I consider myself a positive, proactive pharmacist. However, it was the first time recently that I was weighing up between patient care and loss of profit. My heart sank … I felt guilty … trying to balance patient care against profit. I’m not sure if I did the right thing, but I chose my patient and swallowed a bitter pill of £65 profit loss on her prescription. From that day on all losses were very painful. Cat M, Specials, NCSO, Generics, EPS … the list went on!
That evening it played on my mind. Who is to blame? Am I now a health professional working as a charity? Why is my profession, which I love very dearly, the only profession that is so disjointed! I didn’t know who is the leader of pharmacy to change this; PSNC, GPhC, RPS, IPF, NPA, LPC … the CCGs … the NHS? Who can I voice my concerns to? I certainly feel the leaders, collectively, are to blame for this unbalance!
A recent article ‘The Future of Community Pharmacy‘ by ATKearney, simply states that this unbalance is what will close many pharmacies. Is that what our leaders want? This balance between patient care and loss of profit needs to be readjusted. Pharmacy are pivotal to the community. Without pharmacy, where would healthcare be? How will the community access professional advice without an appointment? Where else could public health objectives be met? The Health and Well-Being of the community is dependent on pharmacy. We are the heart of the community.
Have your say … Join @WePharmacists and myself @dearPHARMACIST on a Tweet Chat “Patients vs Profit: can our leaders shift the balance?” on the 4th July 2013 at 8pm #WePh
