.
Ridge began his training at the
University of London’s School of
Alison Strath is new CPO for Scotland
A lison Strath has been appointed
as the chief pharmaceutical of-
ficer (CPO) for Scotland.
In her new role, Strath will lead
NHS pharmaceutical care and medi-
cines policy, providing advice to the first
minister, the health secretary, the wider
ministerialteamandstrategicleadership
to the pharmacy profession in Scotland.
Health secretary Humza Yousaf
4 SEPTEMBER 2021
PB News pages1.indd 4
“I have always been in-
credibly proud to work in
the health service but never
moresothanoverthelast18
months,” she added, prais-
ing pharmacists and other
healthcare professionals
for having “responded so
magnificently to the Covid
pandemic”.
She took up the role Amanda Pritchard
after serving as the NHS’
chief operating officer for two years. England and NHS Improvement in
Pritchard replaced Simon Stevens 2019, Pritchard served as chief execu-
who announced in April that he was tive of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS
Pharmacy, spending his early years
as a registered pharmacist in clini-
cal practice and the pharmaceuti-
cal industry.
NHS England and Improvement
has invited applica-
tions from senior
pharmacy leaders
registered with the
General Pharmaceuti-
cal Council, with a
master’s degree in
pharmacy (or equiva-
lent) and a postgradu-
ate or management
qualification, or
equivalent experience to apply
for the top pharmacist role in the
country.
Candidates with demonstrated
excellent knowledge and experi-
ence of working in or with the
Department of Health and Social
Care, the NHS, and other health
organisations can apply till August
19 for the post.
said: “The past year has
highlighted just how im-
portant health and social
care is to the work of the
Scottish government, and
I’m delighted to welcome
Professor Alison Strath as Alison Strath
chief pharmaceutical officer.”
Strath has been working with the and Life Sciences at Robert Gordon
Scottishgovernmentsince2002,initially University in Aberdeen in 2018.
stepping down as NHS
chief executive at the end of
July after more than seven
years in charge.
She began her NHS
career as a graduate man-
agement trainee in 1997
after studying at Oxford
University and has held
a variety of other NHS
management positions.
Before joining NHS
Foundation Trust, London.
She attended Durham Johnson
Comprehensive School, in County
Durham, before studying Modern His-
tory at StAnne’s College, Oxford. She
is married with three children.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society
(RPS)welcomedthenewsthatAmanda
Pritchard has been appointed as the
first female chief executive of NHS
England.
Thorrun Govind, chair of RPS
England, said: “This appointment
comes at a crucial time for the health
service in England; recovering from the
pandemic, with teams under continued
pressure, growing demand on services,
and forthcoming NHS reforms.
“Pharmacists and pharmacy teams
have given their all during Covid-19
and amid all these changes it’s vital
staff get the support they need.
“Akey challenge for the NHS will
be implementing new Integrated Care
Systems and this must include a focus
on medicines optimisation across care
settings.
“I’d urge NHS England to ensure
a voice for pharmacy to help make
these changes a success.”
as a principal pharmaceuti-
calofficerand,sinceOctober
2020, as an interim CPO.
She was appointed a fel-
lowoftheRoyalPharmaceu-
tical Society of Great Britain
in 2010 and as an Emeritus
Professor at the School of Pharmacy
www.pharmacy.biz
News In Brief
NI appointments
Northern Ireland’s health minister
Robin Swann has appointed four
non-executive members to the
Council of the Pharmaceutical
Society of Northern Ireland. Scott
Gill, currently the lead pharmacist
in Ards Federation of GP practices
has been appointed as a Registrant
Member and Gary McMurray,
Brendan Garland and Philip Knox as
Lay Members. All four appointments
commenced on 1 August 2021 and
will end on a date no later than 31
July 2025.
Essential service
Pharmacies are considered as the
most essential services in the UK,
followed by convenience stores and
post office, a new public opinion
poll revealed. It is recognised as
the second most important service
which has the most positive impact
on the local communities. The report
by the Association of Convenience
Stores presented new insight into
the provision of local commercial
services, their role in benefitting the
community, and how people feel
about them.
Pharmacy fee
Pharmacy contractors in England
have started receiving a single
activity fee of £1.29 per item
following a revision. The 2p increase
is based on an “analysis of funding
delivery and the latest projections
for the year.” Contractors receive
a single activity fee for every item
dispensed including medicines
and appliances. The fee was first
introduced in England in December
2016, and replaced payouts for
dispensing, practice payments and
the electronic prescription service.
Booster jabs
Britain has ordered 35 million
more doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech
Covid-19 vaccine to prepare for
booster shots and to counter any
new variants. The government
has yet to decide on a potential
rollout of third doses, but could
begin a booster programme in early
September, alongside the flu jab.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination
and Immunisation is still assessing
the data on whether boosters will
be needed, and which groups might
need them the most.
8/26/2021 3:44:58 PM
 www.pharmacy.biz
RB Healthcare acquires 11 pharmacies
in North West
M erseyside-based independent
community pharmacy group
RB Healthcare has entered a deal
to buy 11 more sites in Manchester
and Merseyside after receiving a
£12.5 million funding package from
Santander UK.
The company has added the new
sites in a ‘one-off deal’, and the
funding package comprises property
loans, term debt, working capital
and overdrafts. The pharmacy has
also switched its day-to-day banking
to Santander UK.
The acquisition of 11 new phar-
macies would significantly build
Boots, Deliveroo ink delivery deal
B oots UK has announced an exclu-
sive partnership with Deliveroo
to provide 400 plus health and
beauty products to consumers at their
doorsteps.
The new partnership will launch
at 14 pilot stores across the country
including in Edinburgh, London and
Nottingham. The offered product
range varies from toiletries, baby
essentials to bestselling beauty and
medicines for minor ailments along
with food and drink options.
With this, Deliveroo customers will
now be able to access Boots products
on-demand.
Paula Bobbett, director of boots.
com at Boots UK, said: “We are very
excited about this new partnership
with Deliveroo… It will be super handy
for times when you need something
urgently but can’t leave the house,
like if you’re feeling unwell or are
looking after your kids.
Lloyds launches VideoGP app
L loydsPharmacy has launched
a VideoGP app that provides
access to an experienced GP seven
days a week, in just 30 minutes.
GPs are available through the app
from 8am to 8pm and payment options
for the service are flexible. Patients
can pay for one-off appointments or
through low-cost monthly and an-
nual subscriptions. Prices include
medication, next-day delivery, refer-
PB News pages1.indd 5
on the group’s existing
portfolio of three phar-
macies, which are in the
same area.
It also plans to grow its
online pharmacy, Clear
Chemist, with support
from Santander UK’s Rishi Bhatia
funding.
Rishi Bhatia, RB Healthcare
co-director, said: “Santander UK
has an in-depth understanding of
the healthcare sector, our business’
growth plans, and, crucially, our core
values - all of which are essential
qualities in a banking partner. The
Pilot to include 400 products
“Our online business continues to
grow, and this partnership offers our
customers a new way to access our
products quickly and easily.”
Boots saw a continued rise in
online sales during successive lock-
downs. Sales on the retailer’s website
were up 85 per cent between 1 March
2020 and 1 March 2021 compared to
the same period the previous year as
shoppers turned online in lockdown.
The pharmacy multiple offers
next day ‘click & collect’ and home
ral letters, and fit notes if required.
Dr Kieran Seyan, chief medical
officer at LloydsPharmacy’s Online
Doctor, said: “Our VideoGP app App will have GPs available from 8am to 8pm
provides a digital solution that con-
nects patients with healthcare profes- technology and empowered more
sionals, whilst ensuring continuing people to look after their health online,
safe, quality care for patients.”
The service is available in all iOS significantly invested in bringing this
and android devices.
“The pandemic has undoubtedly official added.
funding structure that
Santander UK has put in
place has allowed us to
start achieving our goals
from the outset.
“Community phar-
macies have been at the
forefront of healthcare
during the pandemic, and
Santander UK is the ideal
bank to be beginning our
next chapter with.”
RB Healthcare was involved in
England’s vaccination effort this
year, vaccinating local residents
after winning a number of Covid
vaccination contracts with the gov-
ernment.
Andy Casey, head of medical at
delivery for online orders and this
new partnership with Deliveroo allows
it to provide even greater speed to
customers that need it in as little as
20 minutes.
Carlo Mocci, UKI chief business of-
ficer at Deliveroo, said: “The new part-
nership builds on a period of strong
growth and consumer engagement
for Deliveroo in 2021 as it continues to
rapidly expand its on-demand grocery
and convenience offering with leading
retailers. The new Boots partner-
ship allows Deliveroo to further
increase the choice and selection of
on-demand convenience products to
consumers.”
The partnership could expand to
more Boots stores in the future if the
pilot stores are successful, the com-
pany said. Last year, Lloydspharmacy
also partnered with Deliveroo, piloting
a similar OTC medicines delivery
service.
accelerated the adoption of digital
and it’s because of this that we have
proposition to market,” a company
NEWS
Santander UK, said: “We are de-
lighted to support RB Healthcare’s
major acquisition of 11 community
pharmacies, and to bring it on board
for all its day-to-day banking.
“The company is a well-known
and much valued operator in the
community pharmacy sector in the
North West, and we look forward to
helping it achieve its growth plans
in coming months and years.”
Earlier this year, Bhatia won
the Pharmacy Business Commu-
nity Pharmacy Heroes Award 2020.
Watchdog warns
PCR test providers
T he competition watchdog has
warned PCR Covid test provid-
ers against enforcement action over
misleading advertising and potential
failures to deliver results on time.
In an open letter to providers, the
Competition and Markets Authority
(CMA)saidarangeofharmfulpractices
could breach consumer protection law.
The practices of concern to the
CMA include advertising up-front
prices for PCR tests which do not
include additional charges that every-
one must pay; advertising cheap PCR
tests which are only actually avail-
able in very small quantities or are
not available at all; failing to deliver
PCR tests or provide results within
stated timescales, or at all refusing
to provide consumers with refunds
where tests are not provided within
advertised and/or agreed timescales,
or at all.
The letter also instructed PCR test
providers to ‘immediately review their
practices and policies to make sure they
are in line with the requirements of
consumer law and to make any changes
where necessary’.
The move follows the government
announcement on August 23 that 82
companies face being removed from
the government list if they advertise
misleading prices.
The letter also lists 11 steps provid-
ers should take, including not focusing
their advertising on cheap tests which
are only available in small numbers;
showing the full cost of tests including
all compulsory charges; and providing
‘honest, accurate and clear’timescales
on when tests will be received.
SEPTEMBER 2021 5
8/26/2021 3:45:11 PM
 NEWS
Bradford University wins grant
to train pharmacists
T he University of Bradford has
won a Health Education Eng-
land (HEE) grant worth £400,000
to train pharmacy students across
the north of England.
It won the money as part of a con-
sortium with Buttercups Training and
Imaan Healthcare to prepare trainee
pharmacists who are currently work-
ing in hospitals. The training will
help them prepare for assessments at
the end of their pre-registration year.
Dr Gemma Quinn from the Faculty
GPhC takes action over
pharmacy codeine linctus sales
T he General Pharmaceutical
Council (GPhC) has taken seri-
ous enforcement action against 36
pharmacy premises and a pharmacy
professional after investigations
revealed unusually high sales of
codeine linctus.
The drug is classified as a
Pharmacy (P) medicine under the
Medicines Act 1968 and the Human
Medicines Regulations 2012 which
allows it to be sold only under a
pharmacist’s supervision, by a phar-
macy, without prescription.
The medicine, occasionally used
for a dry cough, is high risk because
of known problems associated with
its misuse, abuse or overuse.
The investigation found that
pharmacies involved did not properly
identify and manage the risks related
to obtaining or selling codeine linc-
tus, GPhC said in a statement.
‘Pharmacy can help long Covid patients’
T
he Royal Pharmaceutical Society
(RPS)hassetoutkeyprinciplesand
recommendations for pharmaceutical
care in the management of the illness
to ensure that people get the greatest
benefit from pharmacy teams.
These outline how the provision and
access of pharmaceutical care should
be embedded across the care pathway
for patients with long Covid.
Thedocumentincludesprinciplesin
utilising pharmacists’knowledge, data
andresearchcapabilitywhenresearching
6 SEPTEMBER 2021
PB News pages1.indd 6
of Life Sciences at the university said:
“The assessments require knowledge
of hospital and community pharmacy,
so these courses will help ensure that
students address any gaps in their
knowledge, particularly in areas that
are more commonly seen in com-
munity pharmacy or primary care.”
“Our approach is very much about
team-based learning, using innova-
tive ways to apply knowledge, which
really helps in terms of preparing
students for the workplace, not just in
“Our unannounced inspec-
tions identified that appropriate
safeguards were not always in place
to ensure sales were managed safely
and appropriately. There were often
insufficient controls to prevent
repeat sales or to identify trends in
requests. In some cases, repeat sales
were even made knowingly to the
same people,” it said.
After the inspections, the of-
fending pharmacies had conditions
put on their registration that they
“must not sell or supply any codeine
linctus preparations” without an NHS
prescription.
Additionally, a warning was
issued to the superintendent
pharmacist and regular responsible
pharmacist in of one of the pharma-
cies involved who were found to
have allowed the supply of codeine
linctus without sufficient checks.
pathophysiology and pharmacological
treatments for long Covid; and working
towards an infrastructure that enables
recognised referral pathways, access
to records and shared decision making.
RPSpresidentClaireAndersonsaid:
“We strongly believe that access to a
pharmacist must always be considered
whennewservicesareplannedanddeliv-
ered to support people with long Covid.
“To ensure that people with long
Covid see the right professional at the
right time recognised pathways must
Programme will benefit over 230 trainee
pharmacists
terms of having the necessary skills
but being able to interact with a team
and make decisions,” she said.
Dr Quinn, who worked as a hospi-
tal pharmacist for seven years, before
joining the university in 2008, said
it was one of the largest grants they
had ever secured.
The training programme that in-
cludes a series of specially designed
workshops will benefit more than
230 trainee pharmacists across the
north of England.
The importance of pharmacy has
increased dramatically, particularly
during the pandemic, as they were
one of the few services that remained
open for face-to-face consultations,
Dr Quinn said.
