Now celebrating its 10th year and with over 8,500 visitors expected, come along for two days of debate, discussion, CPD learning, new product and services news as well as a whole lot of networking at this year’s Pharmacy Show, 8-9 October, at the NEC, Birmingham

Attending an industry event is one of the best things you can do for the future of your business, your career and your profession. The Pharmacy Show is the largest national conference and exhibition for community pharmacy professionals.

The event provides pharmacy owners and their teams unprecedented access to two days of CPD education and support, hands-on training, and up-skilling, and the opportunity to source the latest product and service innovations. With the government’s vision of a more clinically-focused workforce being overshadowed by funding cuts, The Pharmacy Show aims to guide the profession on how to successfully manage the changes required to run a profitable and efficient pharmacy, never losing sight of improving patient outcomes, bettering the health of the communities they serve, and ensuring a savvy retail business.

With over 400 exhibiting companies and eight comprehensive education streams, there is something for every member of the team.

Largest training event in UK
The Pharmacy Show is by far the largest pharmacy training event in the UK and plays a vital role in supporting community, primary and secondary care pharmacy professionals with free continued professional development content, covering strategy, tactics, clinical, business, public health, digital health, leadership, and GP practice pharmacy training, as well as advice vital for the future of the profession.

This claim by the Show organisers is backed up by a multi-topic programme across eight venues. The Keynote Theatre will home in on big topics currently affecting pharmacy. They include: an update from NHS England; contract updates from the PSNC; getting ready for Quality Payments; and a panel session of community pharmacy owners discussing the future of pharmacy.

The Business Theatre programme will include: Brexit and the implications for pharmacy; developing travel health; successful operation of services. This theatre will also deliver “how to” sessions with simple top tips and practical advice. Making your business more profitable and saving you money will be high on the agenda, organisers say. A new Women in Leadership session will be held on the Sunday, too.

The Pharmacy Technology Theatre will feature, among other things, automation within pharmacy, an app to track pharmacy deliveries, opportunities from social media, and the role of technology in the future of community pharmacy.

Inspire and motivate
The PSNC Pharmacy Services Innovation Theatre is designed to “inspire and motivate” community pharmacists with ideas around commissioned services for additional income streams, ways to connect with CCGs, local authorities, and local charities and to show the capability of pharmacies across the country. Among the many topics will be the sore throat service and “how to go big” in HLP.

The Clinical Theatre will cover a variety of topics including asthma, cancer care, sepsis and diabetes, and will include the consultation and soft skills needed when managing patients with long-term conditions. The Public Health and Wellbeing Forum will give delegates content mapped to the public health agenda. Topics include, cancer prevention, smoking cessation, sexual health and mental health.

The Primary Care Theatre, sponsored by Independent Community Pharmacist, has content designed to support clinical pharmacists in their new practice-based role and offer advice to those keen to integrate community pharmacy with general practice. Topics will include how to set up a clinic in a general practice.

New for 2017
Programmed by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), the Career Development Zone will explore how pharmacists can stand out from the crowd and also learn about new roles that are developing in GP surgeries, care homes and urgent care. Topics will include professional standards in pharmacy; career and professional development and revalidation. There will also be a showcase of innovators in pharmacy. The programme has been developed in association with an advisory panel. Its members include RPS Assembly members.

Live Flu Training
This year the show will feature two companies running live flu and CPR training sessions. RX Advisor, who ran training at the show last year, and ECG Ltd will both be running discounted training workshops on both days. The sessions need to be booked in advance and are allocated on a first come, first served basis.You can book at www.thepharmacyshow.co.uk.

Impressive speaker line-up
This year’s speakers will provide you with a wealth of usable content that will be beneficial to you, your team and your pharmacy. All the main professional bodies will be represented and include: Sue Sharpe, chief executive officer, PSNC; Andrew Evans, chief pharmaceutical officer, Wales; Duncan Rudkin, chief executive, General Pharmaceutical Council; Ash Soni, president, Royal Pharmaceutical Society; Matt Barclay, director of operations, Community Pharmacy Scotland; Anne Joshua, head of pharmacy strategy, NHS England; Cormac Tobin, managing director, Celesio UK; Leyla Hannbeck, chief pharmacist, NPA; Peter Blundell, Senior GDP Inspector, MHRA; Bharat Shah, managing director, Sigma Pharmaceuticals plc; James Kingsland, president, National Association for Primary Care; Mark Koziol, chairman, PDA and Ian Strachan, chair, NPA.