Why Outsource Clinical Pharmacist Support for your PCN?
In an increasingly demanding primary care environment, GP practices and Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are under constant pressure to deliver high-quality care while managing growing workloads and limited resources. One of the most effective ways to ease this burden is to strengthen your pharmacist support.
More practices are now asking a crucial question: Should you build an in-house team or outsource pharmacist support? If your PCN wants to stay agile, compliant, and patient-focused, outsourcing your clinical pharmacy services could be the smarter move.
What is a Support Pharmacist?
To understand the benefits, let’s clarify what is a support pharmacist. A support pharmacist is not just someone behind the counter dispensing medication — they’re a highly trained medicines expert who works directly with patients, GPs, nurses, and care teams to improve health outcomes.
Their support can include:
- Performing structured medication reviews
- Advising on prescribing safety
- Optimising repeat prescriptions
- Managing long-term conditions
- Resolving complex medication issues
A support pharmacist ensures patients are on the right medicines, in the right doses, at the right time, freeing up GPs to focus on diagnosis and treatment.
What is a Clinical Pharmacist?
You may hear the terms support pharmacist and clinical pharmacist used interchangeably. So, what is a clinical pharmacist?
A clinical pharmacist goes beyond the dispensary. They are embedded in GP practices and PCNs, providing frontline patient care. Their work aligns with the core principles of clinical pharmacy, which focuses on the safe and effective use of medicines to achieve the best possible patient outcomes.
The Expanding Role of Pharmacists in Primary Care
The NHS Long Term Plan recognises the vital role of clinical pharmacists in modern primary care. According to NHS England, clinical pharmacists are now a key part of the wider general practice team. Their contributions directly help practices meet key targets under the PCN DES contract.
What do clinical pharmacists do in a PCN? Their responsibilities often include:
- Medication reviews for polypharmacy patients
- Managing medicines for long-term conditions such as asthma or diabetes
- Supporting care homes with safe prescribing
- Running clinics for minor ailments
- Educating patients about medicines
- Advising GPs on prescribing best practices and cost-effective choices
Put simply, the role of a clinical pharmacist is to close the gap between diagnosis and safe, effective medication use. Read More: What does a clinical pharmacist do?
Why Outsource Pharmacist Support?
So why do more PCNs choose to outsource pharmacist support instead of hiring directly? Here’s why outsourcing often makes better sense than expanding your in-house team.
Flexibility and Adaptability
Every PCN is unique population needs change, funding fluctuates, and priorities evolve. When you outsource, you gain a flexible workforce that can scale up or down as needed.
Outsourced pharmacy solutions allow you to bring in specialist expertise quickly for specific projects such as seasonal flu campaigns, backlogs of medication reviews, or new patient pathways without the long-term commitment of permanent hires.
Cost-Effective Staffing
Recruiting a GP pharmacist in-house means advertising, onboarding, HR management, training, pensions, and ongoing CPD costs not to mention the risk of staff turnover.
When you outsource, these overheads are absorbed by the provider. You pay for the service you need, when you need it. This makes budgeting simpler and protects your PCN’s financial sustainability.
Immediate Access to Expertise
Outsourced clinical pharmacists often bring diverse experience and training that would take years to build in-house. Many work across multiple PCNs, keeping up with the latest prescribing guidelines, safety protocols, and NHS standards.
This means your PCN benefits from a pool of specialists with knowledge across areas like elderly care, frailty, polypharmacy, chronic disease management, and more, without having to recruit multiple roles.
Better Patient Outcomes
The main goal of any pharmacist support is to improve patient care. When clinical pharmacists are given the right support and capacity to focus on their strengths, everyone benefits.
Outsourcing ensures your PCN has enough pharmacist cover to deliver timely medication reviews, manage high-risk patients, and resolve prescription issues all of which help patients stay well and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
According to The King’s Fund, integrating pharmacists into general practice teams helps reduce medicine-related harm and frees up valuable GP time.
Future-Proofing Your PCN
Healthcare is constantly evolving. Outsourcing your pharmacist support gives you flexibility to adapt to new contractual requirements, digital tools, and patient demands.
With an experienced provider, you can tap into wider pharmacy solutions such as remote consultations, virtual clinics, and prescription audits. This modern approach ensures your PCN stays ahead of national guidelines and delivers safe, high-quality care.
Common Areas Where Outsourced Pharmacists Add Value
Wondering how outsourced clinical pharmacists typically support PCNs? Here are just a few practical examples:
- Running structured medication review clinics for complex patients
- Leading cost-saving prescribing audits
- Supporting care homes and vulnerable patient groups
- Resolving repeat prescribing backlogs
- Providing prescribing training for practice teams
- Handling high-risk or specialist medications
- Assisting with CQC compliance and reporting
This support covers day-to-day tasks that otherwise drain GP time, improving efficiency and patient satisfaction.
How to Choose the Right Outsourced Pharmacy Support
When exploring outsourcing, choose a provider with a strong track record in primary care. Look for:
- Clinical pharmacists with NHS experience
- Evidence of robust governance and clinical supervision
- Ongoing professional development for pharmacists
- Flexible models that fit your PCN’s priorities
- Transparent pricing and no hidden costs
- Positive client references from other PCNs or GP federations
Outsourcing is more than just filling shifts. It should feel like a genuine extension of your practice team.
Final Thoughts
The demand for skilled clinical pharmacists is only going to rise as the NHS shifts towards more proactive, integrated care. PCNs that embrace outsourced pharmacist support will be better equipped to meet national targets, improve patient outcomes, and reduce stress on GPs and practice managers.
Whether you’re new to the idea or ready to expand your pharmacy support, partnering with a reputable provider could be the best step you take for your patients and your team.
FAQs
- What is a clinical pharmacist?
A clinical pharmacist is a highly trained professional who works directly with patients and clinicians to ensure safe, effective use of medicines and manage complex medication needs.
2. What do clinical pharmacists do in a GP practice?
They conduct structured medication reviews, optimise repeat prescriptions, manage long-term conditions, support care homes, and advise on cost-effective prescribing.
3. What is clinical pharmacy?
Clinical pharmacy focuses on providing patient care that optimises medication therapy and promotes health, wellness, and disease prevention.
4. Why outsource pharmacist support instead of hiring in-house?
Outsourcing gives you flexible access to experienced pharmacists without the long-term costs and risks of direct employment. It ensures continuity and expands your clinical capacity.
5. How do I choose the right outsourced pharmacy support?
Look for providers with NHS experience, proven governance standards, clear pricing, and the ability to tailor services to your PCN’s needs.
