Recently LaingBuisson predicted a 10 - 15% growth in the private healthcare market in the next three years. As community pharmacy faces unprecedented cost pressures and flat NHS funding, we look at some of the options for increasing service revenue in your pharmacy.

Offer a wide range of private services: In addition to travel clinics, pharmacies can offer a range of private services, including vaccinations for conditions like flu or Covid-19, weight loss clinics, private health checks, blood and genetic testing, and beauty treatments. By offering a comprehensive suite of services, pharmacies can attract more customers and generate more revenue.

1. The first thing to look at is how profitable any new service is likely to be, income from private services should have a significantly higher gross profit than NHS dispensing services in order to make them worthwhile.

2. Promote services to customers and understand local demand: Promoting private services to existing customers can help pharmacies generate more revenue. Pharmacies can advertise these services through in-store displays, email newsletters, social media, and other marketing channels. Offering incentives such as discounts or referral rewards can also help attract more customers.

3. Training and resources are one of the main barriers to providing more services in pharmacies. For any service you want to provide, you will need to work out if your staff have the right skills and qualifications, or if further training is needed. You also need to consider if there is the capacity to provide the service without taking on more staff.

4. A solution to this is to bring in a locum that can either provide private services or can take on the NHS prescribing services while permanent employees complete services. For example, if a locum costs £45 per hour but services are charged at £150 per hour your pharmacy is still making a significant margin.

5. Partner with travel agencies and tour operators: Partnering with travel agencies and tour operators can help pharmacies attract more customers to their travel clinics. Pharmacies can offer these partners a commission or other incentive for referring their customers to the pharmacy's travel clinic. This can be a win-win situation for both the pharmacy and its partners.

6. Provide exceptional customer service: Providing excellent customer service is key to growing revenue through private services. This includes ensuring that customers feel comfortable and well-informed about the services being offered, as well as providing follow-up care and support as needed.

7. Expand hours of operation: Expanding hours of operation can help pharmacies accommodate customers who may have limited availability during traditional business hours. Offering evening and weekend hours can make it easier for customers to access private services and can help pharmacies generate more revenue.

By offering a wide range of private services, promoting services to customers, providing exceptional customer service, and expanding hours of operation, pharmacies can grow revenue through private services.