Speaking to C+D in an exclusive interview earlier this month (July 13), Mr Hobbs said he believes “community pharmacy has the opportunity to take a bigger role in improving health outcomes” following its work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“To achieve that, we need to partner with the relevant bodies to create a plan that outlines our [enhanced] role, our expectations, the patient outcomes we're looking for, and the appropriate level of investment that we need from both the sector as well as the government,” Mr Hobbs said.

“With that, I think we can build a roadmap to hopefully unleash the huge potential that our profession has to offer,” he added.

Mr Hobbs said he is “grateful” for the support and guidance Well was given by the NHS and the different UK government departments during the pandemic.

Push Doctor “relationship connection”, not partnership

As C+D reported in February, Well joined forces with online GP provider Push Doctor to launch a pharmacist-led digital consultation service for minor ailments.

As part of this collaboration, Well’s primary care pharmacists – who work both in community pharmacy and within “Push doctor's digital capabilities” – offer services to various primary care networks, Mr Hobbs explained.

Rather than a “formal or legal” partnership, Mr Hobbs referred to this project as a “relationship connection with Push Doctor”. This is the sort of alliance that allows the multiple “to both attract and retain the best talent”, he said.

Read our exclusive interview with Well CEO Seb Hobbs to find out more about how the multiple has fared during the COVID-19 pandemic, its digital plans, and Mr Hobbs' views on the pharmacy sector