Community Pharmacy England launches crucial Pharmacy Advice Audit

Pharmacy owners and teams to be asked by Community Pharmacy England to gauge rising reliance on pharmacies 

Community Pharmacy England (CPE) is gearing up to conduct a vital Pharmacy Advice Audit, calling on pharmacy owners and their teams to help measure the increasing reliance on pharmacies within communities.

With years of financial strains impacting the sector, despite the much-needed £645 million recovery plan funding, the sector finds itself on the edge.

The launch of Pharmacy First sparked a notable surge in people seeking advice from community pharmacies, both within and beyond the funded service, as revealed by recent sector polling.

To accurately assess this trend and advocate for sustainable funding, CPE is initiating an audit to gather data crucial for showcasing the extent of unfunded care provided by community pharmacies.

Scheduled to commence this week, the Pharmacy Advice Audit will entail pharmacy teams documenting informal healthcare advice dispensed over a single day.

These findings will serve as a pivotal indicator of the volume of support delivered outside the remit of the Pharmacy First service.

The outcomes of this audit will play a pivotal role in CPE's forthcoming campaigning and lobbying efforts.

This data will directly inform negotiations with the government and the NHS, as well as discussions with MPs and ministers, bolstered by national media coverage.

Janet Morrison, Chief Executive of Community Pharmacy England, underscored the significance of this audit, stating, “The Pharmacy Advice Audit is an important tool in gathering evidence of the efforts and value of community pharmacy teams across the country."

Morrison stressed the impact of this data in demonstrating the immense unpaid work undertaken by pharmacy teams for the NHS, urging all pharmacies to participate to bolster the case for increased investment and support.

Previous audits conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic yielded compelling evidence of the sector's indispensability, influencing funding negotiations and policy decisions.

Morrison emphasised the need for broad participation to strengthen CPE's advocacy efforts, affirming that the data collected would be instrumental in shaping the future of community pharmacy services.