Pharmacists played a key role in
the vaccination programme and are
emerging as leaders in healthcare
sector, she added.
“There is currently a drive to in-
crease the number of pharmacists
in primary care, which has led to
shortages in other sectors, so it’s the
case that, upon graduation, those who
want a job get a job,” Quinn said.
In March this year, pharmacists
were added to the Home Office’s
shortage occupation list.
be established – ranging from self-care
to specialist interventions.
“To help those suffering it’s essen-
tial that pharmacy teams themselves
are supported. RPS continues to work
at all levels to represent pharmacists
who have experienced the impact of
long Covid.”
RPS will use the recommendations
in conversations with governments and
the NHS across Great Britain to ensure
patients with long Covid get access to
the care they need.
www.pharmacy.biz
News In Brief
GPhC warning
The General Pharmaceutical
Council (GPhC) has issued
a warning relating to online
prescribing services after
identifying serious patient
safety concerns. It has
reminded pharmacy owners
and professionals to adhere
the guidance for providing
pharmacy services at a
distance, including on the
internet, whenever they provide
online pharmacy services. The
regulator said its inspectors
were continuing to identify
serious patient safety concerns.
Pharmacists axed
The Pharmaceutical Society of
Northern Ireland has removed
26 pharmacists from its register
due to statutory non-compliance
of regulations relating to CPD.
The regulation stipulates that if
a registered pharmacist fails to
comply with the requirements or
conditions of the CPD framework,
then the registrar may ask
the registered person to take
remedial measures or remove
their name from the register.
CPCS systems
A national procurement model
in place to support community
pharmacy contractors with
the delivery of the Community
Pharmacist Consultation Service
has been extended to the end
of March 2022. Contractors
will now get additional time
to complete the transition
to their own CPCS IT systems
via one of the four assured IT
providers: Cegedim, Positive
Solutions, Sonar Informatics,
and PharmOutcomes.
MHRA approval
The Medicine and Healthcare
products Regulatory Agency has
approved Nuromol, a medicine
that contains 200mg of ibuprofen
and 500mg of paracetamol per
tablet, for sale without the
need to visit a pharmacy. The
reclassification means that drug
will now help people manage
their “mild to moderate pain”
where paracetamol or ibuprofen
alone have not provided
adequate pain relief.
8/26/2021 3:45:22 PM
 www.pharmacy.biz
Numark launches pharmacy roadshow
T o engage pharmacies with its
efficient and effortless dispens-
ing solution, Numark is taking its
new ‘pick to prescription’ service
on the road.
Over the course of the next 12
months, the company hopes to visit
as many pharmacies as possible to
help them see how they can relieve
operating pressures and showcase
improved prescription assembly.
‘Golden Tote’is a market leading
dispensary management system us-
ing bar code scanning technology to
increase efficiencies, improve patient
safety and significantly reduce stock-
holding of dispensary lines.
The new service helps in directly
assembling multiple patients’prescrip-
tions from the tote box, saving time
and taking away the need to place
stock on shelves, date checking and
stock rotation duties.
It enables clinical and accuracy
‘Scottish contractors not reporting closures’
A Scottish health board has
confirmed that some pharmacy
contractors are not reporting their
closures to the NHS despite this being
a requirement of their contract.
A communication sent to commu-
nity pharmacies in Greater Glasgow
and Clyde confirmed that the NHS
became aware of three closures in
that area that week, only due to “third
parties” notifying them, the Pharma-
cists’ Defence Association (PDA) has
reported.
There is no clarity about other
unreported closures where no third
MHRA approves antibody cocktail for Covid-19
T he Medicines and Healthcare
products Regulatory Agency
(MHRA) has approved Ronapreve
as the first monoclonal antibody
treatment for Covid-19 in the UK.
Following on from a thorough
review of the evidence carried out
by the MHRA, and recommenda-
tion by the Commission on Human
Medicines (CHM), the government’s
independent expert scientific advi-
sory body, the MHRA has approved
Ronapreve as the first monoclonal
antibody combination product in-
dicated for use in the prevention
PB News pages1.indd 7
checks, which releases the pharmacist
from any other part of the process.
With this assembly can quickly and
confidently be handed over to members
of the team
Bar code scanning technology
reduces the risk of human error, in-
creasing patient safety and providing
peace of mind. To showcase the new
state-of-the-art interactive, digital in-
stallation, Numark is taking to the road
on-board two Luton vans.
During the roadshow, a Numark
representative will provide a welcome
introduction to pharmacy teams, video
testimonials of member pharmacies
on-board along with a ‘benefits wall’,
allowing the pharmacy teams to gather
all the information they need about
the new service, exclusive to Numark
members.
The new system helps pharmacists
free up time at the dispensary bench
to allow them to engage more with
party notified that NHS health board
that week, but three confirmed clo-
sures in one health board area, in just
week’s period should be significant
enough for concern, it added.
Shortage of pharmacists or lack
of support staff is often used as a
reason to justify such closures. Many
contractors in Scotland have been re-
minded to report unplanned/planned
pharmacy closures.
The issue of avoidable closures
is increasingly being discussed on
social, print and broadcast media and
this could therefore become a signifi-
and treatment of acute Covid-19
infection for the UK.
Developed by Regeneron/Roche,
the drug is administered either by
injection or infusion and acts at the
lining of the respiratory system where
it binds tightly to the coronavirus
and prevents it from gaining access
to the cells of the respiratory system.
Clinical trial data assessed by a
dedicated team of MHRA scientists
and clinicians has shown that Rona-
preve may be used to prevent infec-
tion, promote resolution of symptoms
of acute Covid-19 infection and can
Roadshow van interior
patients, generate more income streams
and increase profitability.
Golden Tote offers its members
a pivotal opportunity to radically
change their assembly process for
prescriptions, which has already been
recognised by more than 4,700 UK
community pharmacies.
Jeremy Meader, Managing Di-
rector of Numark, adds: “We’re on
a mission to help our members with
everything we possibly can, to help
pharmacy practices thrive, through
innovation in products and services.
Golden Tote is a first of its kind –
cant issue for the public, politicians,
and taxpayers, PDA said.
Such cases of unscheduled and
un-notified pharmacy closures will
damage the reputation of phar-
macy and pharmacists. This also risks
undermining the great work being
done my many in the sector to help
pharmacy reach its full potential in
the health system.
The PDA called upon employ-
ers, and their representative bodies
to take this situation seriously and
honour the NHS contract which they
have committed to deliver.
reduce the likelihood of being ad-
mitted to hospital due to Covid-19.
Health secretary Sajid Javid said:
“The UK is considered a world leader
in identifying and rolling out life-
saving treatments for Covid-19,
once they have been proven safe
and effective in our government-
backed clinical trials.
“This treatment will be a sig-
nificant addition to our armoury to
tackle Covid-19 – in addition to our
world-renowned vaccination pro-
gramme and life-saving therapeutics
dexamethasone and tocilizumab.”
NEWS
breaking the mould, providing a
revolutionary change in dispensing
practice, which haven’t changed in
decades.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has fur-
ther highlighted the pressures faced by
community pharmacies. By making
the dispensing of prescriptions as fast,
efficient, and as effortless as possible,
we hope to help our members free up
more time to concentrate on patient
care and business retention.”
RPS concerned
over Vectura
takeover bid
T he Royal Pharmaceutical
Society (RPS) is deeply con-
cerned about the proposed takeover
of Vectura by the tobacco company
Philip Morris International.
The potential £1.1bn purchase
of the UK company which makes
products used in the treatment of
asthma, COPD and
other respiratory
diseases by ciga-
rette maker PMI
has been seen as
controversial
by health chari-
ties in particular,
who claim it could
Vectura is a UK
negatively impact company
Vectura’s future work.
RPS has written to innovation
minister Lord Bethell expressing
ethical concerns about the proposed
takeover.
RPS said tobacco companies
should not profit from the illnesses
their products cause. This takeover,
if allowed to proceed, would send
wrong signals for the kind of health
and research community the UK
seeks to promote.
RPS president Claire Anderson
said: “This takeover not only raises
ethical concerns that a company
whose tobacco products harm the
public may later profit from pro-
viding a treatment, but also creates
an ethical dilemma for healthcare
professionals.
“We strongly urge the govern-
ment to oppose this takeover to
protect the public and healthcare
professionals.”
SEPTEMBER 2021 7
8/26/2021 3:45:34 PM
 NEWS ANALYSIS Legal Cannabis
UK’s legal cannabis market
surges on Covid demand
In recent months, community
pharmacy teams have seen a
massive increase in requests
for cannabis-related products
from members of the public…
B
ritain’s legal cannabis market has boomed
during the coronavirus pandemic to
become the second biggest after the
United States, as consumers rushed to alleviate
Covid-linked symptoms, industry experts say.
Cannabidiol or CBD, which is most
commonly sold as oil at high street retailers,
including an increasing number of pharma-
cies, is one of the active ingredients of non-
psychoactive cannabis.
CBD is touted as have relaxing and anti-
inflammatory properties, but experts argue
the market has long suffered from questions
about its efficacy and a lack of regulation.
Food Standards Agency (FSA) now
regulates the sector and its marketing, after
the European Union classified CBD as food
in 2019.
Such products will generate sales of £690
million ($856 million, 811 million euros) in
2021, according to the Association for the
Cannabinoid Industry (ACI).
That was almost a third higher than the UK
trade group’s pre-pandemic 2019 projection.
‘Pandemic increased demand’
“The pandemic increased CBD demand
because there obviously were stress, sleep
problems, anxiety, these kind of risks,” said
ACI co-founder Steve Moore.
Britain has experienced a “quiet cannabis
revolution” that has transformed it into
“the world’s second largest consumer
cannabinoids market”, ACI said.
Such products are stripped of
psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol or THC
molecules, which are found in recreational
cannabis that remains illegal in Britain.
The NHS warns there is “no guarantee”
that products claiming to be medical cannabis
and sold in health stores as food supplements,
such as CBD oil, are of “good quality or
provide any health benefits”.
The National Pharmacy Association has
maintained that selling CBD in pharmacies
doesn’t give the products extra legitimacy.
“It’s for each pharmacist to decide
8 SEPTEMBER 2021
PB News Analysis Covid Cannabis1.indd 8
whether its suitable to stock a CBD product
or not, but in terms of the safety and efficacy
of it more research is required.”
The UK allows the sale of hemp products
that can be made only from the cannabis
plant’s fibres or seeds, but not the buds.
Aside from Covid, such products have
also experienced strong demand from Britons
seeking to ease pain from chronic illnesses
such as severe arthritis.
‘No definitive evidence’
Versus Arthritis charity recommends patients
contemplating CBD should consult their
doctor beforehand, and also wants more work
done to understand its impact.
Faced with booming sales, professor
Sagnik Bhattacharyya, who researches
psychotic and substance abuse disorders at
King’s College London, says clinical trials
are needed.
“CBD products available over the counter
from many shops or online may not contain
what it says on the tin,” Bhattacharyya told
the AFP news agency, adding they can
include potentially harmful substances.
“Most importantly, there is no definitive
evidence as yet that CBD would work for any
of the myriad health conditions which it is
supposed to benefit, except for certain types
of epilepsy.”
Despite those concerns, Joe Oliver, head
of British-based cannabidiol firm LDN
CBD, says his products help those with
chronic illness. The company launched
in 2018 to tap into the new market, and is
seeking a new round of financing to fund
expansion.
“From testimonials and feedback we
have found that this benefits those who
are dealing with the effects of traumatic
experiences, chronic illness and in high-
stress environments,” he said.
“I’ve seen thousands of people’s lives
changed. So that’s a lot better than nothing.”
‘Open up valuable market’
Britain’s CBD industry is currently forced to
import oil from Europe and the United States.
Under UK drugs law, it is not possible for
British companies to produce CBD because
they are compelled to destroy the CBD-rich
flower or bud of the hemp plant.
That has sparked an outcry from the
farming community, which argues that
profits could be boosted massively if they
were allowed to use all of the plant.
“It is hard to comprehend, especially in a
post-Brexit era, why it is legal to import CBD
into the UK, yet British businesses are not
permitted to produce CBD commercially,”
said Louise Motala, who runs Bridge Farm in
eastern England.
“We have real expertise in cultivation
and extraction in this country,” she added
in a report published by drug reform group
Volteface.
“A change in policy to open up this
valuable market and allow production will
enable UK businesses to make the most of
this global opportunity.”
It’s long been thought that Britain could
emerge as a global leader in the research
and development of cannabis extract
products. But for that to happen there is an
urgent need to make changes to the current
regulations. As legislation develops and
more opportunities for businesses in the
sector arise, the industry will only continue
to expand.
However, at the moment CBD is sold
in a plethora of formulations accompanied
with a wide variety of medicinal claims or
therapeutic benefits. It’s illegal to print any
health claims on the products and anyone
doing so will be in violation of guidelines set
by the MHRA.
“Companies that make these claims are
either blatantly ignoring these guidelines
or are in ignorant bliss of their existence,”
says Bill Griffin, managing director of LXR
Direct, a UK-based CBD oil supplier.
Neither of these scenarios give a good
impression of an honest brand operating in
the nutraceutical space. An honest approach
for brands is to be clear on how much CBD is
included in the product, he adds.
There needs to be a clearly marked batch
number on the product and access to a
certificate of analysis (CoA) from a reputable
laboratory (for example Eurofins) which
relates to that batch number. The percentage
of CBD and quantity, usually in mg, needs to
be displayed on the packaging. A valid CoA
would back this information up.
Griffin says further: “Until sufficient
research has been undertaken for the
MHRA to allow medicinal claims we’re
in the unfortunate scenario of customers
preforming their own research and
experiments on whether CBD can help them.
“Thankfully, we do know that in small
quantities, FSA RDA is 70mg per day,
CBD is not toxic so there are not many risks
associated with consumers trying CBD to see
if they gain therapeutic relief.
“Should they do find a benefit then they
should be able to choose a CBD brand that is
honest with what their products contain. The
only way to do this is though clearly marked
batch numbers and CoAs and not through
slick marketing campaigns.”
8/26/2021 3:48:33 PM
GSK Consumer selects Sigma in a
reduced wholesale agreement.

