We have a duty to be straight and open with our staff about the Government’s planned cuts and ‘efficiencies’, says NPA chairman Ian Strachan

What should you say to your staff about the Government’s plans for cuts and ‘efficiencies’? As a pharmacy owner, this is something I’ve been considering since the end of December. You don’t want to scare them, but equally I feel we all have a duty to be straight and open with them. After all, the Department of Health’s proposals could have very direct consequences for all of us, if not immediately then certainly in the long-term.

Everyone working in pharmacy has ‘skin in the game’ and many staff also live in the communities they serve from the pharmacy. Employed pharmacists, locums, technicians, counter assistants, managers, delivery drivers and contractors should all be involved in planning for challenging times ahead. What is more, we can all play our part in pushing back against this direction of travel the DH and NHS England has embarked on. After all, we are in this together.

Key points

I have four pharmacies, so my approach has been to brief my teams on a pharmacy-by-pharmacy basis rather than as a group. Each pharmacy is different with different personalities, different approaches, with different styles and sometimes attitudes to management. These are perhaps the key things staff should be appraised of:

• The Government is conducting a dangerous experiment which could see local pharmacies close. It can’t yet be predicted where the axe will fall
• We do not have to accept the Government’s proposals as a done deal. There is a strong cross-sector campaign under way to make the Government think again – and everyone working in or around pharmacy can play their part
• Tight budgets are a reality in community pharmacy. That is not new. We must all look to be more efficient and have an eye to the financial bottom line as well as continuing to deliver excellent service to patients and customers. The pharmacy business, as well as pharmacy practice, is something that everyone in the team needs to be conscious of
• Remind everyone in your team that they are part of a network of care that is vital to the health of the nation. Everyone working in the sector deserves praise, for the day-to-day work of safely supplying medicines, giving face-to-face advice to millions, and being a social and business asset at the heart of communities across the UK. Be confident and proud about what you currently do and bold about what more you can do for patients and communities given the right condition

As an aside, 100,000 campaign cards have already been ordered from the NPA website. When you receive your cards, please remember to brief your team on their use. Simple instructions are provided with each consignment of cards you receive.

We can all play our part in pushing back against this direction of travel