Healthy living pharmacy (HLP) supporters have hit back at claims that there is no business case for the model, stressing that it can boost profits and commissioning prospects.

Pharmacists dismissed criticism from NHS commentator Roy Lilley at the C+D Summit that pharmacies could be "better off selling condoms and lipstick", following the publication of the first in-depth evaluation of HLPs on Monday (April 22).

Mr Lilley argued that the HLP report offered "no concrete data" on return on investment, but 43 per cent of contractors surveyed as part of the evaluation said they had seen profits rise since becoming an HLP. Mr Lilley argued that the training involved would incur costs and prompt staff to look for a pay rise.

"Why are leading pharmacists... saying this is the model to follow? If there wasn't a business case, they couldn't afford to do it" Richard Parish, RSPH

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Whitworth Chemists superintendent Jay Badenhorst rejected the argument. He said the chain, which has transformed many of its branches into HLPs, had benefited from the model and would continue to do so. "Any pharmacy choosing to sell lipstick instead of changing their business model... will struggle to see the point of HLPs," he told C+D. "My advice to those pharmacies would be to have a serious think about their patients' healthcare needs... how our world has changed in the past few years and whether their business model will see them through another 10 years."

Contractor Al Patel, who transformed Lee Pharmacy in Lambeth into an HLP last month, said the investment had created new commissioning opportunities.

"Returns have come in already... as we have seen a wider rollout of services." Mr Patel told C+D. "In our area, commissioners have been sold onto the idea and are already building on it."

NPA HLP lead Deborah Evans said that she had heard similar reports. "We've got pharmacies in Portsmouth that have seen significant commercial gains, but it's not just about that – it's about pharmacy's role in public health and getting commissioned for the future," she argued. "It may be that if you're not an HLP, you won't get commissioned and we're certainly hearing that from some of our areas."

Royal Society for Public Health chief executive Richard Parish said uptake of the HLP model – now adopted by more than 480 pharmacies – proved the business case. "Why are leading pharmacists, who have to run their businesses up and down the country, saying this is the model to follow?" he argued. "If there wasn't a business case, they couldn't afford to do it."

Mr Lilley branded HLPs a "waste of time" at the C+D Summit earlier this month.

Read the full HLP report here

Contractor verdict

Pharmacists revealed how their businesses had changed since adopting the HLP model

33% experienced higher prescription volumes

55% saw no change in income

43% reported a rise in income

61% had increased demand for services

80% found staff were more productive

Figures taken from a survey of 153 contractors in HLP evaluation

Has your pharmacy achieved HLP status? What benefits have you seen? Comment below or email us at [email protected] You can also find C+D on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook