Mastery of the EPACT2 prescribing dataset, available discounts and the drug tariff are essential to dispensary profitability, said DDS director Dr Wayne Turner in a presentation entitled: Managing your Dispensary Effectively.

The presentation contained a range of advice for GP leads and for dispensary managers; the former were encouraged to keep ongoing and close financial oversight of the dispensary business – rather than wait for the practice accounts to be published.

They were also encouraged to develop a practice formulary to standardised prescribing across all clinicians to enhance profitability. “Dispensary profitability is at an all-time low,” said Dr Turner, who highlighted challenges such as the digital first approach in primary care and online pharmacies.

Co-presenter and co-director Amanda Chell added that there are many staffing and operational challenges facing dispensary teams.

View the presentation: Managing your dispensary effectively.