“Pharmacy has not adapted” to the various contract changes and wider changes in healthcare over the years, which has meant the sector “hasn’t progressed to its full potential”, Satyan Kotecha, superintendent pharmacist of K&K Healthcare Limited, told C+D on Tuesday (October 3).

“Some pharmacists are really out of their comfort zone when they have to talk about things other than medicines,” he said.

“We have not learned to use our clinical skills that we were given when we joined the profession,” he added.

Speaking exclusively to C+D ahead of his appearance at the Pharmacy Show, Mr Kotecha – who is also chair of West Midlands pharmacy local professional network – said “commissioners will only invest in pharmacy if they can see that the workforce is ready”.

“You have to ask, is the [pharmacy] workforce ready?”

Misplaced skills

Mr Kotecha stressed that historic “funding changes didn’t really change behaviour”, or encourage pharmacists to offer more clinical services. This meant that “a full-time 40 hour pharmacy [today] wouldn’t have enough clinical work” for a pharmacist to do.

“I still have pharmacists in my dispensaries checking prescriptions, as opposed to an accuracy checking technician doing it”, he added. “Pharmacists are doing things that other people could do just as efficiently and at a fraction of the cost of a pharmacist.”

Mr Kotecha – who is currently studying for an independent prescriber qualification – said this is the first time in his pharmacy career that “I can see there will be an opportunity to utilise that qualification and make a real difference to patients”.

However, he is disappointed that there are more nurses than pharmacists enrolled on his course, as he feels prescribing “is the direction of travel” for community pharmacy.

Lack of leadership to blame

Mr Kotecha suggested that a “lack of clear direction and leadership” is also holding the profession back.

“Unless somebody in a leadership role or an organisation can show where we need to be as pharmacists…[pharmacists] will keep doing what they did yesterday and the day before,” Mr Kotecha said.

“We need those individuals at the coal face understanding what is expected of them,” – and this has to be more than “just medicines” experts, he stressed.

“If you ask a pharmacist: ‘Why did you join the profession?’, how many would really know the answer?,” Mr Kotecha asked.

“What we need is a united profession… behind one purpose to make sure we deliver better outcomes for patients through medicines, lifestyle interventions and engagement.”

Mr Kotecha will be joining other pharmacy professionals on a panel to discuss 'Improving your bottom line, business and patient care through effective leadership' at the Pharmacy Show in Birmingham this weekend (October 8-9).