Mark Pedder, commercial director for HubRx, shares his predictions for 2026 and why he believes it will be transformational year for independent community pharmacies. But only if they embrace more of the new and let go of the old ways of working that are holding them back.
Out with the old approach to dispensing
Pharmacies that create more time can create more profit.
Dispensing levels have and continue to skyrocket. More patient prescription demand and a shrinking pharmacy network means that sadly fewer teams are shouldering more of the dispensing burden.
It’s become unstainable. More dispensing leads to more burnout, more financial expense and strain, but less return with every new contract negotiation.
2026 must be the year that pharmacies decide to do things differently.
Now the legislation has changed, and independents can access hub and spoke technologies and work with expert dispensing partners such as HubRx, focusing on more clinical service delivery – and in turn more profit – is theirs for the taking.
In with evolving roles and upskilling teams
Hikes in the national living and minimum wage announced by the Chancellor in the Autumn Budget will add further financial pressure on pharmacy. While sadly for some pharmacies this may force them to consider the size of their team, I also predict that this may become a catalyst for some individuals to be upskilled so they can take a more active clinical service role.
It’s something we’ve done in our own pharmacy. With dispensing volume released by using HubRx we’ve upskilled branch teams. Now everyone is involved in clinical services and they can operate to the top of their qualifications.
From technicians carrying our blood pressure checks and ear wax removal, support staff making vaccinations run smoothly, through to offering phlebotomy training for a new private screening and testing service. It’s helped free up pharmacist time so they can focus on the areas that demand their skills, while also building a more motivated, skilled and engaged team.
Out with stock issues draining time and money
There’s an awful lot of time, energy and money tied up in sourcing and storing the stock that’s needed to keep up with high dispensing demand.
For the most part, any extra space is currently occupied by stock which pharmacies have been forced to buy in bulk as they struggle to make the numbers for dispensing add up.
But that’s not the only cost. This stock is taking up premium space that could be turned into multiple clinical consultation rooms and earning pharmacies money.
In with investment in technology
The 10-year plan for the NHS focus heavily on digital transformation and technology, with a further £300m of funding recently announced. And in 2025 we’ve seen glimmers of how it can better connect pharmacy to patients with innovation across the NHS App
In 2026 I believe we’ll see a big wave of independents evolving their businesses utilising technology more to enhance their efficiency and patient experience.
With the financial constraints currently faced by the sector enabling these pharmacies to access the large-scale benefits of a top tier facility, without any large-scale investment is an attractive model and the foundation of the HubRx model.
Out with the old disappointments and in with new opportunities in 2026
Things are radically changing. The government plans to shake up the NHS include community pharmacy becoming the front door to preventative care. Rumours of a Pharmacy First walk-in service and new vaccination and screening programmes being launched. Even contract negations are expected to change to yearly.
But it’s vital that community pharmacy doesn’t hang all its hopes on what will be delivered by a new contract, the NHS or indeed government plans. Transformation needs to happen from within community pharmacy first.
Want to better prepare your pharmacy for the future?
Get in touch with us to find out we used HubRx to help our pharmacy business release 15-hours of staff time per day, per branch, increase clinical service delivery by 400% and significantly reduce our branch stockholding.