The Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) has launched a video animation explaining how community pharmacies will fit into the NHS in the future.

The video highlights the work that pharmacies already do and describes the transformation that it predicts community pharmacies will need to undertake over the coming months and years to realise the NHS Long Term Plan and other ambitions set out by NHS England and the Government to better utilise the skills and reach of community pharmacy.

Pharmacy teams should be aware that this will require the sector to embrace a series of changes which teams should start planning for now, PSNC says.
 
The PSNC highlights the emergence of Primary Care Networks (PCNs), which must be in place by July 2019 and urges everyone in community pharmacy to ensure that they are proactive in these conversations and coordinate engagement with local GPs and PCNs so that the pharmacy sector is included in these important emerging structures.

The animation gives community pharmacies four action points to consider:

• Start a conversation with other local pharmacies about how to collaborate within PCNs
• Together with other pharmacies and your LPC, talk to local GPs about their plans for the future
• Take all opportunities for further training and to provide services
• Make contact with your LPC.

PSNC has created a resources list to help pharmacies start working towards these points and new resources will be added over the coming months.