From 1st October, Sigma will be one

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Place your orders with the only

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 SPECIAL REPORT Pharmacy Funding
Pharmacists in despair after funding freeze
Although the Treasury’s ‘flat rejection’ for an uplift to the
annual global sum disappointed many, sector lauded PSNC for
some hard-earned concessions and new services…
T
he government’s recent decision to keep
the funding for the community pharmacy
contractual framework (CPCF) unchanged
for the third year in a row has dashed hopes of many
in the industry. It also announced some positive
initiatives that would open up new remuneration
opportunities for pharmacists, but the efforts are
not seen as enough to support the sector.
Therefore, the declaration of the terms of
the third year triggered a mixed response from
pharmacy’s representative bodies.
The August 23rd announcement comprises
extension of Transitional Payments by an-
other year; expansion of New Medicine Service
(NMS) with the cap increased from 0.5 per cent
to 1 per cent of monthly prescription volume and
an additional catch-up NMS for patients who
missed out during Covid-19.
The positive initiatives include introduction of
two new advanced services: smoking cessation
and hypertension case-finding, the latter of which
will receive funding from outside the global sum
to incentivise pharmacies to meet targets.
Despite these positives, the Treasury’s “flat
refusal” to the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiat-
ing Committee’s (PSNC) persistent appeals for
an uplift to the £2.592 billion annual global sum
disappointed all.
The PSNC’s outgoing chief Simon Dukes
said contractors should feel “aggrieved” that the
Treasury declined to improve funding, especially
after pharmacy’s hard work during the Covid-19
pandemic.
The government’s “insistence that we remain
at £2.592bn for a further year will bring financial
tensions as we move through the autumn and the
Covid-19 advance repayments start to bite”, he
added.
In June, PSNC accepted a deal from the
government on pharmacy’s Covid-19 costs, as
per which the sector will have to pay back the
£370 million advance funding, and pharmacies
had until August 15 to submit claims for Covid-
related costs.
“We continue to press for recognition of the
financial pressures that community pharmacy
is under and, as the pandemic slowly recedes,
underline to the government how much worse
things could be right now, were it not for the
performance of our sector,” Dukes said.
Royal Pharmaceutical Society in England
chair Thorrun Govind said while there were “pos-
itive steps” towards creating clinical roles with
inclusion of blood pressure diagnosis, pharma-
cists “will understandably be demoralised” by the
10 SEPTEMBER 2021
PB Special Report Pharmacy Funding1.indd 10
Treasury’s refusal to increase
core funding.
She called for a recogni-
tion of the role pharmacists
have played during the
pandemic, as well as clarity
on funding for independent
prescriber training, and
lauded the expansion of the
NMS – a supportive move for
pharmacists.
Thorrun added: “We
know that community
pharmacy can play a key role
in helping manage increas-
ing demand on the NHS, but
Simon Dukes: Contractors should feel
collaboration and support for ‘aggrieved’
implementation will be key to
making new services a success.”
Leyla Hannbeck, chief executive of the As-
sociation of Independent Multiple Pharmacies
(AIMp), highlighted that with rising of costs “this and expansion of a number of clinical services”
is yet another decrease in funding so let’s please
call it that”.
She added that AIMp has raised concerns with funding crisis facing pharmacies in England”
NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSEI)
about the lack of a level playing field for com-
munity pharmacy “as GPs get funding to recruit
pharmacists to GP practices and this has signifi-
cantly impacted on community pharmacy”.
‘Unfathomable’ decision
Jeremy Meader, managing director at PHOENIX forced to shut down by 2024.
Medical Supplies Limited, said: “It’s unfathom-
able that the government has widely acknowl-
edged the importance of community pharmacy in cent of pharmacies in England are forecast to be
delivering improved health outcomes, yet refuses loss-making within four years, as the EY report
to recognise this through increased investment.
“The new hypertension service is welcome,
yet it is the tip of the iceberg in terms of what
pharmacy can offer as a local, valued healthcare
hub preventing ill health from arising in the first
instance and providing the professional support
which those with chronic conditions need.”
He added that the PSNC team faced a stiff
challenge while negotiating the funding increase
demand, and despite “warm words from senior
politicians” it met with “a flat rejection” from the
Treasury.
Calling it an extremely disappointing deci-
sion, Meader pointed towards countless surveys
that have shown people want, need and value.
He, however, reassured that PHOENIX
remains committed to support members in maxi-
mising their remuneration opportunities.
www.pharmacy.biz
‘Flat funding, increased
workload’
Julian Mount, managing director, Alliance
Healthcare said: “Pharmacies in England con-
tinue to service their local communities against
a back-drop of flat funding and
increased pressures.
“Against a backdrop of hav-
ing to submit claims for their ex-
tra Covid-19 costs, getting ready
for a potential record-breaking
flu vaccination programme,
continued work-force pressures
and increasing inflationary cost,
going backwards in real terms
for funding will be extremely
challenging and the future vi-
ability of the pharmacy network
has already been highlighted
many times.”
Mount pledged to continue
efforts to “highlight the impor-
tant role community pharmacies
play in the fabric of the NHS primary care team.”
Andrew Lane, chair of the National Phar-
macy Association welcomed “the introduction
but expressed the pharmacy negotiator’s
“request to Treasury to resolve the long-term
was overlooked.
He highlighted a commissioned report from
Ernst and Young (EY) that showed the precari-
ous situation facing pharmacies in the country.
The report depicted a funding gap of half a bil-
lion pounds and stated that nearly three-quarters
of family-owned pharmacies in England could be
Lane said: “Simply put, these new funding
arrangements do not address the fact that 72 per-
has highlighted.”
The Company Chemists’ Association said the
pharmacy funding settlement “contains encour-
agement and concern”.
While welcoming many of the service
developments, Malcolm Harrison, chief execu-
tive of the CCA, said: “The refusal to increase
the funding available for pharmacies to deliver
NHS services is compounded by the fact that any
efficiency gains promised as part of the five-year
deal have not yet materialised.
“We fully support PSNCs commitment to
pursue an uplift to the global sum as we see out
the current five-year deal.”
Despite being demoralised by the outcome,
many in the industry are looking forward to
negotiations for the remaining two years of the
five-year settlement.
8/26/2021 3:51:02 PM
 www.pharmacy.biz
Supporting self care in pharmacy
Michelle Riddalls supports
the introduction of
appropriate
access to
patients’
records and
the right to
refer to other
healthcare professionals…
T
he Covid-19 pandemic has shone a
spotlight into every corner of our health
system.
From equipment procurement to clinical
trials, the many cogs that drive the healthcare
wheel have come under intense scrutiny.
So how has pharmacy fared, after 16
months at the forefront of the pandemic
response? Have perceptions shifted among
individuals and policymakers?
It’s a question close to our hearts at PAGB,
the consumer healthcare association, where
we have long advocated an enhanced role for
pharmacists in recognition of their training
and expertise.
And it’s a question we set out to explore in
our latest survey on self care and attitudes to
accessing healthcare services.
In the two weeks to 3 June 2021, we asked
more than 2,000 people about the self-treat-
able health conditions they’d experienced
in the previous 12 months and what they’d
done to alleviate their symptoms or tackle the
problem.
The first of our pharmacy-related findings
will surprise no-one in the business: almost
half of our respondents (47 per cent) told us
they’d turned to a pharmacy for advice or
medication, up from 37 per cent in our 2020
survey.
That’s almost certainly due at least in part
to the continuing accessibility of pharmacists
during the Covid-19 pandemic.
There were undoubtedly people who
would have preferred to see a GP about a
health problem that is generally self-treatable,
and who might have been offered a GP con-
sultation in ‘normal’ times, but who were not
able to do so during the pandemic and chose a
pharmacy visit as their alternative.
Of course, there were also people with
more serious conditions who should have
seen a GP but were deterred by the circum-
stances of lockdown – their situation is
PB Michelle Ridalls Guest Column1.indd 11
Michelle Riddalls
clearly very different but lies similarly at the
heart of the debate about self care and the best
use of resources.
So what can we do to encourage people in
future to use their pharmacy as a positive first
choice for a self-treatable condition, rather
than regarding it as a ‘next-best’ or even a
‘not-worth-it’ option?
It’s a question we need to address to help
protect NHS resources such as GP appoint-
ments and A&E slots for those who need
them most, as well as to reap the benefits
for everyone of more widespread self care –
which include better health outcomes and a
reduction in health inequalities.
Some potential answers lie in the re-
sponses our survey participants gave when
we asked why they felt as they did about
pharmacy.
Those who said they hadn’t visited a
pharmacy at all gave various reasons for their
choice, some of which have become frus-
tratingly familiar since PAGB’s first major
survey of this kind in 2016.
They include: ‘pharmacists aren’t as quali-
fied as GPs or hospital staff’ (13 per cent); ‘I
cannot get to my local pharmacy’ (6 per cent);
and ‘prescription medicine is better and/or
stronger’ (6 per cent).
There is no easy way to overcome some of
these negative perceptions, although PAGB
will continue to press for measures that
heighten public awareness of pharmacists’
training and expertise as well as their general
accessibility. PSNC figures show that almost
nine out of ten people in England live within
a 20-minute walk of a community pharmacy,
rising to 99 per cent in areas of highest depriva-
tion.
In addition, one of our priorities is to sup-
port and encourage the appropriate reclassifi-
cation of medicines from prescription-only to
over-the-counter status. This has the benefit
not only of offering greater flexibility and
choice to individuals but of utilising the skills
and training of pharmacists to maximum
effect.
But arguably the greatest scope for ef-
fective change lies in the responses to our
question: ‘What would make you more likely
to ask your local pharmacist for advice?’
Top of the list is ‘more privacy in the
pharmacy’ (44 per cent), which suggests it
would be helpful to highlight the availability
of consulting rooms that are now available in
many pharmacies.
That’s followed by telephone access (32 per
cent) – an admittedly difficult ‘ask’, logistical-
ly-speaking, but one that’s worth bearing in
mind when services are shaped in future.
GUEST COLUMN
Then come two potential innovations that
we believe deserve urgent consideration by
policymakers.
Firstly, almost a third of people (31 per
cent) said they would be more likely to visit a
pharmacy if the pharmacist could refer them
to another healthcare professional, such as
a GP or a physiotherapist, where that was
deemed necessary.
As a positive development for pharmacy,
referral rights make perfect sense. If you
could walk into your community pharmacy
knowing you would come out with expert ad-
vice, an effective over-the-counter product or
an appointment for medical help elsewhere,
it becomes a much more appealing – and ef-
ficient – first choice.
It’s also a logical complement to the exist-
ing Community Pharmacist Consultation Ser-
vice, which allows GP surgeries and NHS111
to refer individuals directly to pharmacists if
that’s judged the best option for those with
self-treatable health conditions.
We hope to see an expansion of this
scheme before too long and we were very
pleased to see the high level of enthusiasm
among our survey respondents for the CPCS
- 69 per cent support the idea of GP surgeries
referring people to a pharmacist for a self-
treatable condition.
Secondly, a quarter of our respondents
said they would be more likely to opt for a
pharmacy visit if the pharmacist could update
as well as read individuals’ medical records.
Allowing pharmacists to record the advice
they have given, and to base that advice on the
most up-to-date medical history of the person
in front of them, is another step that seems to
us not only desirable but eminently possible.
We very much hope that the level of sup-
port in our survey for broadening pharmacy
access to medical records and for phar-
macists’ right to refer to other healthcare
professionals will help drive these issues up
the agenda, particularly at a time when the
government is looking to integrate different
parts of the health system more fully through
its new Health and Care Bill and its recently-
published Data Strategy.
All of our survey results will form part of
PAGB’s ongoing campaign for the creation
and implementation of a national self care
strategy, built around the introduction of
universal self care education and a greater
role for pharmacists who have made such a
vital contribution to our national Covid-19
response.
Michelle Riddalls is the chief executive of
PAGB, the consumer healthcare association.
SEPTEMBER 2021 11
8/26/2021 3:49:56 PM
 SPOTLIGHTPain Management www.pharmacy.biz

30 SEPTEMBER 2021

PB Pain Management1.indd 30 8/25/2021 1:10:35 PM

 www.pharmacy.biz
PHARMACY BUSINESS CONFERENCE 2021

Creating a sustainable future

In his fourth
and final article,
Michael Holden,
conference chair,
reflects on the
topics and speakers
we have arranged
for you at our sixth annual
conference…

W
hy have we chosen innovation and
integration as the theme of our
conference? The simple answer is
that this is what our biggest customer, the NHS,
want from us and the rest of the health system. Just
read the Health and Care White Paper launched
in February, now backed by a new Health and
Care Bill currently going through parliament.
The more complex answer is based on the
evolving needs of our other customers, our pa-
tients, our profession and our wider workforce.
They are looking for something different,
something better.
Our response to the Covid-19 pandemic has
been, and still is outstanding. However, whilst
demonstrating agility, it has to some extent
that has moved us back to a focus on medicines
supply, which, although critical to healthcare,
is not enough to sustain pharmacy financially
nor professionally.
Digital healthcare and technology are now
moving at such a pace, some of it driven by the
needs of the pandemic and some by rapidly
changing expectations of commissioners and
consumers of health services.
The future of health is local, but is phar-
macy ready, willing and able to step into the
local ring?
The conference
The sixth annual Pharmacy Business Confer-
ence will together community pharmacists,
owners and stakeholders to explore how to
create a sustainable future through integration
and innovation to meet the evolving needs of
the health systems. This year we are holding
our conference over two evenings utilising an
online platform to improve accessibility and
keep you safe.
21st September – Integration
In our first session, you will hear from Dr
Nikita Kanani, Medical Director for Primary
Care (yes, we are part of primary care) on what
the NHS wants from community pharmacy
within an integrated health and care system.
We will also hear from Anne Joshua, Head of
Pharmacy Integration at NHS England, on our
important clinical role in medicines optimisa-
tion and patient safety.
This will be followed by James Wood, the
recently appointed Director of Contractor and
LPC Support at PSNC. We anticipate James
will give some insights on how the future of
local and national representation and sup-
port might shape up plus some reflections on
what local integration means for community
pharmacy.
To put their perspectives on the benefits of
local integration, we will hear from a Phar-
macy PCN Lead and community pharmacy
contractor, Jignesh Patel and a PCN Clinical
Director, Dr Farzana Hussain, on how they
have worked together in North East London to
make healthcare better for their local popula-
tion.
Our evening concludes with a panel
consisting of Anne Joshua, James Wood plus
Shilpa Shah, CEO of Kent LPC, who is doing
excellent work to upskill and integrate com-
munity pharmacy in her area. They will reflect
on the key elements of the session and delegate
questions.
23rd September – Innovation
None of the above will happen if we don’t
change what we do, why we do it and how
we do it – this is the true essence of innova-
tion. Some of this will be driven by pure
determination and fresh thinking, some by
embracing technology and digital health-
care.
Our opening speaker will provide some
insights into why and how digital healthcare
can make things better for the NHS, for phar-
macy and for individuals. We will then hear
from two independent pharmacy owners,
Faheem Ahmed and Amish Patel, on how
they have innovated in their pharmacy ser-
vices and another, Ali Sparkes, who has fully
embraced digital technology to improve her
business and outcomes for her population.
The conference ends with a pharmacy
stakeholder panel consisting of Simon
Dukes, current but soon to leave his role as
CEO of PSNC, and senior representatives
from the three major pharmacy wholesalers
and support organisations. Hear we want to
hear their views on the future of community
pharmacy and we want to hear your ques-
tions to them on the night.
Please ensure that you are there at both
sessions to hear, participate and learn. I for
one am really looking forward to them.
Michael Holden is chair of Pharmacy Business
Conference and an associate director at
Pharmacy Complete.

SEPTEMBER 2021 13

PB Michael Holden Conference1.indd 13 8/26/2021 3:51:52 PM

 INNOVATION HUB Faheem Ahmed
Forget cash flow. Content is king!
Award-winning
pharmacist
Faheem Ahmed
explains what
contractors who
wish to set up
a clinic need to do to position
their business in a competitive
market...
S
o it begins. You have gotten this far and
decide to set up a clinic. You’re excited and
can see the future. But then, your competi-
tors choose to do the same with one difference;
they deliver cheaper services!
Marketing is your solution.
Anything you do can be copied and done
better than you or I could – just look at the
pharmacy sector and around you in the world.
In other words, if you set up an aesthetics
clinic, then soon enough, someone will copy
you. And the same can be said about any ser-
vice you decide to set up – examples of which
include delivery of prescriptions, administra-
tion of travel vaccinations, Covid testing,
blood testing services, weight loss services,
online or face-to-face consultations, etc.
And such is the irony that as I write this
article I have just gone through this exact situ-
ation.
Recently at Ahmeys clinic, we rolled out
Covid testing, and six months later, a Covid
testing clinic appears in the town center. This
clinic was also offering testing but at a lower
price – when I say lower, I mean close to cost
price!
Now, many years ago, I would have pan-
icked – but not anymore – just keep reading,
and you will soon never be fazed by a similar
situation either.
Marketing is not advertising. That’s right.
Similarly, nor is advertising marketing.
On the other hand, marketing is the act of
demonstrating value to your target audience.
For now, you can think of marketing as
(1) how you position your brand, (2) how you
communicate this to your target audience, and
(3) how your audience connects or feels about
your brand.
Apple’s marketing
For example, when I think of laptops, Mac-
Book comes to mind, and when I think of
mobiles, Apple products like the iPhone spring
14 SEPTEMBER 2021
PB Innovation Hub1.indd 14
up. However, I also know Dell and Samsung
are equally qualified to manufacture these
products.
So then, why does Apple come to my mind?
I mean, their products are set at a higher price
point, and I am sure other products have simi-
lar features, if not better ones, then why Apple?
My dear reader, the answer lies in how
Apple communicates to its audience and
makes them feel, and this is marketing.
Indeed, with Apple, I feel I have a con-
nection with the brand beyond a simple
transactional relationship. When I buy their
products, I think class, integrity, seam-
less integration between products, high
quality, prestige, and all this amounts to
enough value that it’s worth exchanging my
hard-earned money even though there are
alternatives.
However, this is not to say Apple products
are better than those of Dell or other brands.
But Apple, the brand, develops a unique
relationship with its audience. As a result, the
company can cultivate higher-order feelings
such as trust and loyalty, so you do not hesitate
to buy again and again, regardless of the price
you pay each time.
You might be wondering how do they do
this?
Well, sorry to be repetitive, but the answer
is marketing. In Apple’s case, they don’t get
themselves into price wars; instead, they focus
on their unique value proposition- and that is,
their products are beautiful that work straight
from the box. This is something you can’t just
build overnight.
Brian Tracy, Author of The Psychology
of Selling, says ‘people buy with emotion and
justify with logic’ – and once you understand
how to tap into emotions and create feelings,
you won’t need to worry about what others are
doing.
Positioning
This is in your hands. First, I’d suggest you
look at your company’s mission statement.
Remember that a mission statement is a
summary of why your organization exits and
outlines your organization’s purpose.
For example, our mission at Ahmeys is to
improve the quality of human life by helping
everyone on this planet unlock their optimal
health and well-being.
Okay, so I bet you’re thinking, ‘that
sounds great, Faheem, but what does it have
to do with positioning my clinic?’
Well, once you know your mission state-
ment, you should understand the message you
need to communicate with your audience and
then devise a plan to demonstrate this.
So, let’s continue using my clinic as an
example. We know the mission statement
and from here, what we need to understand is
that to achieve this, we would need our brand
to inspire and instill trust in all those who
come into contact with it.
What I mean is if you run an ad on Face-
book with the headline: ‘We want to unlock
your potential’, personally, I would laugh
and ask, ‘’who gave you the right, and why
should I trust you?’’
So how do we get our audience to trust
8/26/2021 3:54:18 PM

