RPS Scotland releases vision document for community pharmacy 2030

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Scotland has published a vision document, ‘Pharmacy 2030: a Vision for Community Pharmacy’.

The document, which is now open for consultation, is the first of a planned series of visions for pharmacy in 2030, which are being developed in partnership with the profession.

Views are being sought from a wide range of groups, including pharmacists, technicians, contractors, other health professionals, patients and the public, with the consultation open until July 1.

The vision aims to improve safe and effective use of medicines for patients and address health inequalities and wellbeing.

It will align pharmacy to national strategic priorities and identify the underpinning infrastructure required to:

• ensure patients receive high quality services
• maximise innovations including digital and technology developments, and
• develop the pharmacy workforce

Clare Morrison, RPS director for Scotland, said: “The Covid pandemic has changed our world and it has changed health care. This is why pharmacy needs a new vision. Not because previous strategies weren’t good, but because we need something now that reflects our changed world. Today’s publication is the first step in creating that vision.

“Pharmacy 2030 describes a future where community pharmacies will remain the place from which people get their medicines, but the pharmacist’s role will be transformed. Pharmacists will be more clinically focused on supporting the safe and effective use of medicines.

“Patients will be offered a conversation about their medicines with every single supply, and pharmacists will routinely use clinical examination and prescribing to deliver person-centred care. The report explains how pharmacy will tackle health inequalities that have come to the fore during Covid. Importantly, it describes how all of this will be underpinned by better use of data, digital infrastructure and proper workforce development.”

Ian Rudd, chair of the Directors of Pharmacy Group said: “I welcome this report from the RPS on its vision for community pharmacy. It highlights many key issues for further discussion across the profession in Scotland. I would encourage all pharmacists to join with the RPS in the conversations that are to follow.”

Jonathan Burton, chair of the Scottish Pharmacy Board, said: “As the only pharmacy organisation with members across all sectors of pharmacy, RPS is well-placed to engage with the profession and create a single vision for the whole of pharmacy. Having first published a vision for community pharmacy, we plan to publish further visions on other areas, including GP practice, hospital, and non-patient facing roles such as academia and industry.

"Then later this year, all of this work will be brought together into a single new vision for pharmacy – Pharmacy 2030 – which will demonstrate how the whole profession can work together, and with the wider multi-disciplinary team, to deliver seamless, person-centred care for patients.

“It’s vital that our vision reflects the views of everyone involved, so I would encourage anyone with an interest in the future of pharmacy to get involved and share their thoughts.”