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Do independent pharmacies have an image problem? According to some new market research, this could well be the case.

Pharmacists themselves and, on the whole, their support staff, came out well in the research. Lauded for their expertise, local convenience and personal service, independents were considered to be trusted healthcare providers. But consumers' overall experience of independent pharmacy was less positive.

Words used to describe the appearance of independents' premises, for instance, included 'messy', 'old school', 'chaotic', 'disorganised' and 'dark'. Some even objected to the smell...

Many of our readers won't recognise these adjectives as applying to them. And there has certainly been some significant investment by independent owners in recent years in modernising their premises. But there are also plenty of pharmacies that simply aren't attractive places to visit.

This is not a problem exclusively confined to the independent sector, either. Pop into any medium-sized multiple in a typical market town or city centre, and you're often greeted by half-empty shelves, with fixtures and fittings that have seen better days.

Could it be that the hundreds of millions of pounds sucked out of pharmacy funding since 2005 is beginning to have an effect? If large parts of the network are looking tired and down-at-heel, this does not help pharmacy's efforts to provide a modern, inviting healthcare and retail experience.

Richard Thomas, Editor