our brand with aspects of their health and
well-being? Well, if you thought the solution
was marketing, then you were only 50 per
cent right. The complete solution is content
marketing (more about this later).
My point is you need to focus on position-
ing your brand/clinic as a product where
people can find helpful information, advice,
insights, resources, and inspiration – by the
way, this is all content – to improve the qual-
ity of their lives.
Content marketing
The term is commonly used by Joe Pulizzi.
Joe is the founder of Content Marketing
Institution and explains, ‘content market-
ing is the marketing and business process
for creating and distributing valuable and
compelling content to attract, acquire, and
engage a clearly defined and understood tar-
get audience—with the objective of driving
profitable customer action.’
If the definition is confusing, consider
content marketing as (1) creating valuable
information, i.e., content that your audience
is passionate about – so they pay attention
to you; (2) Then expressing this content
in an article, video, webinar, podcast, or
info-graphic; and (3) Finally, distributing
this content through a channel which may be
your website and/or social media, radio, TV,
etc., to reach your audience.
Before we go any further, I want you to
understand two key messages: Firstly, cus-
tomers or people generally don’t care about
you, your products, or your services. They
care about themselves.
And secondly, people are bombarded
with ads and content – which now they can
just choose to ignore. So to get their atten-
tion, you need to become a leading infor-
mational expert delivering value through
compelling content within your field, or you
won’t stand out, let alone generating sales.
Where to start
Start by reading. Yes. Pick up books and
start reading. One of my biggest regrets as
a business owner and pharmacist was that
I stopped educating myself; so don’t make
that mistake!
I could recommend plenty of authors
and books to get you started and I will do in
future articles. But, for now, I would recom-
mend reading Epic Content Marketing by
Joe Pulizzi.
Alongside reading the book, I would
suggest you undertake an audit and evalua-
tion of the current content you produce and
the channels of distribution you use. Just ask
yourself, ‘what message am I communicat-
ing and on whose platform?’
If you want to know a good place to start,
just visit your website because it will have
content, and it’s also a channel where you
distribute your content.
PB Innovation Hub1.indd 15
Build your platform
A couple of years ago, my Facebook account
was blocked. Two years on, I was then blocked
from YouTube and LinkedIn (albeit for a short
while but blocked nonetheless). I sat down one
day and realized I am making a huge mistake.
In essence, I am building my real estate on
borrowed land and can be dictated to at any
given time.
Therefore, I no longer focus on building
my audience on social media platforms like
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube
because, technically, I do not own those chan-
nels. As such, at any point, the terms and con-
ditions of these platforms can change, or even
worse, the platforms could go bust, and I’d
have lost my audience – remember Myspace
or Bebo?
If you’re with me so far, I hope you’re
wondering, ‘what platform should we focus on
and which one can I own?’; well, that would be
your own website!
The promised land
Oh yes, the website is the promised land. This
is your land; you can own this, and here is
where you need to build your audience. Here
is where you want all your subscribers and
followers, and this is where you should spend
your time and energy.
Imagine your website having 1000’s of
paid customers every month in addition to your
website ranking number one on Google for
specific search terms! Can you also imagine
being paid by others to market on your site?
If you can’t, you need to start believing it is
possible; if you are willing to put the work in
that is.
Content is king
Forget cash flow. Content is king!
But, before you start to produce content,
please answer the following: (1) who is your
content for? – to answer this, keep your audi-
ence in mind so you can plan and develop con-
tent that they would value; (2) what resources
do you have at your disposal – currently do you
have a dedicated team of writers and videog-
raphers who can support you with content
creation and the editing process; and (3) why
are you creating content? – think about your
content mission and goals because this will
impact what, where, and how often you publish
and how you prioritise, organise and categorise
your content creation efforts.
Let’s discuss this concept of content goals
in more depth for a moment.
Your content goals
I’m a big fan of setting goals.
However, before you set your goals, make
sure you do your market research. It is essential
to know what people are searching for on the
web; you can use tools like MOZ or SEMrush
to help with keyword research.
www.pharmacy.biz
Assuming you have done some research,
now you need to set a clear content marketing
goal. There are many choices, such as monetis-
ing new or existing customers (in sales speech,
we call these leads) or building a community.
However, I’d suggest you start with the follow-
ing goal: building an audience base.
To explain further, building an audience is
not just about gathering an email list. It runs a
lot deeper. Essentially, you need to develop a
relationship with your prospective or exist-
ing customers beyond a shallow transactional
relationship – think about the Apple example
I gave earlier – such that you create a com-
munity of advocates and brand promoters.
Moreover, building your audience will lead to
increased satisfaction and loyalty towards your
brand.
Now I know by no means is the above an
easy feat, but if you discipline yourself and
develop grit, as Angela Duckworth, author
of Grit: Why passion and resilience are the
secrets to success, explains in her book, you
can achieve your goals.
Things to consider
Writing content is not difficult. In actual fact, if
you have a basic understanding of English, as
Ann Handley, author of Everybody writes, puts
it; ‘you can write!’
However, I don’t just want you to write. I
want you to create content that fulfills its pur-
pose. For example, you set up a clinic whose
main objective is to generate sales by through
private consultations. Therefore, you need to
create content that encourages your audience
to do exactly that; book a consultation.
To achieve the above, you need to consider
the following: (1) how will you stand out from
the crowd? – think about what unmet need you
can address with the content you intend to cre-
ate? What gaps exist?; (2) call to action – what
do you want your readers to do? Do you want
them to sign up for a service or buy a particular
product; and (3) audience outcome – think
about what you want your audience to gain
from your content. Will it be live a better life
in some way? Get a better job or learn a new
skill? By doing this, you will understand the
purpose of your content from the audience’s
point of view.
Final thoughts
If you want your clinic to stand out, then
produce ridiculously good content for your
audience. That content could be expressed in
blog posts, videos, podcasts, and webinars,
but remember to focus on publishing on your
owned channels, leverage unowned channels
like social media, stay consistent and then
watch your audience grow.
Try copying that!
Faheem Ahmed, winner of the Pharmacy Busi-
ness Innovation Award 2020, owns Ahmeys
Pharmacy in Oxford and MEDLRN.
SEPTEMBER 2021 15
8/26/2021 3:54:29 PM
 www.pharmacy.biz
CLASSIFIED

Release up to
80% of your
pharmacist time.
Titan is a new EPS accredited Pharmacy PMR system,
which introduces a unique workflow in the pharmacy.
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and free up pharmacists away from final checks.
For more information email us at info@invatechhealth.com
or call 0117 2140315
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FULLY ACCREDITED BY NHS FOR

Part of the Invatech family / ELECTRONIC PRESCRIPTION SERVICE

AUGUST 2021 25

PB CLASSIFIED.indd 25 8/25/2021 7:13:08 PM

 www.pharmacy.biz
Hub & Spoke – why
independents need it now
Mike Hewitson argues that independents
should no longer waste time debating over
a centralised hub and spoke dispensing
model…
I
ndependent pharmacy owners and staff
have been under relentless pressure for
the last 18 months. With prescription
volumes strong, despite the growth of online
pharmacies it is easy to feel overwhelmed by
the number of things that need to be done.
If your staff are anything like mine, they
have been incredible, but we do not want to
burn them out either.
In 2021, independents were called upon
to take part in the roll-out of the Covid
vaccination programme, but many were not
able to grasp the opportunity because they
found it impossible to get on top of the day-to-
day dispensing workload.
Some still are.
It has been a brilliant example of why we
urgently need to bring forward centralised
hub and spoke dispensing for independent
community pharmacy.
The necessary primary legislation
achieved Royal Assent back in February
and we’re now in the midst of industry and
public consultations. This consultation will be
essential in determining how the regulations
should be updated so that independents can
use this technology.
The debate is no longer ‘should’ Hub &
Spoke dispensing happen, as we have moved
on to ‘how’ Hub & Spoke dispensing will
happen. There is a lot to consider to ensure that
we have a vibrant market of potential Hubs,
not just a stale choice of a handful of very large
operators.
Further consultations are planned for the
autumn which will allow patients and the
public to have their say on important issues
such as consent and transparency – watch this
space.
If I had hub and spoke dispensing switched
on right now, I would not be worried about
burning my staff out, because I could take a lot
of the mundane pressure off their shoulders.
This would allow them to focus their time and
energy on the patients with the greatest needs.
With the launch of the Discharge
PB Viewpoint1.indd 17
Medication Review service in February,
pharmacies must now think about how they
handle patients after they are discharged
from hospital, to help them get the most from
their medicines and avoid unnecessary re-
admissions.
We have just seen the announcement of
new hypertension and smoking cessation
services which will launch from pharmacies
later this year. It is vital that we embrace these
opportunities, not just for the much needed
revenue, but also to reinforce the importance
and opportunity that community pharmacy
offers commissioners.
Opting out of these services is not an option
in the long term.
The five-year contractual settlement sets
out explicitly that the NHS wants to reduce the
cost of dispensing, focusing more resource on
clinical services.
This is hardly news to most contractors,
but I see the development of an efficient,
automated hub solution as an essential enabler
to help us transform services from where we
are today to a different future.
Freeing the pharmacist to have more
capacity to deliver services will help us
to embrace not just NHS commissioned
services, but also private services. Having
just completed my training as an Independent
Prescriber I already have a number of private
services lined up, for which there is both a
need and high patient demand.
‘Freeing up capacity’ doesn’t have to mean
reducing staffing levels, but it might mean
that we can start chasing new business, for
example patients in other areas who have been
badly let down by other providers during the
pandemic.
Our plan is to go all out for growth by
offering the best levels of service that we can,
innovating in not only what we do, but also the
way we do it.
Technological and clinical innovation is
essential or else independents will get left
behind. Larger organisations are too slow
Mike Hewitson
VIEWPOINT
to adapt, being small means that you can be
agile to local developments which will be
increasingly important with the development
of Integrated Care Systems, which will be
responsible in future for pharmacy service
commissioning.
Our problem as independents will be
showing scalable solutions to local problems,
but we can only do that if we are doing
something other than checking prescriptions.
All of the innovation in community
pharmacy comes from the independent sector,
and I am confident that we will be able to
evolve to meet the changing demands of the
NHS and patients, but we cannot continue to
play the same game of chasing procurement
margin and item volume alone.
When I speak to other independents about
Hub & Spoke some can become concerned
over the risk to their dispensing volume by
sharing information with their competitors or
their wholesalers, and I think these are largely
legitimate concerns.
But it doesn’t have to be that way. I am
working to ensure that independents have a
solution which improves their margins and
safeguards their data but still delivers market-
leading automation and efficiency.
I’m looking forward to sharing more
information in the coming months, but
whatever your thoughts on this subject I would
urge you to keep an open mind and spend some
time thinking about what your service is going
to look like in the future, because if you don’t
nobody else will.
When I think about the huge quantum leaps
that have happened since the start of COVID,
it is clear that the patient want and expect more
from healthcare, whether it is the GP e-consult
or video consultations through to Deliveroo
style deliveries we cannot afford to stand still
or our customers will have moved on.
The best pharmacies are already
transforming themselves to become fit for the
future. While online providers can dispense
a prescription, they find it more difficult to
give the face-to-face clinical care that many
patients want and need.
This is how independents will secure their
future, and soon hub and spoke dispensing
will be there to help me make it happen.
Mike Hewitson owns the Beaminster Pharmacy
in Dorset and is a non-executive director of
HubRx.
SEPTEMBER 2021 17
8/26/2021 3:55:39 PM
 SPOTLIGHT Technology
Changing the game
Tariq Muhammad discusses
how community pharmacy
can defend itself against the
potential onslaught
of Amazon...
A
recent study published
by consultancy firm,
Simon-Kucher &
Partners, revealed that 41 per
cent of UK customers are ready
to use Amazon Pharmacy when
it becomes available. The study
also found that just 24 per cent of
customers would continue using
bricks and mortar pharmacies and
only 9 per cent said they would use
a different online pharmacy.
If these figures are to be
believed, they present a depressing
outlook for community pharmacy.
It would appear no one is safe
from the Amazon juggernaut that
seems to bulldoze anything in its
path, including even those online
businesses that have modelled
themselves in Amazon’s image.
In many ways, the news of
Amazon coming into pharmacy is
no longer a surprise. If anything,
I’m surprised they haven’t already
launched. However, each time we
hear this it does allow us to reflect
on the current state of pharmacy
and what we need to consider in
order to survive.
The pharmacy game
I greatly admire the services
that pharmacies provide and the
lengths that pharmacists go to
help their patients. Whether you
are a contractor, employee or
locum, you will be able to recount
almost daily stories where you
did something that gave a positive
experience for your patients. In the
vast majority of cases, whatever
you did, wherever you did it,
chances are you did it for free.
Beyond the individual stories,
pharmacy businesses have used
this approach to model their
services. Whether it is providing
medication in blister packs, home
delivery, consultations and advice,
it is all available free of charge.
Underlying all these efforts
18 SEPTEMBER 2021
PB Technology1.indd 18
is the desire to grow prescription
volume. Pharmacies compete
with each other on customer
experience in return for securing
dispensing income. If one offers
original packs, another will offer
MDS. If one offers MAR charts,
another will offer ‘coloured’
MAR charts. If one is offering
next day delivery, another will
offer same day delivery. And if
anyone is looking to charge, there
will always be someone willing to
offer the same thing for nothing.
In our pursuit to help patients
and sustain our businesses
through the prescriptions model,
we have built an industry focused
on supply and measured upon loss
leader add-ons. This then creates
the vulnerability against the
likes of Amazon who with their
deep pockets and technology are
masters at playing this game. They
can wrap an alternative customer
experience around a supply
service which could wipe out the
entire pharmacy sector at a stroke.
The only way to compete with
Amazon is not to play the game
on Amazon’s terms. In fact, we
need to play a different game all
together.
Automate dispensing
The greatest asset Amazon has
is its technology and automation.
The greatest asset pharmacy
has is its pharmacists. However,
ever since time began, most
pharmacists have been buried
doing a process which can be
done better by technology with
little time to spend on front line
services.
There is now an urgent need
for pharmacists to get out of the
dispensary and spend their time
being pharmacists. We now have
the technology, via systems such
as Titan, to automate much of
Technological advancements in pharmacy are happening at a faster pace
the dispensing process and all
but free the pharmacist from
the dispensing process without
compromising safety.
Frontline services
With pharmacists freed from the
dispensary, we need to rapidly
rebuild our front-line image. We
have a wealth of services emerging
which can keep pharmacists fully
occupied all day. CPCS, DMS,
NMS, vaccinations, prescribing
and a range of private services are
just some of the paid activities
pharmacists can be involved in.
Aside from helping supplement
income, the main purpose is to get
pharmacists to become visible.
This is a PR exercise like no
other. We need to give patients an
experience that would be missed if
it was then taken away.
Subscription models
I have long advocated the idea of
a patient registration model for
pharmacy. If pharmacies were paid
‘per capita’ as opposed to payment
per item, I believe it would have
driven different behaviours within
the profession and we’d be in a
different place today.
Although the government and
our negotiators are unlikely to
change the remuneration model
any time soon, pharmacies could
and should establish their own
subscription models chargeable
www.pharmacy.biz
to patients. Under a subscription
model, it would be easier to offer
a range of pharmacy services
over and above the NHS contract
for those willing and able to pay.
Subscription models are becoming
the norm in many industries
enabling customer loyalty without
getting into a transactional value.
App experience
Of course, pharmacy needs the
technology to connect the above
services together. Patient Apps
are needed that connect the
pharmacist to the patient and
help manage repeats, dispensing,
services and collection of
payments. Crucially, Patient Apps
build loyalty and allow a new
experience which are essential
if we want to prevent the loss of
patients to Amazon.
Right now, all the above may
look daunting but much of the
groundwork is already in place.
The technological advancements
in pharmacy are happening at a
faster pace now than any other
time in our history. We just need
to leverage the technology and
redefine what pharmacy actually
means beyond supply. If we do
this, then it will be a game that
Amazon would struggle to play,
and one they certainly won’t win.
Tariq Muhammad is the CEO at
Invatech Health.
8/26/2021 3:56:19 PM
 www.pharmacy.biz
Face-to-face time
Gary Paragpuri considers
how the pandemic has both
shifted our understanding and
crystallised our appreciation
of digital and in-person
experiences…
T
hree years ago, with our
company still very
much in start-up mode,
the Pharmaself24 medicine
collection point was a relative
unknown in the UK pharmacy
market.
Despite the fact that my
partner in the business, Ryszard
Cygan, had been providing his
patients with a 24/7 prescription
collection service for a decade
at his West Elloe Pharmacy, he
remained one of only a handful of
early adopters of this technology.
As a new player in the market,
our goal was to build awareness
of our company as well as the
Pharmaself24 brand and the
concept of automated medicine
collection itself. We tackled this
through a combination of digital
and face-to-face marketing
activities, aiming to demonstrate
and demystify the technology,
and show contractors first-
hand how it can be used to help
achieve their goals, whether
that’s easing the workload on
the pharmacy team, better
positioning themselves to defend
against competition from online
providers, or supporting efforts
to grow their share of the local
prescription market.
Over the past 18 months,
opportunities to meet at live
events were sadly lost to the
pandemic, but they are beginning
to make a welcome return,
bringing the UK pharmacy
community together for the
chance to discuss industry
developments, discover new
things and learn from each other
– all things that can’t be fully
replicated online.
They do so, however, in
altered circumstances. In our
PB Technology1.indd 19
world alone, awareness of the
benefits of the Pharmaself24 and
automated medicine collection
has grown significantly, and our
install base has also grown, now
incorporating independents,
smaller groups and larger
multiples right across the
country.
Early adopters and pioneers
are now established users, with
the Pharmaself24 embedding
itself ever deeper into their
workflow, in some cases helped
by the addition of a seamless two-
way fully integrated link to their
PMR system.
More widely, the digital shift
experienced by society during the
pandemic has seen rapid adoption
of online virtual platforms as
alternatives to the face-to-face
meetings that were previously
the default – a reminder that the
world of technology moves at an
increasingly rapid pace.
Indeed, consider the fact that
it was just over a decade ago, in
April 2010, when Apple’s Steve
Jobs unveiled a new model of
tablet computer at an event in
San Francisco. Subject to much
rumour and speculation at the
time, the device was expected
to be called the iTablet or iSlate
and, for many, was seen as the
realisation of a goal outlined
by Jobs back in 1983 “to put an
incredibly great computer in a
book that you can carry around
with you”.
Before 2010, other tablets
had achieved some commercial
success (anyone remember the
GRiDPad 1900?), but their share
among households in the US
stood at a lowly 3 per cent. With
its super-smooth user experience
and the backing of the equally
Technology
Technology moves at a rapid pace
slick Apple marketing machine,
the iPad changed that almost
overnight, shipping 3 million
devices in its first 80 days. Within
a year, tablet share had jumped
to 10 per cent and continued on
an upward trajectory to reach
64 per cent by 2017 as other
device manufacturers tucked into
Apple’s slipstream.
Compare and contrast that
rate of adoption with other
technologies that we might now
consider commonplace. For
example, the humble washing
machine was present in 10 per
cent of US households in 1930,
but it was not until 1972 that the
adoption rate hit 64 per cent.
Dishwashers weren’t present in
64 per cent of homes until as late
as 2005. What the iPad achieved
in six years took washing
machines and dishwashers the
best part of half a century.
Today, with consumers
leading ever busier lives, the
benefits offered by technology
mean that rapid adoption of ‘new’
digital products and services
happens almost in the blink of an
eye, from the use of streaming
TV services to the digital
assistants that help manage our
homes.
We might not be the next
Netflix, but at Hub and Spoke
Innovations we have seen first-
hand how rapidly the effects
SPOTLIGHT
of technology can be felt. The
learnings from our customers’
experiences, particularly over
the course of the pandemic, are
incredibly valuable to us, to
our ‘family’ of Pharmaself24
customers and to our prospective
customers, helping develop a
better understanding of how
our technology can continue to
evolve and advance - in line with
Google’s ‘launch and iterate’
philosophy.
In some cases, they detail
truly transformational change,
where 24/7 collection technology
has been rapidly adopted
and welcomed by patient
communities and helped ease
pressure on staff throughout such
a difficult time. In all cases, they
show the value of combining
digitally-driven convenience and
efficiency with ongoing face-to-
face engagement and interaction.
The same is true of our
continued marketing efforts, with
enforced digital-only activities
now increasingly balanced by
in-person engagement – valuable
opportunities to break out from
behind the screen and have real-
world discussions about how the
world of pharmacy might look
different again three years from
now.
Gary Paragpuri is CEO of Hub
and Spoke Innovations.
SEPTEMBER 2021 19
8/26/2021 3:56:36 PM
 CLASSIFIED www.pharmacy.biz

