A lack of practice-based research and empirical evidence is holding back the development of clinical services in community pharmacy, a leading academic has suggested at this year's Pharmacy Show.

“Community pharmacy-related research must be reflective of the wider health and social care landscape,” said Professor Mags Watson, independent consultant, Watson Research & Training Ltd. “However, it needs to demonstrate the added value that community pharmacy contributed to patient outcomes and the public purse.”

Professor Watson, who is also professor of health services research and pharmacy practice at the University of Strathclyde, called for a centre for evidence-based community pharmacy practice to underpin the development of new services. Pharmacists also have a responsibility to be more “research active”, she said.

“Community pharmacy research is needed not only to establish whether current practice or new services are safe, effective, cost-effective, necessary and good quality, but to measure satisfaction levels of servicer users and to enable pharmacy to work more effectively with other stakeholders.”

Research-derived evidence is “absolutely imperative” to inform policy and contractual arrangements, she said. “It’s no longer a ‘nice to have’ if the sector is to influence new service development at policy level and to secure appropriate reimbursement at a time when budgets are tight.”