Speaking exclusively to C+D at the Numark conference in Cape Town on Tuesday (March 7), Mr D’Arcy stressed that the sector must make the most of technological developments to make processes more efficient.

“As pharmacy moves more towards a clinical role, it needs to be able to connect with other healthcare professions,” he said.

“The sector needs to use IT for information to help with its clinical role, but most importantly its commercial role.”

Providing greater access to patient records would give pharmacists a “better ability” to share information with other health professionals and make sure they are giving “the best care to patients”, Mr D’Arcy said.

“It’s taking a more holistic approach to patient care,” he added.

"Pharmacists should have their own patient record"

Mr D'Arcy's comments were echoed by the managing director of IT solutions company EMIS Care, who repeated his call for community pharmacy to have its "own, unique" patient record.

Watch the video below to find out why Ian Taylor believes it is important for pharmacy to retain its "clinical interaction with patients" via its own systems.