The vital role of the VMS category in im

£ 626 MILLION
+20.7%
IN VALUE
(+£107million)

Vitamin C Vitamin D
SALES SALES
+31% +103%
As we head towards cold & flu season, people are Whilst diet and lifestyle should always be the first choice
increasingly thinking about how they can best support to obtain nutrients in today’s world this is not always
their immune systems. This has become even more easy to achieve and supplements can bridge the gap to
evident since the arrival of coronavirus and is reflected optimal nutrition.
in the rising sales of VMS products with immune
supporting nutrients. USE EMPLOYEE EXPERTISE
So, how can pharmacies ensure their VMS category is Data shows many people enter the VMS category
meeting the immunity needs of their customers this buying vitamin C and vitamin D products before
winter? expanding their repertoire. The willingness of VMS
consumers to engage with new products offers an
STOCK THE RIGHT RANGE excellent opportunity for pharmacies to provide
Start by ensuring you stock the right range of immunity education and support. Having staff trained on specific
focused products. The key nutrients to look out for products can increase their sales by up to 26%2 and will
include vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc. Whilst sales of help consumers find the right product for their needs
vitamin C and D showed strong growth across 2020, and in turn drive customer satisfaction and repeat
they particularly soared during the winter months with purchase.
vitamin C +40% and vitamin D +152% as consumers What’s more, 58% of VMS buyers prioritise quality3.
looked to support their immune systems . 2
Pharmacies should therefore offer a range of more
premium quality products, thus providing the
VITAMIN C
opportunity for shoppers to trade up.
Helps to protect cells and keep them healthy,
maintaining healthy skin, blood vessels, bones and CREATE EFFECTIVE DISPLAYS
cartilage and helping with wound healing. Vitamin C
Clear category merchandising, signposting and point-
cannot be stored by the body so is needed in the diet
of-sale materials will ensure customers can find the
every day.
products they want.
VITAMIN D Making the fixture
easy to navigate is
Benefits are numerous but particularly regarding immune
a fundamental way
and bone health. The body creates vitamin D from direct
to safeguard against
sunlight on the skin, however we do not make enough
missed sales. Group
all year round. Whilst it is found in a small number of
similar products together
foods, a good quality supplement (particularly between
and double-face key
October and March when sunlight is limited) is often
sellers to help them to
recommended to ensure requirements are met.
standout on-shelf. An
ZINC excellent way to capture
An essential trace mineral vital for many functions in the attention and encourage
body including the normal development and function engagement is to
of immune cells and supporting the skin barrier, which create theatre with a
protects against foreign invaders entering the body. secondary display.
20 SEPTEMBER 2021

PB CLASSIFIED.indd 20 8/25/2021 7:16:49 PM

 www.pharmacy.biz
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1 Kantar 52wks to Feb 21. 2 Kantar 12wks to Feb 21. 3 The Nature’s Bounty Co. research. 4 Survey of 1000 VMS users in the UK in Dec 2020.
Food supplements should not be used instead of a varied balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. Solgar® is a registered trademark. For business use only.
AUGUST 2021 21

PB CLASSIFIED.indd 21 8/25/2021 7:17:00 PM

 SPOTLIGHTPain Management
Acupuncture – a point in the right direction
Paul Battersby
discusses how recent
NICE guidelines have
improved acupuncture’s
credibility as a viable
treatment option for pain
management…
A
cupuncture has long been
seen, incorrectly, as an
alternative treatment
for pain management, aligned to
‘sandals and candles’ rhetoric
that bundles it together with far
less scientifically-advanced ap-
proaches.
Take a recent article in The
Telegraph, that reviews Dr Monty
Lyman’s assertion that pain can be
treated without medication. The
article cites shocking statistics
from Lyman’s book ‘The Painful
Truth’, including that a third of
UK adults suffer from chronic
pain (pain that lasts 12 weeks or
longer, despite treatment) with
back pain being most common, as
well as joint/muscular pain and
Chronic pain – a case study
Chronic pain can be debilitating.
Even the simplest tasks that most
of us take for granted like walking
the dog or even getting to sleep
can cause excessive pain. So,
when Andy Morris was told he
would have to be on painkillers
for the rest of his life, he decided
to do something about it, and by
taking advice from his mother,
has discovered the benefits of
acupuncture.
Now 40, Andy from Wrexham,
underwent spinal surgery in 1995
to treat Scoliosis, a condition
where the spine twists and curves
to the sides. He had a titanium
plate fitted and was overjoyed to
find the operation was a success
and years of discomfort were at
an end.
The reprieve lasted until 2017
when he had a fall at work and
landed on his lower back, hitting a
pyramid-shaped footstool. He was
obliged to give up work and has
since had a constant battle with
22 SEPTEMBER 2021
PB Pain Management1.indd 22
headaches.
Lyman’s arguments do not
centre around acupuncture, but
the article summarises: “Ly-
man even goes so far to recom-
mend some forms of alternative
medicine, like acupuncture and
hypnotherapy…”.
While not overtly negative, the
assertion is that acupuncture is a
fringe treatment.
In reality, as the recent NICE
guidelines update has highlight-
ed, is it is viable treatment that
is reducing chronic pain for mil-
lions, without the need for medi-
cation. Pharmacists will be aware
that, following this guidelines
revision, NHS registered phys-
iotherapists may be approved to
chronic back pain that he rates as:
“generally eleven out of ten.”
X-rays and ultrasounds show
no signs of broken bones or any
root cause of pain. Physio has
helped, and his doctor prescribed
medication to alleviate the pain.
He takes two different medications
(Naproxen and Omeprazole) daily
and additional paracetamol when
the pain becomes too much.
“The initial course of physio
did relieve the pain somewhat
and meant I was able to go to the
swimming, which also helped
– but it was short-lived,” Andy
explains. “I don’t want to be
reliant on pain killers, but I don’t
have a choice.”
A dog-owner who loves
walking, Andy’s battle with
chronic pain has had a big impact
on his life. “Walks are generally
not an option. My friends and
family know when it’s at its worst
because I become very moody
and take it out on them,” he says.
administer the treatment.
How it works
Physiotherapists use acupuncture
treatment modality as an adjunct
to reduce pain, and evidence has
shown that acupuncture actively
improves rates of healing and
recovery, thereby enhancing treat-
ment outcomes.
The modality works by
utilising natural pain-relieving
chemicals, such as endorphins,
melatonin and serotonin, which
are produced when acupuncture
needles stimulate various physi-
ological mechanisms within the
central nervous system and in the
local peripheral tissues.
Additionally, functional mag-
netic resonance imaging (MRI)
studies have confirmed the effect
on the pain pathway to the brain.
Data suggests that acupuncture
triggers a sequence of events in-
volving the release of endogenous
opioid-like substances including
encephalin, β-endorphin and
noradrenalin.
With opioids being one of the
strongest painkillers available
for treatment, and one of the most
Andy Morris
“The situation is made worse
by the fact that lying down is
especially painful, and so sleep
becomes very difficult. I often
wish I could sleep standing up.”
Since January of this year
(2021), Andy has discovered a
lifeline in the form of acupuncture.
His mother had been receiving
treatment and recommended he
give it a go. His doctor would not
prescribe it, so he went private.
During treatment, he says, the
pain almost disappears, and that
www.pharmacy.biz
addictive, reducing dependency
can lead to a more sustainable,
consistent treatment plan.
Info for pharmacists
Physiotherapists are the largest
group of medical professionals
practising acupuncture in the UK.
Acupuncture Association of Char-
tered Physiotherapists (AACP)
members have had full training
as physiotherapists and all have
clinical experience treating
patients in a hospital setting and
in private practice, before starting
their acupuncture education.
Furthermore, after successful
completion of the acupuncture
course, the AACP ensures its
members conduct regular con-
tinual professional development
which enables the individual to be
informed with the latest develop-
ments. Pharmacists can refer cus-
tomers to a practitioner through
the AACP online practitioner
search tool.
Paul Battersby is chief executive
officer and clinical advisor at
the Acupuncture Association of
Chartered Physiotherapists.
relief lasts for a few weeks.
“While I am hopeful that the
doctor will prescribe me another
course of physiotherapy, my main
wish is that acupuncture could be
prescribed – and these recent NICE
guidelines suggest it can. I have
acupuncture when I can afford
to, but that’s not enough to mean
pain is not a big part of my life.
Without it, however, I would be in
continuous pain.”
Andy says he was a
bit nervous before his first
acupuncture appointment as
he just didn’t know what to
expect: “Very quickly I was put
at ease, and the results were
instantaneous. After a total of
four sessions, I’m convinced of its
effectiveness as a treatment for
chronic pain.
“After acupuncture sessions
I can do what I want and it makes
a fundamental difference to my
life. I really appreciate the basics
– walking the dog and sleeping
properly. And it’s an option that
might mean I don’t have to take
medication for the rest of my life.”
8/26/2021 3:57:45 PM
 www.pharmacy.biz
Managing pain in pharmacy
Dr Rod Hughes
suggests ways in which
pharmacy teams can
help patients suffering
from inflammation of
joints and surrounding
tissues…
A Lifestyle changes
rthritis is a chronic
condition that results
in inflammation of the
joints and surrounding tissues.
Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most
common type of arthritis, with
eight million people affected
in the UK and the numbers are
increasing at an alarming rate due
to our ageing population.
Over 50 per cent of people
over 50 have some form of OA.
The condition is generally age-
related, with wear and tear of
joint tissues causing lubricant
cartilage lining in the joint to
gradually wear away.
OA changes and the in-
flammation involved causes
difficulty moving and consider-
able pain. Rheumatoid arthritis
(RA) affects about 1 per cent of
the population and can impact
people of any age, including
children, although it is most
commonly starts in the 3rd or 4th
decade of life.
RA is caused by the body’s
immune system wrongly at-
tacking healthy joints and can
eventually cause joint damage if
not treated early.
As the development of OA is
largely a genetically inherited
risk, patients need to understand
what lifetime factors make arthri-
tis more likely. Of these, weight is
the most important.
Maintaining a healthy weight
is important to reduce the load
and protect weight-bearing joints
such as the back, knees and hips.
OA can sometimes result from
an untreated acute joint injury, so
it is important to always stretch
and warm up before exercise and
allow injuries to heal properly so
as not to cause long term damage.
PB Pain Management1.indd 23
Currently there is no cure for OA
so treatment will often focus on
the self-management and lifestyle
changes that can lead to pain
relief.
Ideally everyone with OA
should have a tailored self-
management plan to encourage
positive changes such as exercise,
regular stretching, dietary chang-
es, weight loss in some cases and
trials of supplement use.
Enjoying a healthy balanced
diet helps to keep your weight
in check, reducing the strain on
load bearing joints, whilst adding
an anti-inflammatory supple-
ment may help to calm the body’s
immune response. Poor sleep has
also been linked to inflamma-
tion, so good sleep hygiene can
be recommended to promote a
restful sleep.
As all arthritis involves
inflammation, foods with anti-
inflammatory properties may
be of benefit to calm the body’s
immune response.
Ginger has been shown to
have anti-inflammatory proper-
ties to reduce morning joint stiff-
ness, an early indicator of OA,
and has been shown to benefit
symptoms of arthritis in the knee
by relieving pain and improving
mobility.
Oily fish and leafy green
vegetables are also commonly
considered to reduce inflamma-
tion and joint health. Vitamin C
is important for the formation
of collagen, a key component of
protective joint cartilage, and is
plentiful in lots of citrus fruits
and vegetables, or available as a
supplement.
Pain Management
Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis
It is also important to stay well
hydrated throughout the day, as
water contributes to keeping your
soft tissues (tendons and muscles)
hydrated and moving smoothly.
It’s extremely important to
encourage patients to keep as
active as they can. Exercise helps
to strengthen joints and their sur-
rounding tissues, aiding pain and
stiffness, and keeping supporting
tissues strong and supple.
Even simple exercises like
daily walking, gentle yoga class-
es and Pilates can all make a big
difference. Any worries that the
joints might ‘wear out’ quicker
with exercise is untrue and strong
muscles protect adjacent joints.
Community pharmacists
are ideally placed to screen for
OA and make treatment recom-
mendations, as they are often
consulted about the choice of
over-the-counter analgesics to
manage OA pain.
Supplementation
There is some clinical evidence
to support the efficacy of a small
number of nutritional supple-
ments, including rose-hip, for
symptom relief in OA, rheuma-
toid arthritis and musculoskeletal
pain. Some supplements such as
glucosamine are widely used but
have no evidence of effect to sup-
port their use.
Many people with painful
SPOTLIGHT
joint conditions feel they benefit
from taking joint supplements –
either instead of, or in addition
to, their prescribed medications.
Taking a supplement at the earli-
est signs of joint pain or stiffness
may well offer protection to
safeguard the future of your
joints.
Rose-hip extracts have a long
history of medicinal use, with
consistent and robust research
having been undertaken on
extracts from a specific species
of rosehip called Rosa canina,
which has been found to contain
a potent anti-inflammatory
galactolipid (or GOPO for short),
with analgesic and antioxidative
affects.
GOPO has been investigated
in a number of well-designed
studies involving people with
both OA and RA. These studies
found that daily supplementation
of GOPO can rapidly reduce joint
pain, stiffness and swelling, im-
prove joint mobility and reduce
the need for standard painkill-
ers over several months. In one
combined analysis of all GOPO
studies, the researchers con-
cluded that GOPO can be more
effective than either paracetamol
or glucosamine in the treatment
of Osteoarthritis.
Dr Rod Hughes is a consultant
rheumatologist.
SEPTEMBER 2021 23
8/26/2021 3:57:29 PM
 STOCKTAKE Products www.pharmacy.biz

