It’s not what you do it’s the way that you do it

AAH Pharmaceuticals’ flu vaccination service has shown significant early growth for the second successive year.

Pharmacy customers have noted an increase in footfall and many put that down to greater consumer awareness, the business model presented at training and the marketing support offered by the company.

In addition, participating pharmacies have on average doubled their initial allocation of doses the company says.

Ajit Malhi, head of marketing services for AAH said: “We supply our customers with all the tools they need to deliver a successful flu vaccination service and this initial high success rate seems to demonstrate that there is a growing demand for quick and convenient pharmacy-based healthcare services.”
Noel Wicks, an Edinburgh pharmacist at The Medicine Pharmacy was able to supply the service for the first time because Novartis Vaccines and AAH have now extended the PGD to cover Scotland.

Noel was full of praise for the company’s training and thorough support throughout. He said: “As managing director of 14 pharmacies I felt that I needed to attend the training session so I could help my pharmacy managers set up the business model.

“The training focussed highly on how to run the service rather than just the clinical side providing a model that can be transferred across many other services we offer to our communities.”

Ramiz Bahnam of West Worthing Pharmacy, Worthing, was returning to the flu service, he said: “We realise that we can’t just rely on walk-in custom and have tried to go that extra mile to make the service work.

“We have dressed the pharmacy so customers are in no doubt what we are doing through the flu season and we have gone into care homes and administered the vaccination to staff at a reduced price.

“We are also aware that some of our regular customers find it hard to leave the house. So I have paid them home visits to save them the taxi fare to their GP.”