So building and maintaining relationships with those you don't work immediately alongside is even more difficult. But that doesn't make it any less business-critical.
Under the NHS reforms, relationships with doctors and other commissioners will be vital for community pharmacy. Or perhaps that should read ‘community pharmacists' – because relationships are personal.
No matter how hard national organisations work to encourage clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and local authorities to engage with pharmacy, it will count for nothing if pharmacists do not engage with doctors and councillors at an individual level.
It means more work, and it means there's no easy route to pharmacy's success within the reformed commissioning landscape, but that's just how human beings work. All business is based on personal relationships.
As Day Lewis MD Kirit Patel says, it doesn't matter how good a restaurant's food is, you won't go back if you get bad service. Similarly, your view of an entire national or even global company can be ruined forever by one surly staff member in your local branch.
And that's why every pharmacist must do their bit to engage with their local commissioning bodies. Every single one will be a little bit different and have different priorities but, to give you an introduction into their thinking, at the C+D Keynote Conference a GP from one of England's first CCGs will offer an insider view of the bodies that could decide your enhanced service fate. After that, it's up to you.
See Kingston Consortium's Dr Charles Alessi deliver his Keynote speech at C+D's conference at the Pharmacy Show on October 9. Register for your free place at www.chemistanddruggist.co.uk/conference
Jennifer Richardson, deputy editor
Don't miss out on the C+D Keynote Conference at the Pharmacy Show 2011, where NHS and pharmacy representatives will debate the sector's role in the reformed health service and explain what you need to do to prove your case to commissioners.
Speakers include Alliance Boots health and beauty chief executive Alex Gourlay, the NHS's lead pharmacy negotiator Felicity Cox, and NHS Future Forum chair Professor Steve Field.
PLUS You decide who should control the cash as pharmacy leaders pitch their funding proposals in the Dragons' Den-style C+D Senate Live, in association with Actavis.
While at the show you'll also be able to enjoy free CPD training sessions from C+D on topics such as targeted MURs, the New Medicine Service and Healthy Living Pharmacy.
Sign up for your free ticket and secure your opportunity to develop your pharmacy future.
Day 1