Avigan® 200mg tablets Support for joint health

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories can provide Avigan® (Favipiravir Tablets) as an Pharmacists have a key role when it comes to advising customers on
unlicensed medicine under the ‘Specials’ Regulations for an unmet clinical options to support their long-term joint health. Newly launched, GOPO®
need. Joint Health Plus Ginger is
Product: Avigan® the first UK supplement
Active Ingredient: Favipiravir to contain the unique
Dosage Form: Tablets combination of ginger
Strength: 200 mg extract and cultivated
Pack size: 100 rose-hip, high in levels of
List Price: £612.00 GOPO®.
Trade contact: Longstanding
Dr.Reddy’s :01482 389858 Scandinavian research
customerserviceuk@drreddys.com has established that rose-
hip may play a valuable
role in the care of joints
and joint tissues, with
the galactolipid GOPO®
having been studied in
over 20 scientific trials.
Ginger is loaded with
bioactive compounds
that may help to support
morning joint flexibility
and good muscle function.
This new product is also rich in Vitamin C, essential for normal
collagen formation, needed by the body for healthy bones and
cartilage.
For more information visit the GOPO® Website: www.gopo.co.uk
Or call GR Lanes Health: 01452 524012

Relief from constipation

In many cases, digestive health issues can be combatted, with OTC
products, stimulant laxatives, faecal softeners, and lactulose all having
Bamboo toothbrush for kids
the desired effect. Natural stimulant laxatives, such as Senna, are more
Aquafresh has combined its oral health expertise with the sharp
effective as they increase the wave-like muscle movements that push the
rise in demand for sustainable products, to launch its new
contents of the GI tract forward and can work within 6-12 hours. Glycerin
‘Bamboo for Kids’ Toothbrush.
suppositories, as another option, can offer gentle relief from occasional
With almost six in 10 willing to
constipation.
change their purchasing habits to
help reduce negative environmental
impact1, this sustainable innovation
will tap into the consumer shift
towards more environmentally-
friendly products. The Aquafresh
‘Bamboo for Kids’ Toothbrush,
available in two different colours,
is the perfect solution for pharmacy
teams wanting to offer their
customers sustainable and efficient
ways to maintain their dental
health.
The sustainably-sourced bamboo
toothbrush, is perfectly suited for
Care has developed a number of NPA-approved training modules
children aged 6+ and is packaged
which offer insight into a variety of conditions commonly encountered in
in 100 per cent biodegradable and
pharmacy, with an ever-extensive workload, it’s important that pharmacy
plastic free packaging. MSRP: £4
staff can quickly access resources to help them in their role. Care has
For further information please
developed “The Ultimate Guide to Care” mobile app where colleagues can
email: group.gsk-trade@cirkle.com
complete learning modules and tests, supporting their CPD.
Training modules can also be accessed online via (www.carehp.co.uk/
training).
Senna is available to consumers behind the counter with an RRP of
£1.49. Pharmacies can buy direct from Thornton & Ross or via wholesale.

