Providing person-centred holistic care

Empowering patients to make shared decisions about their medicines

The core role of pharmacy teams in 2030 will be to provide care for patients holistically, focused on the person rather than their clinical condition or medicines. They will enable person-centred care by having positive conversations with patients and their families/carers, and empowering patients to make shared decisions about their medicines and health.

Prescribing decisions will be taken using a Realistic Medicine approach by asking patients “what matters to you”. Pharmacy teams will have regular conversations with patients about medicines. These conversations will be enhanced by pharmacy teams being trained in effective, inclusive communication to address inequalities caused by low health literacy.

Pharmacy teams will have essential roles in preventing ill health by taking a holistic approach to care that goes beyond medicines. This will include the provision of health improvement services such as harm minimisation to reduce drug deaths, mental health support, brief interventions to reduce alcohol use, vaccination services and lifestyle advice including using a social/green prescription approach.