It seems like I am just hitting my head on a brick wall. A recent discussion, with some local contractors, on pharmacy and delivering services has left me feeling very frustrated. My nearest competitor, who is also a friend, has known of my continued work to get pharmacy recognised locally. However, in this discussion, I find out that not only is he not delivering services, he has been referring clients for stop smoking to the trust, rather then either doing it himself or referring them to another willing pharmacist.
I asked him why this was the case; what was more frustrating, I offered him help to hand hold him through the stop smoking service a few months ago. He had two reasons! Firstly, the paperwork involved, but more enraging was his second reason … he didn’t want any client to go to his competition! After a few bleeped out words, I calmed down. I thought best to try and get him to understand how his behaviour would affect him in the end … and so began a 360 degree discussion with a conclusion of pharmacy being a frustrating world.
His first barrier was the paperwork. I agree, paperwork is usually the first hindrance to begin any service. However, we can’t go on being scared of paperwork. Commissioners should support service delivery with some form of electronic data inputing. This in the long run would benefit all involved and allow patients more access to services. The other way to manage paperwork with services is delegation. Without support from your team there is no way you could manage and get outcomes from services without struggle. It was at this point I was shocked. My competitor friend admitted he doesn’t delegate to his staff as he feels they are incapable. My reply was that my staff can deliver a lot of my services much better than I could on my own. The only reason they can, is by empowering them and most importantly training them with each service.
The second barrier, not working in collaboration, was the most disheartening to hear. After more bleeped words, we starting discussing his reluctancy further. My first point explained was that by referring to the trust, he was not only showing he can’t deliver, but he was fuelling what all other providers want; evidence that pharmacy can not deliver!! He realised that by referring clients outside the pharmacy circle was building more evidence on the forever pointing fingers at pharmacy. Also by not providing the service directly, he has inconvenienced the patient and may have discouraged them from quitting. If a service can’t be delivered within that pharmacy, pharmacists should refer to the next pharmacy. This builds national evidence that pharmacy is here for the communities health and well-being, and most importantly, pharmacy has the ability to deliver services very well!
He understood everything and agreed, but, at the end of the discussion he simply stated he’s happy how he is, as he feels he can’t take on more paperwork. Then I thought things were starting to get positive as he said he understood by referring outside pharmacy it will affect pharmacy overall. Then came the bombshell – ” I won’t refer to other pharmacies. I don’t want my patients thinking other pharmacies are better than mine”.
Lucky I’m not a violent man!
