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Commissioners should take a fresh look at what pharmacy can offer and be imaginative about the role that pharmacy can play across a range of issues, delegates at a Public Health England conference were told on November 6.

Commissioners should play to pharmacies' strengths of access, flexibility and staff that reflect the backgrounds of the communities, Jonathan McShane, chair of the Pharmacy and Public Health Forum (pictured), said.

Meanwhile, pharmacists should proactively embrace their role in improving local people's health and "own" the Healthy Living Pharmacy concept. But he warned: "Don't expect Health and Wellbeing Boards to come and knock on your door, you've got to to and talk to them."

Mr McShane explained the role of the Pharmacy and Public Health Forum: "The Forum's job is to build on the broad recognition of pharmacy's key role in supporting our shared ambitions for public health and ensuring that the new public health system takes full advantage of the skills and resources that community pharmacy has to offer." He suggested that accelerating the rollout of the Healthy Living Pharmacy concept was an important part of widening pharmacy's public health role.

And he reassured delegates of the broad support that pharmacy enjoys within public health. "Public Health England is committed at the highest level to support community pharmacy's contribution in public health."