Public failure, private opportunity

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I was on a flight recently, sat next to a woman who had her laptop open, and I accidentally saw what she was writing. It was the start of a business plan: “Create a first-in-class private healthcare group in local communities throughout the country.” That caught my attention. It certainly sounded familiar, and I was very close to asking if she had ever heard of community pharmacies and the range of services they already offer. I didn’t, but it did get me thinking.

Given the findings of the CPE 2026 pressures survey, which revealed that 75% of pharmacies are losing money due to medicines shortages and just 14% are currently profitable in a climate of escalating costs, at what point do pharmacies in England turn their backs on a broken reimbursement system and the failure of successive governments to truly value the relentless hard work and dedication of the community pharmacy network? In other words, when do they adapt their business models to focus entirely on private services?

It is easy to see why this might be an appealing option. Private services can be professionally rewarding, make full use of pharmacists’ clinical skills, offer good profit margins, involve fewer overheads, and provide immediate payment.

But can a fully private pharmacy be viable?

The ability to pivot to private, and the desire to do so, will depend on many factors. However, the Government must be aware that when the majority of pharmacists are prescribers and owners look to avoid losses, it could suddenly face a serious access problem, mirroring what has happened in dental practice.

The recently published CVD modern service framework (see front page) should be a slam dunk 
for community pharmacy involvement. But if the DHSC fails to see that and doesn’t properly recognise the sector’s vital role in the NHS, or provide the right level of investment, then it could be decision time.

She never did finish that two-line business plan.