Consultation on National Pharmacy Research Strategy Engagement
Published: 23rd September 2025
Introduction
The UK Pharmacy Research Advisory group have provided the following detail –
The UK survey of pharmacy professionals’ involvement in research highlighted that pharmacy was significantly underrepresented in leading and delivering research studies.
There are increasing opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to undertake research in all sectors, including primary care, where practice is expanding both in general practice and in community pharmacies. Engaging fully with this opportunity enhances our chances to impact the changing NHS landscape.
This first UK Pharmacy Research Strategy aims to support the greater involvement of pharmacy professionals in research and encourage all to play their part in developing pharmacy practice.
Purpose Of This Engagement
The Pharmacy Research Strategy has been developed by the UK Pharmacy Research Advisory Group (PRAG) to respond to the challenges described above. PRAG is seeking feedback now from the professions to see if this high-level strategy provides the outline for what is needed to engage pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the research agenda.
Your views and insights are needed to ensure that the direction of travel is supported, and that next steps can be developed to support the uptake of research in practice, through organisations as well as through national policies and pharmacy professional leadership bodies.
This questionnaire is part of a broader engagement plan with the public and other stakeholders. PRAG hopes you will support this development not only by providing us with feedback through this engagement exercise but also by actively considering how you or your organisation may contribute to increasing research capacity and capability throughout the pharmacy professions, providing a strong foundation for the future.
The full consultation can be read here
Strategy Rationale
Pharmacy is significantly underrepresented in leading and delivering research studies. This has significant implications in terms of clinical and professional development. It is a clinical obligation to try to improve one’s practice to benefit ourselves and others, and a general lack of engagement in research potentially detracts from our position within the multidisciplinary team and inhibits the growth of our profession. This first UK Pharmacy Research Strategy aims to support the greater involvement of pharmacy professionals in research and encourage all to play their part in developing pharmacy practice.
-
Completely agree
-
Completely agree
-
Community Pharmacy Scotland (CPS) is supportive of research within community pharmacy. We believe this will support ongoing clinical and professional development, and enhance our impact on the changing NHS landscape.
However, in order to deliver the strategy, the UK Pharmacy Research Advisory Group (PRAG) must ensure it includes details of how to support greater involvement of pharmacy professionals in research. It must be part of the undergraduate degree to deliver a greater understanding of all aspects of undertaking research, and current pharmacist and technician populations must also be supported to learn and understand the process. Additionally, those supporting research in community pharmacy need to have an awareness of the roles of the people they are mentoring, and the policy aims behind what community pharmacy delivers.
This development and involvement in research will also require funding to support pharmacy teams to understand what is required and deliver effective research outcomes; this funding requirement must be included in the strategy.
Vision
Our vision is for research to be central to pharmacy practice in the UK, enabling pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to engage in, lead and deliver impactful research. By working with key partners in healthcare, education, industry and government, we aim to drive innovation, improve patient outcomes and optimise the delivery of care and public health through a strong research culture in pharmacy.
-
Completely agree
-
Completely agree
-
In order to deliver the vision, it is essential that the PRAG Strategy delivers details on how the set up of pharmacy teams working with key partners in healthcare, education, industry and government can be facilitated, and funded. Only by this effective set up, can the aims to drive innovation, improve patient outcomes and optimise the delivery of care and public health through a strong research culture in pharmacy be delivered.
Mission
We are committed to participation in research being an accessible, integral part of pharmacy careers at every stage, from training roles to advanced professional and consultant roles. This will enable pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to help shape the future of healthcare, and improve patient care and public health through evidence-based practice.
-
Completely agree
-
Completely agree
-
As detailed above in order to deliver the mission, the UK Pharmacy Research Advisory Group (PRAG) must ensure that the strategy includes details of how to support of greater involvement of pharmacy professionals in research. It must be part of the undergraduate degree to deliver a greater understanding of all aspects of undertaking research. The current pharmacist and technician population must also be supported to learn and understand the process. This development and involvement in research will also require funding to support pharmacy teams to understand what is required and deliver effective research outcomes; this funding requirement must be included in the strategy.
Strategic Goals
Our strategic goals are designed to make research a core element of pharmacy practice, aligning with the needs of patients and the healthcare system. Each goal is intended to promote a sustainable, impactful research culture across the pharmacy professions.
-
Completely agree
-
Completely agree
-
The strategic goals are clear –
Build Research Skills and Leadership Goal: Enable pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to develop the skills, confidence, and leadership needed for research, making research an essential competency across the professions.
Develop Supportive Systems and Structures Goal: Ensure pharmacists and pharmacy technicians across all settings have the potential to access organisational support, resources and the infrastructure needed to engage in and lead research.
Foster a Research-Positive Culture Goal: Create a professional culture where research is a valued, expected and celebrated part of pharmacy roles, fostering engagement in research at every level of the professions.
Embrace Digital and Technological Innovation Goal: Increase capability to use digital tools and emerging technologies to maximise the use of data and information to enhance research quality, streamline processes and expand research collaboration within and beyond the pharmacy professions.
