Webinar: Predicting the future of community pharmacy

Blooms The Chemist is inviting pharmacists across the industry to join the global webinar, ‘Pharmacy 2030: Your Pharmacy, Your Community’, to be held on Tuesday 27 July, 8pm-9pm (AEST).

With a line-up of speakers including Emma McBride MP, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health, Shadow Minister for Carers and Federal Member for Dobell; Dr Kerryn Phelps AM, Past President of the Australian Medical Association (AMA); and Steve Howard, UK Clinical Standards Director and Superintendent Pharmacist, Lloyds Community Pharmacy, pharmacists are invited to hear the panellists discuss their vision for the future of community pharmacy.

With the ongoing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic being felt across Australia, and the announcement that more pharmacies are joining the vaccination rollout, pharmacists have cemented their place in Australia’s local communities as trusted providers of healthcare and support during times of challenge, as well as reducing the patients’ burden on healthcare facilities such as over-burdened hospitals and GPs.

This rapid evolution to providers of essential health services has left behind the notion that Pharmacists are merely dispensers of medicines. The role of pharmacy in society has forever changed.

Emmanuel Vavoulas, Blooms The Chemist’s Head of Retail and CEO elect, says that they are “honoured to be hosting such outstanding local and global leaders across pharmacy, medicine and industry on this webinar during a time of significant disruption”.

He says this is an “opportunity for pharmacists to support the goal of optimal wellbeing and safety of all Australians during this deeply unsettling time”.

“Pharmacists across Australia will have unique access to some of the most experienced minds in healthcare, pharmacy and retail globally, each providing great insights and expertise on the key issues facing our industry and the opportunities, which lie ahead of us, at a time when taking better care of our community is front and centre of our thinking,” says Mr Vavoulas.

About the webinar

‘Pharmacy 2030: Your Pharmacy, Your Community – Transformational Business Strategies for a Sustainable Futureis expected to highlight the inevitable changes pharmacists will face and how they navigate the future to move the profession from ‘dispensers to clinicians’ supporting better health outcomes for all.

Webinar panellists include:

  • Emma McBride MP, Shadow Assistant Minister for Mental Health, Shadow Assistant Minister for Carers and Federal Member for Dobell, who will only provide a speech in the opening 15 minutes.
  • Dr Kerryn Phelps AM, past President of the Australian Medical Association (AMA).
  • Steve Howard (FFRPS FRPharmS FCIPD), UK Clinical Standards Director and Superintendent Pharmacist, Lloyds Community Pharmacy.
  • Dr Ronald Hess, Associate Professor of Marketing – Mason School of Business, College of William and Mary USA and Consulting Advisor to Blooms The Chemist.
  • Emmanuel Vavoulas, Head of Retail (and CEO elect effective 1 January 2022), Blooms The Chemist.
  • Pamela Bishop (EMBA, GAICD), Chief Marketing Officer, Blooms The Chemist.

The topics for discussion are expected to be as follows:

  • The impact of Covid-19 on redefining and reimagining the role of pharmacy in our local communities, and similarly, how the role of pharmacists will be further elevated as they support the national vaccines rollout.
  • The changing role of the community pharmacist in meeting an increased demand for more personalised healthcare and shifting customer expectations.
  • Advances in technology and how these will help pharmacists develop personalised prevention and health management programs, and place pharmacy at the forefront of healthcare
  • The continuing evolution of the retail environment, instore and online, and how pharmacists compete to meet and exceed customer expectations.
  • How community pharmacy goes beyond dispensing medicines and expands its role as ’population health managers’, to support better health outcomes.
  • The role of purpose and why community pharmacy has an opportunity to make a real difference in their communities.

For those interested in signing up to the webinar, visit: zoom.us/webinar/register/5716249560745/WN_0m8kRaa3SyKrWKPV-jXNdg