The Pharmacy Guild of Australia identified that their roughly 5,700 constituent members in community pharmacies across Australia were at a critical point and in need of a long-term industry-wide strategy. Pottinger was retained for roughly 12 months by the Pharmacy Guild to help identify the forces acting on their industry and the domestic and international trends that were likely to impact. Our final report detailed the overall strategic reorientation required for community pharmacy going into 2025 to ensure the sector’s viability.

Objectives that were identified as essential elements of a viable community pharmacy sector in 2025 included:

• Ensuring that the health needs of patients and consumers are identified and met;

• Shaping the evolution of the pharmacist, pharmacy workforce and community pharmacy network;

• Developing a vision and framework for change for a viable, sustainable, long-term future;

• Engaging stakeholders to participate in Community Pharmacy 2025 and implement the framework for change;

• Providing members with a roadmap to implement the plan and deliver the Community Pharmacy 2025 strategy; and

• Preserving community pharmacy’s integral position in the Australian healthcare system.

As a part of the year long collaborative process between the Pharmacy Guild, its membership, a leading market research firm and Pottinger a number of issues were identified and determined as barriers to the ongoing viability of the sector. These included increasing competition and technology eroding profitability and margins, consolidation and corporatisation from discounter pharmacy competitors, pressure on government budgets and world trends threatening favourable protective regulations. Pottinger developed a number of pathways that could be undertaken individually or in parallel to meet the identified objectives of the assignment.

An exhaustive process of stakeholder consultation with pharmacies and the wider Australian healthcare and pharmaceuticals industry was undertaken and incorporated into Pottinger’s final deliverable. We built a practical, evidence-based strategic framework for community pharmacies to develop a plan to implement pathways to change their business and ensure a successful transition to the contemporary economic model. This framework is being utilised by the Pharmacy Guild in member communications to help guide its members towards 2025.

Our assignment additionally saw the creation of an internal division within the Pharmacy Guild devoted to the successful implementation of the Community Pharmacy 2025 project.

In 2024, the Pharmacy Guild of Australia approved the decision to extend CP 2025 to 2028, reflecting the enduring, long-term nature of Pottinger's original advice.