The key is in the “how” these will be delivered.
Community pharmacies are already very busy. Adequate funding to learn the required skills and deliver the research are essential to achieve good research outcomes; this funding requirement must be included in all aspects of the strategy.
Key Domains - Research Skills and Leadership (1/4)
Purpose: Focus on developing research skills, knowledge, and leadership across pharmacy careers, including specialisation in emerging areas such as pharmacogenomics.
-
Slightly agree
-
Slightly agree
-
CPS is in slight agreement with the domain and the objective detailed here -
Objectives:
Promote new and existing training programmes and pathways: Enable research skill-building at all career stages.
Provide mentorship: Foster accessible mentorship opportunities through partnerships with organisations with existing schemes such as National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) and Pharmaceutical Society Northern Ireland (PSNI), supporting pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to build confidence and expertise in undertaking and leading research.
Strengthen leadership: Shape and embed a research culture by creating opportunities for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to lead research projects, encouraging skill development within the professions.
Again, the “how” is crucial, and adequate funding to support pharmacist and technician teams to learn the required skills and deliver the research are essential to achieve good research outcomes. This funding requirement must be included in all aspects of the strategy.
Key Domains - Supportive Systems and Structures (2/4)
Purpose: Build a supportive infrastructure that enables pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in all settings to engage in research.
-
Slightly agree
-
Slightly agree
-
CPS is in slight agreement with the domain and the objectives detailed here –
Establish organisational support: Work with primary and secondary care employers, independent pharmacy contractors and higher education institutions (HEIs) to build an organisational infrastructure that includes allocated research time, research-supportive job structures and funding pathways.
Develop research ‘hubs’: Establish local centres engaging with wider research networks to provide resources, training, and support for research activities across pharmacy sectors.
Advocate for sustainable funding: Engage with national bodies to secure sustainable funding streams that support pharmacy research, including digital resources and infrastructure.
While advocacy for funding is useful, more is required than detailed in the objectives. Currently there is inadequate infrastructure within community pharmacy to support high quality NHS Service Delivery and research. It is essential that all areas of pharmacy achieve the same opportunities and support to participate in research. Again financial support is essential; funding to provide this high quality integration is crucial to achieve good research outcomes
Key Domains - Research-Positive Culture (3/4)
Purpose: Create a culture where research is an integral, valued part of pharmacy roles.
-
Completely agree
-
Completely agree
-
CPS is supportive of the domain and the objectives detailed here –
Advocate for a research-positive culture: Embed research activities in career progression criteria, education and curricula, professional registration and contractual frameworks, recognising and rewarding research contributions across all levels of pharmacy practice.
Encourage professional engagement: Engage pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in local, national and international research communities, building networks that support research and foster a sense of shared purpose.
Showcase success stories: Share case studies and real-world examples of impactful pharmacy research, helping to inspire a culture of research engagement and celebrate achievements in the field.
However, while advocacy is a key element of delivering the research positive culture, it cannot happen without financial support to underpin the entire process. Adequate funding to learn the required skills and deliver the research are crucial to achieve good research outcomes.
Currently, little is understood of research opportunities in community pharmacy; it is essential that consideration is given to what might be possible, and how this can be delivered. The showcasing of work is essential and will support this learning process across community pharmacy, and help deliver meaningful research from the many opportunities which exist in the extensive work carried out by pharmacy teams.
Key Domains - Technology and Innovation (4/4)
Purpose: Leverage digital tools and technologies to support and advance pharmacy research.
-
Completely agree
-
Completely agree
-
CPS is in complete agreement with the detail of the domain and the objectives listed here
Build and increase capability and capacity in using digital tools: Provide training in digital health technologies such as artificial intelligence, data science, data analytics and electronic health records.
Enable digital collaboration: Use digital platforms to facilitate data sharing, publication and collaboration, enabling pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to work seamlessly across sectors.
Streamline research processes: Use technology to simplify and accelerate research processes, making research more accessible and efficient for pharmacy teams and increase pharmacy research authorship of publications.
This is an area very much in need of extensive support and funding in community pharmacy, for both day to day practice, and to allow full participation in research
As detailed in our current manifesto:
“Community pharmacy teams deliver NHS services every day. Yet often feel disconnected from the wider healthcare system. Despite being contractors to the NHS, they face barriers such as poor access to clinical data and outdated IT systems, which make day to day tasks more difficult and reduce the overall value of service delivery.”
Our full Manifesto can be accessed here
Summary
In summary, CPS is supportive of the participation of community pharmacy teams in research, and the production of a strategy to help in the delivery of said. We are supportive of the drive for innovation, improved patient outcomes and optimisation of the delivery of care and public health through a strong research culture in pharmacy. However, this requires new funding steams to deliver, to ensure the benefits for patient care are fully realised.
Reminders and revisit ahead of the holiday season and upcoming events. NHS Pharmacy First (Scotland) Service – including Community Pharmacy Independent Prescribing