PGEU sets priorities for the future of the profession

Fully integrating community pharmacies is essential to strengthen the resilience of health systems, improve crisis response capacity, and ensure person-centred care. This is one of the main ideas of “A Vision for Community Pharmacy in Europe”, a strategic document on the future of the pharmacy profession and community pharmacies, published by the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU) this Wednesday.

The document presents community pharmacies as «the most widely distributed and accessible health infrastructure in Europe», staffed by frontline professionals who ensure healthcare delivery, disease prevention, and continuity of therapies.

At a time when European health systems are at a «turning point», the PGEU highlights eight key goals and initiatives to enhance the contribution of community pharmacies by 2040:

• Provision of safe, continuous, and person-centred care, promoting adherence to therapy and personalised counselling, and contributing to pharmacovigilance;
• Pharmacies as integrated healthcare settings, providing services such as vaccination and screening as part of everyday care, particularly in communities where access to healthcare is limited;
• Clinical excellence and an expanded scope of practice, with pharmacists acting as frontline professionals who manage minor clinical conditions and support continuity of therapies in collaboration with other healthcare professionals;
• Crisis-ready pharmacies, as their wide reach and trusted relationships with people position them as frontline actors in times of crisis;
• A strong, skilled, and motivated workforce, supported by fair remuneration, attractive career pathways, and appropriate training;
• Digital tools that automate bureaucratic tasks and allow pharmacists to devote more time to patient care;
• Economically sustainable funding models that recognise the value pharmacists and the services they provide add to health systems;
• Adoption of environmentally friendly practices, promoting the responsible use of medicines and sustainable practices with a view to protecting public health and the environment.

The PGEU also highlights the need for coordinated political action at both national and European levels to address structural vulnerabilities, such as medicine shortages and weaknesses in digital systems, which pose daily challenges for pharmacy teams.