Independents can secure an edge over multiples in the new NHS by capitalising on their local knowledge, Alliance Healthcare and economists have argued.

The stronger focus on local healthcare needs would give independents an advantage when bidding for local services, speakers told the Alphega conference last week (June 9).

This would prove vital at a time when pharmacists could no longer rely solely on dispensing income and there was an "increasing expectation" for pharmacists to provide services, they stressed.

"Independent pharmacies and smaller regional chains have a unique opportunity to differentiate themselves by tailoring their services to local healthcare demands" Sue Moore, Alphega Pharmacy

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Michael Thomas, partner at economic analyst AT Kearney, said that offering insight into the community would make a "big difference" when talking to local commissioners. But he stressed that independents would have to be more active in bidding for services. "If you just wait for the tender to come through, you've probably lost it already," Mr Thomas warned. The comments were echoed by Sue Moore, UK general manager of Alliance Healthcare's virtual network Alphega Pharmacy.

"Although multiples may be in a good position to compete for the delivery of nationally commissioned services, independent pharmacies and smaller regional chains have a unique opportunity to differentiate themselves by tailoring their services to local healthcare demands," she said.

But Ms Moore stressed that independents would need to work together when bidding for services because there was "strength in numbers".

"If you think about it from a local level, the commissioners don't want to deal with lots of different people with lots of different variations – get together and make it a more viable package," Ms Moore advised.

Speakers at the Alphega conference also warned that community pharmacy would need to do more for its money under the next contract because of government pressure to cut health spend.