The NPA has been at the heart of the community pharmacy sector for more than 100 years

The National Pharmacy Association is the representative voice of independent community pharmacies across the UK and a key provider of vital services to the wider community pharmacy sector. The NPA has been at the heart of the community pharmacy sector for more than 100 years - we celebrated our centenary in 2021 and consider ourselves to be the ‘family of family-owned pharmacies’.

There are approximately 7000 independent pharmacies UK-wide and more than half of pharmacies are family owned and run, small to medium sized organisations. The large majority of these are NPA members.

 

With a Board entirely drawn from our membership of independent community pharmacy owners, the NPA is one of the biggest providers of education and training to the community pharmacy sector. Courses range from leadership skills to vaccinations and cover the whole staff, from dispensing assistants to accuracy technicians and delivery drivers.

Other services offered by the NPA include Advice and Support for members on all types of queries related to professional community pharmacy practice and guidance and support on medicine safety. As the representative voice of independent community pharmacies, the NPA is also frequently invited to support parliamentary oversight of pharmacy policy.

 

We are determined to help pharmacies fulfil their potential as the ‘front door to the NHS’, an integrated, clinically excellent health and wellbeing service across the whole of the UK.

The NPA strongly believes that a united sector is a better sector. We need to be ‘Team Pharmacy’ – connected and together. Now more than ever is the time to connect, listen, share and pull together. The pharmacy family needs cohesion and positivity at this time to meet the needs and make the changes required for success.

 

That’s why we have been supportive of Community Pharmacy England’s work to develop a shared vision for the future of community pharmacy in England. We recently shared with them our own prospectus for change – Making Changes, Meeting Needs – which outlined the development of pharmacy services and served as an opportunity to redefine the sector’s role in the NHS. This followed months of dialogue with NPA members about what a clinical future could look like for the sector.

We believe there are major opportunities for service development within this decade, encompassing prevention, medicines optimisation, long term medical conditions and urgent care. We are confident that the large majority of NPA members – by their nature innovators – are open to the idea of ambitious, transformative change.

 

We are entering what will be a busy autumn delivery period, with several new contract services and IP Pathfinding, as well as challenges ahead on critical delivery success factors such as workforce.

NPA Board members and staff will lead several sessions at this year’s Pharmacy Show,  covering various issues ranging from the growing influence of technology in the sector, women’s heath, respiratory and cancer care and treatment,  tackling health inequalities and addressing workforce solutions.

 

Chair of the NPA, Nick Kaye, will be on the keynote panel at the beginning of the Show, discussing the future of community pharmacy. Nick will also be presenting ‘A Vision for A Sustainable Future’ on Sunday afternoon, a comprehensive and unmissable overview of the community pharmacy sector at the current time and some of the future opportunities and challenges lying ahead. Nick’s presentation will also cover medicines optimisation and the overall accessibility of pharmacies, among other key topics.

NPA vice-chair Jay Badenhorst, NPA board member Sukhi Basra and several NPA staff  will also present in-depth sessions over the two days, covering issues from the Primary Care Recovery Plan to Influencing Decision-Makers.

 

The NPA is delighted to feature in this year’s Pharmacy Show and wishes everyone attending this year an enjoyable and educational event.