Dear Member,
The last three months have been the hardest we have ever faced in community pharmacy, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our members and their pharmacy teams for all the hard work you have all done.
Embracing New Technologies
To fully support our members, PharmaPlus has embraced new technologies to communicate more effectively with you. We have an extensive range of training planned through our Zoom platform that many of you have already attended and provided excellent feedback.
Support During These Times
We have provided and continue to deliver extensive support to our membership. Some recent examples include:
a) Information and support on the COVID crisis
b) Cash flow webinars on how to support your pharmacy
c) Assistance on applying for grants and loans
d) Advice and resources on COVID-19 Testing
e) Working safely in your pharmacy including PPE screening
f) Bank holidays working and claims
g) Advice on pre-registration training
h) Lobbying MPs on your behalf
i) Delayed invoice payments to support you in your cash flow
Communication over the past three months
a) Over 60 separate email communications to support you
b) Our WhatsApp group has been in overdrive responding to issues from members
c) Countless one-one calls with members to help with individual issues
Financial
Over £1m of support in this period by supporting members to accurately claim their NHS BSA payments, Bounce Back Loans, LA Grants and similar support.
Moving Forward and New Norms
a) Although seeing you face to face is preferred, under the current situation we are dedicated on developing more topical webinars / video conferences and other ways we can support our membership using remote technology, including video
consultations with patients.
b) Our focus will remain on driving the Clinical Private Services which will add new revenue streams to your businesses. We have released a number of private services -
examples include extensive PGDs, Travel Clinics, Sexual health clinics, blood testing services, private walk in services to name a few. We are always on the look out for innovations and we have other services in the pipeline such as our DNA testing service. This is where the future of pharmacy lies.
c) Our PharmaPlus website has been used daily by a significant number of our members for resources on information on the pandemic, financial support and more.
d) The new Staff Training Modules have received fantastic feedback to allow you to utilise your staff to their full capacity.
e) Our monthly tender is now up and running after the issues caused by the pandemic, and we are now open to new members to save you even more money without any additional cost to you!
f) We will not be increasing our membership fee, unlike other organisations, as a sign of support to our membership.
Our strength as a group is our togetherness, and we will continue to support our members who are our number one priority. We look
forward to meeting you all at one of our social events when things start to normalise again.
Take care, and stay safe. You are one of the unsung heroes/heroines of the COVID crisis, and a genuine pat on the back for your sacrifice and dedication, although the government may not recognise it, the public definitely do!
Hiten Patel
Managing Director
PharmaPlus
