GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is unveiling its new vision for the future of the pharmacy channel.

The new ‘Pharmacy of the Future’ vision follows an extensive research study conducted in the company’s Shopper Science Lab research facility. GSK’s ‘Pharmacy of the Future’ has the ultimate goal of helping pharmacists future-proof their business and evolve the experience and services in-store to accommodate the changing needs of shoppers and drive better health for patients and consumers.

Andy Gill, pharmacy sales director at GSK, said: “Pharmacy of the Future is an extension of the great work many pharmacies are already doing, and we’re pleased to be bringing this exciting new vision to the fore. With the government already addressing the rising cost of healthcare in line with our ageing population and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, we firmly believe that pharmacy has an important role to play in further relieving these pressures and is well-positioned to enable this shift. As the number one OTC company in 36 markets globally, GSK is committed to partnering with pharmacy to implement solutions to prepare for the future.

"We’ve applied this approach to our research study, which has helped us identify a number of future trends and major opportunities to meet the changing needs of patients and shoppers. This has helped us to develop a number of ways to improve the shopper experience. These include improving the ease of shop; enhancing pharmacists’ capabilities through accessible, patient-centric training programmes; and tailoring products and services to ensure a more customised offer in pharmacy that best meets the needs of individuals.

"We’re passionate about working closely with our customers and to date we’ve conducted more than 150 collaborative research projects at our Shopper Science Lab. Our ultimate goal is to bring Pharmacy of the Future to life by developing and implementing solutions to drive better health for patients and consumers, and to help Pharmacy capture profitable growth in every category."