Boots UK introduces new pharmacy advisor roles

Boots UK has announced the introduction of a new pharmacy advisor role within its branches, allowing dispensing and healthcare teams to work more closely and flexibly.

These advisors will be tasked with taking a more active role in helping patients face-to-face, using the expertise and knowledge they have gained as dispensers. They will also support the pharmacist by working across both the dispensary and healthcare counter.

It is expected that this will enable pharmacists to spend more time getting to know patients and addressing their individual needs, improving the overall standard of service that Boots is able to provide.

Pharmacy advisors will be qualified in NVQ level 2 in pharmacy services skills or equivalent, as well as having medicines counter assistant qualifications.

Marc Donovan, chief pharmacist at Boots, said: "Supporting more of our pharmacy colleagues to deliver face-to-face patient and customer care is vital to achieving our ambition for pharmacy to play a greater role in offering services that make a real difference to our patients' health and wellbeing."

A revised pharmacy technician development programme is also being introduced by Boots to help them to play a greater role in running dispensaries.