Page 27 - Retail Pharmacy March 2021

By Peter Howard. PHARMACY GROUPS 25 There’s strength in numbers In nature, a wide range of species use a simple principle to support their existence. Be they birds, bees or bottlenose dolphins, strength in numbers helps them not only to survive but also to flourish, as they share the load on their journey through life. As we look at how some of Australia’s major pharmacy brands have fared over the past 12 months, it’s clear that in the face of significant challenges they too have done more than simply survive. Could it be that in the commercial world, strength in numbers is a factor not to be dismissed too lightly, especially in a world evolving at a speed never seen before? Pharmacy Platform Head of Strategy and Partnerships Andrew Pattinson says 2020 was a year of unprecedented change. “The highlight has been the ability of the pharmacy sector to adapt and respond to such change,” he said. “This incorporates the entire supply chain, from manufacturers and wholesalers through to community pharmacies. “The scale of that change and the uncertainty facing the sector, with no time to prepare amid the fog and threat of Covid-19 at the tail end of the bushfire crisis, was significant and ongoing. Virtually every area of a community pharmacy evolved and reinvented itself throughout the year.” Describing the aspects of change we’ve experienced, Mr Pattinson highlights a wide range of diverse elements, many having emerged within the space of a few weeks. These include: • Ongoing and rapid legislative changes incorporating scope of practice, prescription processing, reporting requirements, all alongside process and procedure modification. • Total digital transformation within the sector – doctors and Medicare claiming capability for online consults, digital script adoption and expansion, and claimable pharmacy services moving online. • Radical modification of consumer behaviour, including a drastic expansion in online shopping, click and collect, and drive-through/home- delivery services. • Significant workflow modifications requiring PPE investment, the installation and adoption of protective screens, the need for social distancing and the inclusion of patient health and safety initiatives. • Stock supply issues ranging from toilet paper and hand sanitiser to asthma medications and Regulation 24 prescription protocols. “Community pharmacy will remember 2020 as the time pharmacy took a leadership role as the coordinator of care for our patients,” Mr Pattinson said. “The sector undertook several years of business evolution in the space of several weeks. “There’s an argument to be made that the 7CPA and the security it gives community pharmacy up to 2025 is a firm government acknowledgement of the excellent work done during this period.” TO PAGE 26 RETAIL PHARMACY • MAR 2021