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Community pharmacy is standing at one of the most exciting and important crossroads in our profession’s history, says Harry McQuillan... 

Across the UK, more people than ever are turning to their local pharmacy for trusted, accessible healthcare, and rightly so. Our growing clinical role gives us an unparalleled opportunity to help people take greater ownership of their health and wellbeing.

The first of Numark’s 12 Core Principles of Community Pharmacy captures this perfectly: “Community Pharmacy teams will improve population health and address increasing healthcare demand as part of an integrated wider health system.”

Every time a person walks through our doors, whether for a vaccination, contraception service, blood pressure check, or simply some trusted advice, we have a moment that can go far beyond the transaction. It’s an opportunity to make a real and lasting difference to the health of that individual and, by extension, our wider communities.

Community pharmacies have always been trusted health destinations, open, approachable, and deeply rooted in the communities we serve. That trust gives us a powerful platform to promote health literacy and preventive care.

A short conversation about stopping smoking, managing blood pressure, or healthy eating might seem small, but these are the moments that collectively drive population health improvement.

At Numark, we believe that empowering communities starts with empowering pharmacy teams. Day in and day out, we see how proactive engagement, professional leadership, and strong local relationships deliver better outcomes for patients.

By combining clinical services with effective health promotion, pharmacies are helping to tackle health inequalities and ease pressure across the NHS.

To truly unlock this potential, our sector must be supported through fair funding, sustainable commissioning, and continued investment in the development of our people. Pharmacy teams need to be equipped, recognised, and rewarded for the vital role they play in public health.

Data will also play a critical part in shaping the future. As another of Numark’s Principles states: “Pharmacy will utilise data to demonstrate need and value in the identification, development, delivery, and evaluation of services.”

With access to the right insights, pharmacists can tailor their offer to meet the unique needs of their local population.

The NHS’s ambition is to bring healthcare closer to home, community pharmacy is already there. We are the front door to healthcare for millions, trusted by the public and ready to lead a shift from reactive treatment to proactive, wellbeing-focused care.

Together, let’s continue to build on that trust, strengthen our clinical offer, and show just how much pharmacy can deliver when it’s empowered to do what it does best, care for its community.

Harry McQuillan is the chair of Numark.