As patients continue to demand home deliveries, what does the future hold for pharmacies under increasing pressure from society and government cuts?
It is no secret that independent community pharmacies are under increasing pressure to succeed in times of mounting presence from conglomerates coming into the healthcare space.
Last year, we carried out a survey with 350 community pharmacists to find out more about where their time is spent and how external and government pressures are influencing their approach on their business future.
As patients continue to demand home deliveries pharmacies are straining to provide a logistics solution which meets the needs of its patients, but also complies with the mounting government cuts that our beloved pharmacies are coping with year on year.
Our survey showed that pharmacies are spending an average of 11 hours per week on delivery processes, which, based on the average income of a pharmacist equates to over £14,000 a year. This is a clear indication that a streamlined, cost effective process is needed which also ties in with regulations and continues to meet patient’s needs within this sector.
A positive customer experience is key and something which competitors such as Amazon do very well. Whilst it is not possible for small pharmacy owners to beat the likes of these conglomerates, we urge pharmacists to use their existing assets, such as strong existing customer relationships, to use a third-party logistics supplier and, in turn, using your pharmacies as fulfilment hubs to be on par with them in a united front.
To find out more about how CitySprint Health can support your pharmacy, contact us today on
pharmacy@citysprint.co.uk or watch our video below.