Behavioural change - get ready for hub and spoke
Neil Trainis,
06 Jan 2026
1 Min
Behavioural change - get ready for hub and spoke
Neil Trainis,
06 Jan 20261 Min
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Hub and spoke isn’t about doing less, it’s about doing what matters most. Trevor Gore explains…
If you follow me on LinkedIn, you may have seen my recent post where I examined upcoming changes in community pharmacy (including hub and spoke dispensing) and potential solutions to some of the more challenging issues.
The reaction said it all. ‘We’re excited about innovation but we don’t want to lose our professional identity along the way’.
The truth? Hub and spoke isn’t a threat, it’s a chance to reclaim time for patients. Central hubs will handle the heavy lifting of dispensing, while local spokes focus on clinical care, prevention and relationships. But success will depend on both systems and mindset. So, where to begin?
Audit and delegate
Start by mapping your workflow from end to end. Where are you still doing things manually? How many steps from receipt to hand-out? Then delegate. Lean on your technicians and support the team, even within current supervision rules.
Every task shifted now builds habits for the hub and spoke future. An audit isn’t about blame, it’s about discovering where your time and talent are wasted. Clear groundwork makes transition smoother later.
Behavioural economics in practice. Six mindset shifts for pharmacists
Change doesn’t happen because a policy says so, it happens when we decide it’s worth the effort. When the benefits of the ‘new way’ outweigh the benefits of not changing. Behavioural economics offers simple nudges that help us act rather than hesitate.
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Mindset shift |
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1) Challenge your comfort zone |
Don’t cling to ‘the way we’ve always done it’ approach. Pilot one workflow change each month – even a small one like moving repeats to a shared queue. Familiarity grows with action. |
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2) Reframe what you’re losing |
You’re not ‘giving up’ control, you’re gaining time for prescribing, clinical work and consultations. Every script the hub handles means more minutes with patients. |
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3) Follow the leaders |
Look to early adopters. Talk to early adopters that are already showing gains in safety and efficiency. Learn from them – success stories build confidence. |
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4) Redefine the value of time |
Track time saved through automation. Reinvest it visibly in flu clinics, BP checks or medicines use reviews. Time saved is only valuable when reused. |
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5) Talk, don’t guess |
Be open with your team. Shared understanding reduces resistance and builds trust. |
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6) Build micro-habits |
Don’t wait for a grand switch-on. Start by routing 20 per cent of repeats through a hub to test system and confidence. Small wins compound. |
The rule is to start small, act visibly, keep communicating. Confidence grows through momentum.
Owners with robots – re-think the investment
If you’ve invested in robotics, hub and spoke doesn’t make that redundant. Think of your robot as a micro-hub, serving nearby branches or care homes or handling MDS trays and acute scripts while a regional hub manages repeats.
This approach keeps flexibility and future-proofs your investment as NHS models evolve. Connect with other owners – shared learning replaces defensiveness with creativity.
Auditing for hub and spoke readiness
Once the model feels tangible, test how ready your systems and people are. A structured audit reveals what can move to the hub and what stays local.
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Audit area |
Ask yourself |
Behavioural cue |
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Workflow mapping |
How many steps from receipt to handover? |
Spot friction points where automation helps. |
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Human dependency |
Which tasks truly need a pharmacist? |
Identify safe opportunities for delegation. |
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Technology integration |
Can your PMR connect with a hub? |
Surface IT confidence gaps early. |
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Error management |
How will issues be reported or resolved? |
Run a “pre-mortem” to anticipate pitfalls. |
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Time-motion study |
Where does time disappear? |
Make inefficiencies visible with data. |
Remember, readiness is as much about mindset as machinery.
What can be centralised versus kept local?
Hub and spoke isn’t all or nothing, it’s about balance.
Centralised (hub): Repeats and stable maintenance medicines. Assembly and tech-enabled accuracy checks. Procurement, stock control and MDS trays
Local (spoke): Acute and controlled drugs. Clinical verification, counselling and handover. Urgent dispensing and public health services. Care-home and patient communication.
Start small, perhaps 25 per cent of your repeat volume. Measure turnaround times, error rates and freed-up hours. Celebrate wins; visible progress keeps motivation high.
Delegation in the new supervision era
Supervision reform is opening the door to smarter teamwork. As roles evolve, pharmacists can focus more on clinical services while others take on defined responsibilities.
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Role |
Delegated tasks |
Behavioural framing |
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Pharmacy technicians |
Accuracy checking, ordering, hub liaison, managing dashboards |
Empowerment builds professional pride. |
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Dispensers/ counter staff |
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Ownership creates accountability. |
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Pharmacists |
Clinical verification, prescribing, public health, service delivery. |
Repositions the role from “production line” to “clinical expert”. |
When people feel autonomy, mastery and purpose, they don’t just accept change, they drive it.
Strategic takeaways
1. Behavioural readiness matters as much as technology.
2. Audit your workflow for duplication and delay.
3. Reframe Hub-and-Spoke as freedom, not loss.
4. Learn socially and copy what works for others.
5. Empower your team – confidence spreads faster than policy.
With the right mindset, hub and spoke can be the next step toward a pharmacy model that values care, not just capacity.
Trevor Gore is the founder of Maestro Consulting, a Self-Care Forum trustee and associate director at the Institute for Collaborative Working.
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