24 SEPTEMBER 2021

PB Stocktake1.indd 24 8/26/2021 4:25:04 PM

 www.pharmacy.biz
Childhood eczema Free CPD for pharmacy professionals
The Pharmacy Business has teamed up
with the Pharmacy Academy to bring a new
featured CPD in every issue. This month we’re
focusing on childhood eczema, focusing on the
symptoms and diagnosis, to assist pharmacy
professionals in practice.
E NICE guidance on
czema (atopic dermatitis) affects
up to 20% of children and refers
to a group of conditions that
cause skin to become itchy, inflamed
and red (lighter skin) or brown, purple,
grey or ashen (darker skin). Eczema can
develop at any age; however, most cases
emerge during early childhood, typically
between 3 and 6 months of age.
Itch is the hallmark of
eczema
People with eczema show a variety of
signs and symptoms, including:
Eczematous lesions and intense itch
(pruritus) are the most common symptom
and sign
Itch is the hallmark feature: rashes that
do not itch are unlikely to be eczema
The skin damage that characterises
eczema triggers inflammation in the
stratum corneum, which contributes
to itch. This leads to scratching,
which releases more proinflammatory
mediators further exacerbating eczema
and xerosis.
Symptoms of eczema differ
in skin colour
Eczema is more common in people of
Asian and Black descent than White, the
clinical presentation of eczema can differ
depending on ethnic background, for
example:
Patients of African and Asian descent
more commonly present with extensor
dermatitis than flexural involvement
Patients with darker skin types are
at higher risk of postinflammatory
dyspigmentation
In Asian, Black Caribbean and Black
African children, discoid (circular) or
follicular (around hair follicles) patterns
may be more common than in White
children1
PB CPD Advice10.indd 25
TRAINING
diagnosis
NICE suggests diagnosing eczema when Dermatology 2018;27:340-357
a child has at least three of the following 2. NICE Atopic eczema in under 12s: Diagnosis
and management Available at www.nice.org.
signs and symptoms in addition to itch;
uk/guidance/cg57/resources/atopic-eczema-
Visible dermatitis involving skin in-under-12sdiagnosis- and-management-
creases (flexural dermatitis), such as the pdf-975512529349 Accessed May 2021
bends of the elbows or behind the knees
Personal history of flexural dermatitis.
In children aged 18 months and younger
a personal history of dermatitis on their
cheeks, extensor areas or both
Personal history of dry skin in the last
12 months
Personal history of asthma or allergic The Pharmacy Academy
rhinitis or, in children younger than 4 provides free CPD which
Managing acute d
years of age, history of atopic disease in a can be used towards
first-degree relative your revalidation with the
Onset of signs and symptoms when the GeneralThis CPD module is for the use of pharmacy profession
Pharmaceutical
child was younger than 2 years of age. Councildental practitioners and other health professionals wh
(GPhC).
This criterion does not apply to children dental services
aged 2-4 years of age2 Take this FREE CPD to benefit from:
Eczema treatment and  An age-by-age guide to how eczema
presents
JANUARY 2021
management
Parents and carers should start Understanding eczema
treatment of flares as soon as signs and pathophysiology
symptoms emerge. Treatment other than
Being able to offer practical advice
moisturisers should continue for about 48 about eczema management and
hours after symptoms resolve to dampen
moisturiser use
the subclinical inflammation that can
remain once acute symptoms resolve.
Moisturisers (commonly known as
Visit www.healthprofessionalacademy.
co.uk/eczema-pb or scan this QR code
emollients) are the first-line therapy
during acute flares and as maintenance to access this free CPD
therapy during remission and can also be
used with, when necessary, other active
treatments and can have steroid-sparing
effects.
REFERENCES:
1. Kaufman BP, Guttman-Yassky E and Alexis
AF Atopic dermatitis in diverse racial and ethnic
groups—Variations in epidemiology, genetics,
clinical presentation and treatment Experimental
SEPTEMBER 2021 25
8/26/2021 4:23:53 PM
In association with:
 GUEST COLUMN Farina Jabbari
Natural Healthcare
Innovation
Farina Jabbari, Global Head of Innovation
and Strategic Portfolio Development at
Nelsons, shares her thoughts on the future of
natural healthcare innovation.
N
atural healthcare
has been given a
huge opportunity
over the last year. We
have seen that consumer
behaviours and attitudes
are changing because of
the pandemic and this is
likely to continue in the
coming years. Consumers
are continuing to shift
towards a proactive approach to
their health and turning to natural
healthcare products.
Key areas for growth include
the importance of maintaining a
healthy immune system, taking
care of our mental and emotional
well-being, ensuring quality
sleep and generally wanting
to feel good and have natural
energy. At Nelsons, we have a
range of products within both
STAY CONNECTED our current diverse portfolio
FOLLOW US
but also as part of our future
innovation pipeline.
Longer term, the importance
ON SOCIAL MEDIA
of natural healthcare will
only grow, as more and more
people will continue the shift
towards a proactive approach
to their health and will prefer
natural effective products
that work in harmony with
the body. Pharmacists should
be aware of this and look to
have a comprehensive natural
healthcare offering for their
customers.
It’s an exciting time for
natural healthcare. The
www.instagram.com/pharmacybiz/ healthcare industry as a
whole, including pharmacists,
@pharmacybiz have a leading role to play in
terms of understanding and
Pharmacy Business rapidly responding to evolving
consumer and customer needs.
www.linkedin.com/showcase/pharmacy-business Innovation is one of
key building blocks here at
26 SEPTEMBER 2021
PB Nelsons Columnl1.indd 26
www.pharmacy.biz
Nelsons. With a consumer
centric approach to all our
future innovation plans we
have invested heavily into
understanding what are the key
consumer unmet needs within
natural healthcare across a
number of markets.
We are focused on developing
naturally inspired products that
consumers want with pace and
agility. We emphasise effective,
natural ingredient blends,
sustainable packaging and
ensuring suitability for those on
a plant-based diet.
CBD is an example of an
innovative ingredient that is on
the rise and should be something
pharmacists consider offering.
At Nelsons, we are assessing the
use of CBD as a key ingredient
as part of our future innovation
plans, working with leading 3rd
party suppliers in the sector and
local regulatory authorities. In
August, we launched our first
cosmetic product with pure CBD
isolate (proven and tested to
contain 0% THC) and we expect
that we will have more CBD
innovation in the coming years.
Pharmacists should keep
an eye on natural healthcare
trends and new innovative
ingredients, as it’s rising rapidly
in popularity and awareness
amongst consumers.
8/25/2021 7:10:24 PM
 www.pharmacy.biz
Demystifying medical cannabis
Clinicians Mikael
Sodergren (left)
and Simon Erridge
share key insights
into accessibility,
education and opportunities for
community pharmacists…
M
edical cannabis is
a broad term used to
refer to any medical
products derived from, or related to,
cannabis. In the medical field they
are defined by the term cannabis-
based medicinal products (CBMPs).
CBMPs were legalised for use
on prescription in November 2018.
Synthetic cannabinoids, such as
dronabinol, are defined separately
and are subject to separate schedul-
ing regulations.
There are a number of product
formulations that can be defined as
a CBMP, including whole cannabis
flower – which can be vaporised,
as well as capsules, oils, and sprays
containing cannabinoids.
The main compounds in CBMPs
are the cannabinoids cannabidiol
(CBD) and tetrahydrocannabinol
(THC), which have been investi-
gated for their useful therapeutic
properties.
CBMPs can be further defined
as full spectrum, broad spectrum, or
isolated compounds.
Full spectrum products are those
which contain the full composition
of cannabinoids from the specific
strain of cannabis plant, in addition
to flavonoids and terpenes which
give a product a specific taste and
smell profile.
In addition, the other cannabi-
noids, often referred to as minor
cannabinoids, and other chemicals
are purported to have their own
pharmaceutical properties.
The collective action of these
compounds to create an overall
clinical response is often referred
to by some as the ‘entourage effect,’
however its true existence is often
debated.
Isolated compounds, or isolates
as their often known, contain either
isolated CBD or THC without
PB CBD Feature1.indd 27
any other active pharmaceutical
ingredients.
Currently, Sativex, Nabilone,
and Epidyolex are currently the only
licensed medical cannabis products
in the UK.
However, other products may
also be initiated, off-license, in pa-
tients where first-line therapies have
been unsuccessful by a clinician
from the GMC specialist register. It
is considered good practice to sup-
port initiation of therapy through a
multi-disciplinary assessment.
Shared-care arrangements may
transfer care to a non-specialist
prescriber. However, as CBMPs are
unlicensed and not available via the
NHS this is not common practice.
Over-the-counter CBD
CBD isolates defined as a CBMP
are different from CBD oil
available over the counter as all
CBMPs are produced to EU Good
Manufacturing Practices which
ensures consistency in supply and
quality. In contrast, CBD oil avail-
able on the high street is classified
as a novel food and therefore does
not have to meet the same stringent
regulations regarding its manufac-
ture and batch consistency.
CBD wellness products however
have benefitted from the introduc-
tion of the Food Standards Agency’s
requirement to meet the require-
ments set out in their decision to
require a ’novel foods’ application
to remain on the shelves of pharma-
cies around the country.
Prior to its introduction, a study
by the Centre for Medicinal Can-
nabis found that 62 per cent of CBD
products available over the counter,
with some also containing detectable
levels of THC. Whilst a repeat study
has not been performed, these new
regulations which are enforced by
Medical Cannabis/CBD
Trading Standards will hopefully re-
duce the risk presented to consumers.
A reduction of risk is particu-
larly important as more people in
the UK turn to over-the-counter
CBD products as information about
its purposed effects becomes more
prevalent in traditional and social
media.
A recent white paper from the
Association for the Cannabinoid
Industry predicts the market for
CBD products will reach £690
million in 2021. Those seeking
treatment with CBD, THC, or any
combination thereof for a diagnosed
health condition, however, should
be signposted towards specialist
clinics, such as Sapphire Medical
Clinics to ensure they only receive
treatment when suitable, with the
right medication and under clinician
supervision.
Access
Sapphire Medical Clinics was the
first specialist medical cannabis
clinic to be granted approval to
operate in the UK by the Care Qual-
ity Commission (CQC), in 2019. It
recently received the highest rating
for a medical cannabis clinic from
the CQC in their latest inspection
which included ‘Outstanding’ in
leadership.
The clinic offers a second-
opinion service to evaluate patient
suitability for medical cannabis
treatment. Clinicians understand
where medicinal cannabis may fit
into the treatment pathway for each
individual condition that patients
may present with based on available
clinical evidence and have been
trained to prescribe safely.
CBMPs are unlicensed medi-
cines and are not currently listed
in the British National Formulary.
Clinicians typically lack educa-
tion on these medicines and can
be apprehensive about prescribing
medicines that they have limited
experience of.
Education
All registered pharmacists can reg-
ister for free to access CPD certified
training on medical cannabis via
the Sapphire Institute for Medical
Cannabis Education (sapphirecan-
nabiseducation.co.uk). You will
SPOTLIGHT
access pharmacology modules,
online webinars and condition
specific evidence for topics such as
neurology and chronic pain.
Partnership
In partnership with Sapphire Clinics,
community pharmacies can now
enter this growing market using a pa-
tient referral scheme. You can enter
the medical cannabis market with
confidence, deliver UK manufac-
tured treatment at an affordable price
and have specialists available for
your patients. Partners are provided
with training, professional support,
and assets to ensure your pharmacy
can identify the patients this scheme
may be suitable for.
Dr Mikael Sodergren is Managing
Director and Dr Simon Erridge is
Head of Research and Access at
Sapphire Medical Clinics.
When to consider
Below are some of the conditions
where medical cannabis can be
considered:
Pain Conditions such as Chronic
pain, Fibromyalgia, Neuropathic
pain, and Cancer-Related Pain
Psychiatric Conditions such as
Anxiety, Insomnia, Depression and
PTSD
Neurological Conditions such as
Epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis and
Autistic Spectrum Disorder
Gastrointestinal such as Crohn’s
Disease, Ulcerative Colitis and
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Cancer Related Conditions such
as Anxiety, CINV, Appetite Loss and
Palliative Care
Rare and Unresponsive Skin
Conditions such as Psoriasis, Pruritis
and Acne
Contraindications
Medical cannabis products are
currently not recommended for use
in patients who are/have:
Pregnancy/breast feeding
Ongoing or active psychosis
Unstable cardiovascular disease
Allergic reactions to ingredients or
excipients
Caution
When prescribing medical cannabis,
health professionals should be
cautious of:
Children/adolescents
Interacting medicines
SEPTEMBER 2021 27
8/26/2021 4:07:36 PM
 SPOTLIGHTMedical Cannabis/CBD
Stocking and selling CBD
Bill Griffi n offers his
expert advice on what
pharmacy contractors need
to consider when procuring
CBD oil for sale…
T
he UK CBD market
is set to hit £690 million in
sales this year according
to recent market research undertak-
en by the Association for the Canna-
binoid Industry. It’s a staggering
feat given that a few years ago
very few people were aware of
this compound and the industry
emerged in a legal grey area.
What is CBD
CBD, an abbreviation of cannabi-
diol, is a compound found in the
cannabis plant. Many, wrongly,
say that it is non-psychoactive.
However, cannabidiol is mildly
psychoactive, although its physi-
ological effects are very different
from those of THC (tetrahydro-
cannabinol), the constituent of
cannabis that is responsible for
the psychotropic mood-altering
effects associated with its use as a
recreational drug.
CBD is psychoactive in that it
changes your perception and can
give users a sense of wellbeing.
It’s the mild effects that
allowed CBD to avoid scrutiny
from the Home Office as they put
together their list of 12 cannabi-
noids that are controlled under
the Misuse of Drugs Act (MDA).
A list that includes variations of
THC and CBN.
CBD legality
CBD is not illegal but there was
confusion for a while on whether
it is fully legal to be used as a
food supplement. In 2019 the
European Food Safety Authority
(EFSA) advised the European
Commission that CBD in its ex-
tracted form (typically via CO2
extraction) was actually a novel
food as it was not consumed en
masse prior to novel food legisla-
tion coming into effect in May
1995.
28 SEPTEMBER 2021
PB CBD Feature1.indd 28
Campaigners argued that
CBD had been consumed for
centuries, as it is present in low
quantities in hemp seeds and
hemp oil. However, novel foods
does not apply to these products
and the EC stood fast.
Ironically, just before the UK
left Europe the FSA were one of
the few national food agencies
to agree with EFSA and set
guidelines for a regulated CBD
industry based on novel foods
applications for CBD.
The novel foods application
process is a safety evaluation
of a new food, so the FSA has a
clear ethical obligation to ensure
this new food product is safe for
human consumption.
Plethora of products
The FSA set a deadline this year
for all CBD products that were
on the UK market before 13
February 2020 to submit their
novel foods application to FSA
by 31 March 2021 in order to be
allowed to stay on sale.
This means all CBD products
for sale in the UK must have sub-
mitted a novel foods application to
the FSA. It is a retailer’s respon-
sibility to ensure that any brand’s
product that they sell has proof of
their novel foods application to
avoid the risk of trading standards
removing them from the shelves.
Another aspect relating
to CBD products that retail-
ers should be aware of is that
MHRA and ASA make it very
clear that anyone promoting or
selling CBD must not make any
medicinal claims.
This includes publishing case
studies, publishing user reviews
that make medicinal claims and
even sharing research papers
investigating the medical prop-
erties of CBD.
Fig: Cannabinoids controlled under the MDA and subsequent regulations
In the field, this is far from
the case. Brands and CBD
specialist shops make many
medicinal claims, in fact most
online shops actually sort their
products into categories such as
sleep, anxiety, pain etc. Not only
are they flouting the rules, they
are actually structuring their
whole operations around these
claims.
As an owner of a CBD com-
pany, which is intent on abiding
by the law, it’s frustrating to see
the competition taking an unfair
advantage this way.
Although CBD is popular, it’s
difficult for brands to promote.
They are not allowed to mention
the product benefits and in addi-
tion they are not able to advertise
it on popular platforms such as
Google, Facebook or Instagram.
Instead, they rely upon search
engine optimisation which
target key words people search
for. Unscrupulous brands want
the traffic of inquisitive consum-
ers searching for phrases such
as “CBD for sleep” or “CBD for
pain relief”.
It seems the greed of making
a sale trumps the ethicality of
making medicinal claims that do
not have sufficient research to be
deemed official by MHRA. Un-
like other food supplements such
as many vitamins.
Can a brand that has this ethi-
cal ambiguity be trusted? One
could wonder what other rules
they are bending or circumnavi-
gating. To build a trustworthy
www.pharmacy.biz
brand LXR took the decision
to focus our messaging around
purity of product and full trans-
parency.
Your checklist
The following is what LXR do
to ensure that we fully abide by
the rules. You could use it as a
checklist to see if the brands you
deal with are on the level.
We stock four products, all
were on sale in the UK prior
to the FSA’s cutoff date of 13
February 2020, each one of these
has a novel food application
submitted by FSA’s deadline of
31 March 2021. We do not make
any medicinal claims on our
products, we do not share case
studies, reviews that mention
medicinal claims nor do we
share research papers relating to
CBD and health issues.
All our products are pro-
duced in our BRCGS-certified
manufacturing facility in the
UK. Each product has a clearly
identified batch number, this is
printed on the bottle and dis-
played on the product web page.
This batch number corre-
sponds to a certificate of analysis
(CoA) from a recognised 3rd
party food safety analysis labo-
ratory that is available to scru-
tinise on our website. We even
display the CoA on the product
information page of the current
batch we are selling.
Bill Griffin is managing director
of lxrdirect.com.
8/26/2021 3:58:58 PM
 www.pharmacy.biz
CBD is good for pharmacy
Analyst Alexej Pikovsky
sorts fact from fiction
on market projections,
consumer trends and future
of the CBD industry...
C
BD products are here to ran recently with CBD users, the
stay. The category is one
of the fastest growing
self-care sectors in the UK and
it’s set to be the single biggest
driver of the health and wellness
space over the next 10 years.
Industry projections
In 2020, the global cannabi-
diol (CBD) market was valued
at USD 2.8 billion and is set
to continue this impressive
trajectory at a compound annual
growth rate of 20.1 per cent un-
til 2028. Some estimates show
even larger CAGR projections
of 40.4 per cent CAGR between
2020 and 2025, and project the
value of the global CBD market
to reach USD 5.3 billion by
2025.
The US is still the largest
market for CBD products and
will probably continue to lead in
product innovation and devel-
opment. However, the UK and
Europe is now following suit.
Although the CBD industry
in the UK and across Europe is
still only in its early stages, it
is already displaying huge op-
portunities for growth. Europe
is already the second largest
market after North America and
Germany is set to be the largest
European market for medical
cannabis.
Consumer trends and
product landscape
Customer research from the
very latest data analysis we have
just reviewed over the last few
months, shows that the main
over the counter reasons for pur-
chasing CBD products are pain,
sleep problems, and anxiety.
In fact in a research poll we
PB CBD Feature1.indd 29
Medical Cannabis/CBD
SPOTLIGHT
top four reasons for using CBD
were:
Self-perceived anxiety (42.6
per cent)
Sleep problems (42.5 per cent)
Stress (37 per cent)
General health and wellbeing,
including pain (37 per cent)
In those aged 55+, 42 per cent
were using CBD specifically for
arthritic/joint pain.
And the good news is that
repeat purchase is high because
customers see benefits. Good
news for pharmacy! CBD category is not a passing fad
Hence, the CBD category is
not a passing fad and has been
range of trustworthy and effec-
tive CBD products, without THC
What we hope to see
around a lot longer than most
people are probably aware. As a
is essential for those pharmacy in 10 years
owners wanting to expand their We should be optimistic about
result, there are many self-care
CBD market offering over the the UK CBD marketplace,
market opportunities for phar-
counter. despite CBD having moved to a
macies across the CBD sector.
However, it is not an easy Novel Food status and the emer-
Other CBD market growth
category for both shoppers and gence of a more regulated market
areas are predicted across
business owners to navigate and headed by the FSA, with brands
edibles and drinks as well as
provide the best-in-class product now starting to be officially
cosmetics. We are also starting
range choices. approved as they go through the
to witness great progress on the
We provide a wholesale authorisation process.
pharmaceutical side in regard
channel at Alphagreen to phar- CBD will continue to thrive
to CBD, and I am excited to see
macy and here we can guide and and new CBD product develop-
the industry progress in this
support pharmacy owners to ment is set to explode from cur-
direction.
grow their own businesses. We rent market players. Consumer
It will help to legitimise
include access to an Intelligence education and ensuring product
CBD as a natural compound
channel, the most comprehen- safety, coupled with product
with true medicinal potential in
sive CBD intelligence tool on the innovation with a difference
all sorts of areas, including ar-
market. is set to shape the CBD market
thritis, skin conditions and pain
The business intelligence sys- future coupled with shoppers
and nausea caused by chemo
or radiation therapy. Studies
tem incorporates a database of wanting to understand what to
more than 3,000 CBD products look out for when buying CBD
are ongoing and more research
and combines data from multiple products.
is needed, but as the industry
sources including website traffic, And it is here that pharmacy
grows, greater investment is
product reviews, social listen- is well poised to educate, advise
being allocated to this sector,
ing, and Google search analyt- and help shoppers when it comes
which it deserves.
ics. In short, it provides retailers to CBD and any purchasing
Being ahead of the with all the knowledge they need guidance.
to be powerful and successful in
market the flourishing CBD, health, and Alexej Pikovsky is CEO and
Providing customers with a wellness sector. cofounder of Alphagreen.
SEPTEMBER 2021 29
8/26/2021 3:59:24 PM
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PB CLASSIFIED.indd 30 8/25/2021 7:15:41 PM

