As funding pressures on the NHS intensify, community pharmacies face a defining moment. Today, they must evolve through intelligent technology or risk obsolescence. The good news is that the tools to evolve are here and already operational. Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t the existential threat some believe, it’s one of several technologies helping drive greater innovation, scalability, and resilience in pharmacy.

I spent my early career at some of London’s biggest healthcare agencies such as Langland, McCann, and Havas, helping brands communicate their value and connect with people. At Langland, I became a digital project manager and started working in UX with a larger technology team. I quickly realised my value wasn’t in speaking their language fluently, but in translating between worlds, connecting user empathy with technical precision. Listening became less about learning jargon and more about spotting patterns others missed. 

Independent pharmacies can mistakenly buy digital tools the same way they buy stock - price first, everything else later. Yet purchasing the wrong digital platform can lock in hidden costs for years. Borrow these six tried-and-tested checks from larger corporates to make a safer, faster decision. 

Independent pharmacies can mistakenly buy digital tools the same way they buy stock - price first, everything else later. Yet purchasing the wrong digital platform can lock in hidden costs for years. Borrow these six tried-and-tested checks from larger corporates to make a safer, faster decision.