Pharmacy in Focus questions for Mark James
01 March 2007
1. You have held various positions within AAH for some years. Do you wish to integrate workings within AAH at all and if so, how could this benefit community pharmacy?
As you would expect we are constantly looking at ways in which we can improve the service we provide to our customers. I do not foresee any great revolution in the way we operate, but we will need to evolve as the needs of our customers change.
In part, that means ensuring that we have the optimal business structure and ways of working which will allow us to continue to operate in the most efficient and effective way we can.
Recently, for example, we brought together our customer technology and marketing teams. Both are focused on providing our customers with the professional and business tools they need be that a professional service or a technology solution. It makes sense to ensure both these customer facing parts of our business are aligned and focused on understanding and meeting the needs of our customers.
Undoubtedly there will be further change ahead as we ensure we remain fit for purpose in a dynamic sector.
2. Do you regularly consult community pharmacists in Northern Ireland to find out more about their needs in terms of deliveries and customer support?
I think we have a strong flow of communication both ways with our customers in Northern Ireland. We have a local team of Business Managers headed by Joan Millar dedicated to our customers in Northern Ireland. They spend a considerable amount of time identifying customer needs and dealing with any issues which arise.
Of course, we have the AAH branch in Belfast with a customer care centre who are in contact with our customers each and every day.
In addition, I and other AAH Board Members visit Northern Ireland regularly to hear first hand what our customers have to say about the service we provide.
So, from driver to Director I think we have good lines of communication with our customers.
3. Are there any toolkits or support packages available to pharmacists in Northern Ireland?
I think we have developed the best and most comprehensive range of professional and business supports available. Through Health Watch we can help community pharmacists provide patient services.
Our merchandising and marketing support is there to help pharmacies improve their footfall and profitability.
And through Statim Finance we can help pharmacists purchase or refit a pharmacy.
Added to that our Link system provides customers with a technology solution to run their pharmacy efficiently and effectively.
4. Contract negotiations are continuing in Northern Ireland. How has AAH assisted pharmacists in England, Wales and Scotland to meet their new requirements?
In England, the MUR service was a key innovation. AAH developed a MUR Support Pack which comprises the items a pharmacy needs in order to provide this service; including record forms, patient leaflets, posters etc. In addition, LinkEvolution V9 includes a MUR "wizard" which allows pharmacists to record MUR information in an electronic version of the standard form.
We also provide support to those pharmacies which offer locally commissioned enhanced services such as smoking cessation or diabetes. AAH has developed a comprehensive range of professional supports to help pharmacists provide these and other patient services.
In Scotland we developed and delivered the technology platform which our customers required in order to provide the Minor Ailments Service. This year, the Acute Medication Service is due to be deployed and we are working on the technology solution for that. Next year, the Chronic Medication Service is due to be deployed.
As you can see, as new demands and needs emerge we are responding in order to support our customers as best we can.
5. How have contractors been hit hardest when it comes to DTP models? How have contractors' experiences in Northern Ireland been similar and different to those elsewhere in the UK?
Broadly speaking, I think contractors in Northern Ireland have faced very similar issues and expressed similar concerns to their counterparts in Scotland, Wales and England.
We have had an exhaustive enquiry by the Office of Fair Trade into the distribution of medicines and they concluded that suppliers have the right to introduce DTP models if they want.
Consequently, we now operate in a mixed model environment with both wholesale and agency models.
Realistically, I do not think there is any prospect that we will go back to the one size fits all wholesale model. However, I am optimistic that we can work with suppliers and contractors to help develop new distribution models which do not undermine the ability of community pharmacy to do its job.
6. The AAH Convention is fast approaching, what can attending delegates expect to gain from their visit to Cape Town?
We have an excellent line up of speakers and developments in pharmacy in Northern Ireland is one of the key topics we will discuss.
I think delegates will benefit in several ways: firstly, they will gain a better understanding of the direction of travel for pharmacy from some of the key figures in pharmacy and primary healthcare. Secondly, they will hear views, ideas and examples of how they can maximise their professional and business potential. Also, the Convention is a fantastic opportunity to network with colleagues from across the pharmacy sector.
We want delegates to return home knowing more about the opportunities that are out there or are coming and how they can use those opportunities to their advantage.
7. Contractors in England have spoken out recently, claiming that year on year growth of prescription demand has left them with less and less time to carry out extended services. Can you see a time when dispensing will be more efficient and can wholesalers help at all?
If we want pharmacists to spend more time providing patient services rather than dispensing then clearly we need to look at how that dispensing function is carried out in the future.
Consequently, I think there is the potential for wholesalers such as AAH to provide new and innovative ways of supporting pharmacists to achieve that balance.
However, in the first instance, that will require changes to the rules and regulations concerning supervision and the responsibilities of the pharmacist. If we see such change then, yes, there are ways in which wholesalers could provide additional support.
8. What do you make of reports that pharmacists are severely losing out when it comes to purchase profits and Department of Health interventions?
The way in which community pharmacy is reimbursed ought to be fair, simple and transparent. However, I am not sure many pharmacists feel that is the case at present.
We have seen recent Cat M prices hit pharmacies hard. The huge fluctuations make it very difficult for pharmacies to predict their financial flows and manage their businesses in a sensible commercial manner. That in turn makes it difficult to plan for investment in areas such as providing new professional services, staff training and refits.
Community pharmacy needs a stable financial environment free from turbulent swings and unpredictable outcomes.
Retained purchase profit is good driver for achieving efficient purchasing behaviour. It provides incentives for wholesalers to offer good discounts - due to competition among wholesalers for business - and for pharmacists to get the best price they can (as they are allowed to retain a small percentage of retained purchase profit). The NHS then benefits from efficient purchasing through the clawback.
The Government is currently looking at this whole area. I hope they will retain the benefits which retained purchase profit generates whilst ironing out the feast and famine volatility we have seen lately.
9. AAH has recently assured contractors in England that assistance is available for commissioned services such as INR Warfarin management programme. Following the introduction of Local Commissioning Groups in Northern Ireland, will something similar be made available here?
AAH currently provides a full range of professional services to help community pharmacies deliver locally commissioned patient services. We continually look at ways of improving and extending that support.