 www.pharmacy.biz
Practical completion takeaways
PATRICIA
NATHAN
-AMISSAH
C
onstruction works are a big financial com-
mitment for pharmacies. The fit-out works
for the pharmacy could be a part of a base
build constructed by a developer. Alternatively,
pharmacists may prefer to engage their own con-
tractor to carry out the internal fit-out works under
a separate building contract once the base build has
completed.
Practical completion is a key part of the con-
struction process. Although there is no statutory
definition of practical completion, it represents the
completion of construction works and signifies
when the new development can be occupied and
put to use.
Many of the standard forms of building contract,
such as one of the Joint Contracts Tribunal (JCT)
suite of contracts, do not have a contractual defini-
tion of practical completion. This can be the subject
of debate between parties as the pharmacy will only
want to take possession of the works when they
are completed to the required standard, whereas
the contractor will be keen for practical comple-
tion to be certified as soon as possible to minimise
any liability for liquidated damages (LDs) for late
completion.
It is a good idea to consider taking legal advice
to amend standard forms of building contract; for
example, to include a definition of practical comple-
tion.
LDs
LDs are fixed rate damages payable by the contrac-
tor for each week or day of delay from the contrac-
tual completion date until the actual date of practical
completion. The rate should be set by the pharmacy
(if it is the employer under the building contract),
with the help of its advisers, to provide adequate
compensation in the event of delayed completion.
Completion
The intended date for completion is specified in the
building contract, and represents the date by which
the contractor employed under the contract has un-
dertaken to complete the works. This date is subject
to any extensions of time for completion which are
usually on limited grounds called ‘Relevant Events’.
Understandably, the pharmacy may want to
decide for itself when practical completion has been
achieved. However, the standard JCT contracts
provide for a contract administrator or employer’s
PB Charles Russell1.indd 31
Patricia Nathan-Amissah and
Georgina Bernard provide an
overview of practical completion
which can have a number of
important consequences under
construction contracts…
agent to be appointed by the pharmacy to perform
certain roles under the building contract, includ-
ing certifying practical completion. The certifier
is usually a construction professional and must act
independently and fairly between the parties using
their professional judgement. A pharmacy can opt
for this role to be carried in-house but it this would
require some technical knowledge and a detailed
understanding of the building contract terms.
Inspections
The contract administrator is responsible for check-
ing whether the works have achieved practical
completion in accordance with the contract docu-
ments and other statutory/regulatory requirements.
It can be useful to amend the building contract to
require the contractor to give advance notice of the
anticipated date of practical completion, so the par-
ties can meet and share any views with the contract
administrator.
This is the time for the pharmacy and its techni-
cal advisers to check for any incomplete or defective
work which the contractor needs to rectify. The
contractor will be motivated to comply due to the
potential liability it could incur for LDs and the
release of half the retention monies on practical
completion. The building contract can be amended
to include specific conditions that must be satisfied
before practical completion is certified; for example,
compliance with licence or planning requirements
or the successful application for approval to use the
premises as a pharmacy.
Where a pharmacy is constructed as part of a
larger health care facility, ‘partial possession’ might
be granted. In such cases the developer will obtain
possession of the pharmacy unit from the main
contractor and practical completion of that unit is
deemed to have occurred, even though the rest of the
development has not yet been completed.
The contract administrator certifies practi-
cal completion by preparing, dating and issuing
the practical completion certificate. The date of
practical completion is not the date of the certificate
itself, but the date specified in the certificate. The
date specified in this certificate may also be binding
under a lease agreement with a landlord.
Implications and effects
Certifying practical completion has a number of
implications:
Charles Russell Speechlys
LAW
GEORGINA
BERNARD
The contractor’s liability to pay any LDs for late
completion will cease to accrue. The pharmacy does
not have to exercise its right to deduct LDs: there
may be good commercial reasons to delay or forgo
the deduction of LDs against a contractor that is
struggling to complete.
Upon practical completion, it is likely that the
pharmacy is contractually required to pay the
contractor 50% of the retention monies previously
withheld from interim payments. The remaining
balance of the retention is paid following expiry of
the rectification period (see below), once the
contract administrator has certified that any defects
have been made good. Retention provides financial
security for the pharmacy against the possibility that
the contractor will fail to rectify any outstanding
defects.
The rectification period begins. This is the period
following practical completion during which the
contract administrator can instruct the contractor to
remedy defects, shrinkages and faults in the works.
The rectification period typically lasts for 6-12
months after practical completion. The building
contract should include provisions setting out the
terms on which the contractor will have access to
carry out rectification works once the pharmacy is in
use. This can be tricky to manage, especially where
access is required through a doctor’s surgery or a
larger health care facility.
Responsibility for securing and insuring the
property will pass from the contractor to the
developer/pharmacy. The developer or pharmacy
(as appropriate) should therefore put their building
and content insurers on notice as soon as practical
completion takes place.
Pharmacies should give careful consideration
to their requirements for practical completion (and
take proper advice) to ensure the building contract
adequately specifies these.
The content of this article is intended to
provide a general guide to the subject
matter. Specialist advice should be sought
about your specific circumstances. This
article was written by Patricia Nathan-
Amissah (Associate) and Georgina Bernard
(Trainee Solicitor). For more information,
please contact Patricia on +44 (0)1483 252638
or at patricia.nathan-amissah@crsblaw.com.
SEPTEMBER 2021 31
8/26/2021 4:00:15 PM
 FINANCE Umesh Modi & Vinku Shah
Boosting OTC sales
Umesh Modi and Vinku Shah remind
contractors how vital it is to increase sale of
over-the-counter products amid changing
consumer attitudes and behaviours…
C
ommunity pharmacies have been
under increasing financial pressure
during the height of the Covid-19
pandemic but were given a lifeline when
the government announced a £370 million
advance to help ease cashflow problems. This
relief was short-lived and from October 2021
through to March 2022, the advance payments
will have to be repaid in six equal instalments
and as a result, many pharmacies will worry
about the effects on their cash flow again.
One way of mitigating the cashflow from
the repayment is to boost the over-the counter
(OTC) trade which will generate more cash
in the business. Below we discuss some of the
ways in which this can be achieved.
Customer service
Ensure your staff are well trained to provide
excellent customer service and make a point to
ask the customers if there is anything that the
business could do to improve their shopping
experience. This will help identify areas of
weakness and provided you take on board the
comments and implement changes, it should
help increase the OTC sales and build customer
loyalty in the process.
Everyone loves a personal touch when it
comes to services, and you should make it a
point to know your customers. Customers with
an established relationship or personal connec-
tion with the business are more likely to return
on an ongoing basis and therefore every effort
should be made to educate the staff to engage
with the repeat customers e.g., greeting them by
name, build relationships, assist them with their
shopping needs, etc. This will also help the staff
to upsell (see further below).
You could create customer loyalty programs,
offer discounts that could be used in future or
even free giveaways to attract more customers.
This will ensure a secure customer base and at
the same time guarantee sales increase.
Shop floor
You should analyse your shop floor lay out and
identify areas where there is more footfall for
example tills may have more traffic and there-
fore you should attempt to display more popular
products nearby. Alternatively, rotate products
to see which products generate more sales in
the aisles or near the counters. Supermarkets
have been known to display more expensive
32 SEPTEMBER 2021
PB Umesh Modi1.indd 32
line items at eye level whereas own brand or
cheaper alternatives are either above or below
these shelves.
Product display
Displaying complementary products together
is one way to increase sales e.g., if daytime cold
relief OTC medication is next to night-time cold
relief, customers will most likely pick both up.
Other examples may be bandages and antiseptic
sprays, antihistamines and boxes of tissues, etc.
Use of services
Review the services that you offer to customers,
and you could also sell various products linked
to services you offer e.g., selling chewing gum
or mints to those who you provide a stop smok-
ing service. Offering health assessments may
help you identify services and products that will
benefit your customers’ long-term needs which
will in turn help to secure long term sales.
Upselling
When your customers trust your staff and
their knowledge of the products you sell, it
becomes easier to upsell products. Certain drugs
are known to cause drug induced nutritional
deficiencies and knowledgeable staff will be
able to recommend health supplements to the
customers. Give customers a choice of three
different brands of supplements with three dif-
ferent prices and they will most likely pick the
middle priced one.
Sales analysis
If you use a point-of-sale (POS) system, you
should be able to generate various reports which
could help analyse your product sales. Analysis
of POS data could highlight what products are
the highest selling, or times of the day, week or
month when sales peak so you could enhance
sales by adopting various strategies mentioned.
Competition
It is important to know who your nearest com-
petitors are and what they offer in terms of prod-
ucts. This will require some research, but the
information will be useful in terms of helping
you offer better products at competitive prices
in order to attract more custom. You could offer
different products through identification of
gaps in the market for example if your nearest
competitor is stocking up on baby care products
www.pharmacy.biz
and if these are not selling in your pharmacy,
you may be better of minimising stocks on that
line or discontinuing it and spending on stock
that moves and generates cash flow.
Shop window
An attractive shop front will always attract
custom. You do not need to have a shop window
that competes with the likes of a multiple, but you
could remodel it so that it is fresh and pleasing to
the eye. Other options are to have a chalkboard
with witty messages each day and displaying
offers of the day to boost sales. Also ensure that
your shop windows are cleaned regularly.
Promotions
Sales promotions do not need to be around
Christmas and Easter holidays only to boost
sales. You can have these all year round or
monthly promotions for example Stoptober
which is usually in October and aimed to help
people quit smoking could help you boost sales
on smoking cessation products. You could de-
velop your own sales promotions to run during a
particular period.
Online presence
Having a good professional looking website
is key to attracting new custom. Potential new
customers tend to look at the website and read
reviews before walking into any establishment.
It is important that you read the reviews and
address any critical reviews in a positive way to
enhance your pharmacy’s image in the public
eye. This will create a sense of assurance for
new customers.
Covid-19 jabs
If your pharmacy is offering Covid-19 jabs,
then you will have a number of new customers
walking in. If you can employ various strategies
mentioned above, there is potential to convert
the new walk ins into loyal customers. The
government plans to give Covid-19 booster jabs
from September and you should grab this op-
portunity to increasing your customer base. This
would be an added bonus to the income from
the Covid-19 vaccinations.
If you have managed to boost your OTC
sales, the next step would then be to look at
reducing costs in order to improve profitability
further. This is a continuous process and phar-
macy business owners should regularly keep
track of their sales and product mix as consumer
needs are ever changing.
This article is based on current practice and
is for guidance only. Specific professional
advice should be taken before acting on
matters mentioned here. Umesh Modi BA ACA
is a Chartered Accountant and Tax Advisor,
and a partner at Silver Levene LLP. He can be
contacted on 020 7383 3200 or umesh.modi@
silverlevene.co.uk. Vinku Shah FCCA is a
Chartered Certified Accountant and Manager at
Silver Levene LLP. He can be contacted on 020
7383 3200 or vinku.shah@ silverlevene.co.uk.
8/26/2021 4:01:55 PM
 Care Home

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PHARMACY ACCOUNTANTS
AND TAX ADVISERS

COMPLIANCE SERVICES TO COMMUNITY PHARMACIES

We reduce your risk from HMRC. As part of our services, we will Testimonial

We also give you peace of mind by benchmark your results to cover: – “We have been very pleased

providing the following at a FIXED PRICE: – with the advice and quality of
Turnover compared to similar pharmacies the service we have received
Monthly bookkeeping & VAT using Xero - NHS, OTC and services income
from Silver Levene LLP. We
MTD & HMRC compliant Gross profit margin
can highly recommend
Monthly payroll, RTI submission, auto-enrolment Staff & other costs
them for their honest and
Monthly/quarterly management accounts Net profit margin
Annual accounts genuine advice on any
Overall health of the business
Corporation and Personal tax returns matter relating accounts, tax
Your drawings to make sure it is tax efficient
Ad hoc email and telephone advice and payroll, Their expertise
Other tax planning areas
Meeting to consider business /tax options, Long term financial planning and knowledge is also
if and as appropriate outstanding. Thank you for
your kind services regarding
For more information please contact: Vinku Shah
our accounts.”
020 7383 3200 vinku.shah@silverlevene.co.uk
M Vaiya, Alpharm
www.silverlevene.co.uk
Chemist Ltd.
@silverlevene
AUGUST 2021 33
 REALITY CHECK Christian Rebholz & Graham Tatham
Independents must adapt
Expanding on the results from a
recent survey, Christian Rebholz
(left) and Graham Tatham give their
expert opinion on how bricks-and-
mortar pharmacies can face off stiff
competition from Amazon…
A
recent study, conducted by strategy
consulting firm Simon-Kucher &
Partners, has found that the Amazon
Pharmacy launch would have wider implications
on the UK pharmaceutical market. In November
2020, Amazon launched its online pharmacy service
in the US and now, armed with its approved UK
trademark, Amazon Pharmacy prepares its journey
across the pond.
Meanwhile, British bricks-and-mortar
pharmacies prepare for the worst. With its
convenient free-of-charge delivery for Prime
customers, and cheap over-the-counter
medicines, the threat that many consumers will
switch to Amazon is undeniable.
Room for hope
While this casts a shadow over businesses
already struggling to compete against chains and
online services, a recent study shows that there is
still room for hope.
Originally aimed at manufacturers, the
representative study, entitled ‘Effects of Amazon
Pharmacy on the UK pharmaceutical market’,
revealed that Amazon Pharmacy would not be
able to meet the needs of every customer.
In fact, many consumers stated that they
would rather continue buying from other
channels, including traditional bricks-and-
mortar pharmacies. So, while there are grounds
for anxiety, local pharmacies should adapt by
drawing on their strengths.
Huge market
Why should local pharmacies be worried? The
anxiety around the renowned disrupter entering
the pharmaceutical market is justified.
The UK pharmaceutical market is worth
billions a year, with lucrative growth possibilities.
It is, therefore, not surprising that Amazon is
looking to extract its potential in this sector.
Moreover, having asked 1,000 UK consumers
about whether they would buy from Amazon
Pharmacy, the results show that the company
has every right to be confident in its success. 41
percent of current Amazon customers said that
they would switch – among Amazon Prime users
this figure increased to almost 50 percent.
Another worrying number for existing
players, is that even 10 percent of people who are
34 SEPTEMBER 2021
PB Reality Check1.indd 34
not currently Amazon customers would consider
purchasing from Amazon Pharmacy. Meaning
that Amazon Pharmacy could directly gain 20.5
million potential customers, putting it among the
top online pharmacies in the UK.
There are two main reasons for its potential
popularity. The first can be attributed to past
consumer experience. Amazon is a well-known
online retailer, providing a fast, affordable,
and reliable service across a whole host of
sectors. With that level of brand awareness
and reputation, it is no wonder that so many
consumers are willing to make the change.
The second reason comes down to price and
convenience. As stated above, Amazon is able
to deliver items within hours, free of charge –
especially to its Prime users.
Basic care
While we are on the subject of price, it is
important to highlight the wider implications
Amazon Pharmacy could have on all UK
stakeholders in the market.
If Amazon’s US strategy is to be taken as any
basis, the online pharmacy will sell both well-
known OTC medication, and its own brand. The
“basic care” range includes standard drugs at low
prices, which, if in circulation, will put pressure
on UK manufacturers.
The survey results showed that consumers are
largely motivated by price. It is, then, quite likely
that “basic care” will become a bestselling brand.
So, manufacturers will need to be clear about
their future strategy.
Although selling products on Amazon can
help businesses reach a wider consumer base,
there is the danger of becoming dependent
on a formidable competitor. It is best to build
consumer relationships, understanding how to
reach customers directly, as well as knowing
what discerns you from the competition.
Personal touch
While Amazon Pharmacy promises a convenient
and cheap service, where it lacks is precisely in
the areas local pharmacies thrive. Among those
who would not buy from Amazon, our survey
showed that many value the personal touch and
expert knowledge that independents offer.
Actually, 41 percent think that a purely online
www.pharmacy.biz
Online pharmacy can’t meet needs of every customer
experience, like Amazon Pharmacy, would lack
the consultation and personal healthcare services
they feel reassured by. While 31 percent distrust
Amazon’s medical expertise. It is no surprise,
therefore, that 27 percent of respondents stated
that they would remain loyal to their current
pharmacies.
Saying that, the key to retaining loyalty will
be to listen to customers, doubling down on
value-add services, and trust-building activities.
Independent pharmacies are an important and
trusted part of the healthcare value-chain –
especially, when it comes to patients who have
complex, often polypharmacy needs.
Taking this into account, as well as the
concern around Amazon’s general use of
data, the results of this study should serve
as an opportunity for self-reflection and
improvement. Elevating and emphasizing the
personal, confidential, and expert aspects that the
conglomerate lacks.
Customers loyal to local pharmacies today
already have many alternatives on the high street,
as well as online. So, independents should really
question who, why, and what is being bought
through the pharmacy. Focusing on areas of
differentiation that a low-touch, convenience-
first, e-Commerce solution cannot provide.
Listen to patients
As detailed above, independents – and
manufacturers – should strengthen and highlight
their value propositions.
These are enterprises which have continued
to receive business even when faced with large
chains, such as Boots and Superdrug. Everything
that has set them apart from those powerful
competitors will also set them apart from
Amazon Pharmacy when it launches.
The important thing is to listen and adapt
to patient/customer needs, while continuing to
deliver the expertise and personal touch that
consumers value.
Christian Rebholz is a partner and consumer
health expert at Simon-Kucher & Partners.
Graham Tatham is a partner at Simon-Kucher’s
London office.
8/26/2021 4:01:36 PM
 NEW DATE!
Due to on-going issues around the Coronavirus pandemic and large in-door gatherings, we have
decided to postpone the 2021 Pharmacy Business Awards which were scheduled for 29th September
2021 to 3rd February 2022. The awards dinner will be held in central London where we expect a senior
Government minister to our celebrations to recognise the very best of community pharmacy.

We look forward to welcoming you to the 21st edition of the Pharmacy Business Awards
on Thursday 3 February 2022.

For further information please contact tanuja.parekh@amg.biz

www.pharmacybusinessawards.co.uk

PB Awards ad 2021.indd 2 8/25/2021 10:57:38 AM

Introducing the
Healthera App
subscription available
to Alliance Healthcare
customers
Alliance Healthcare and Healthera, working in
partnership, bring you the Healthera app, the
digital platform that has great potential to
help lock in your patient base and grow
your revenue.*+

Key benefits for Pharmacies include: Key benefits for your patients include:

Healthera does the work for you • Keep on top of prescriptions

Healthera will set up your pharmacy, Order and manage NHS prescriptions with ease
OTC e-commerce shop and delivery
service on the app • Purchase medication and health
& beauty products with a tap of a finger
Reduce phone calls Ability to add on over the counter medication
and medication queries and health & beauty products
Patients can place orders by the app
through the OTC e-commerce shop • Receive their orders with ease
and delivery service Collect orders or get it delivered

Grow your OTC prescription sales • Book pharmacy services at the

The app’s prescription reminder helps touch of a button
boost prescription requests. You Book NHS flu jabs and other services with no fuss
have the potential to gain additional
revenue from paid-for deliveries,
OTC sales and improved adherence

Receive Training and Support To register interest and book

Allows you to easily integrate the a free demonstration+, visit:
app into your existing processes.
Free marketing materials available www.alliance-healthcare.co.uk/pharmacy-
to promote patient sign up solutions/healthera-app
Or call our customer solutions team
on 0800 032 0579

Committed to championing community pharmacy

Follow “Alliance Healthcare in the UK” on
Alliance Healthcare (Distribution) Limited, 43 Cox Lane, Chessington, Surrey KT9 1SN
Healthera Limited, St John’s Innovation Centre, Cowley Road, Milton, Cambridge CB4 0WS
+
Alliance Healthcare Distribution Ltd provides marketing services to Healthera Ltd. If you
subscribe for the Healthera app you will contract directly with Healthera Ltd and a monthly
subscription fee and terms and conditions will apply. Subscription fees may vary.

*Source: NHS Business Services Authority, Monthly Prescription Volume 2019-2020