McCabes Pharmacy Managing Director Brian O’Keeffe on growth, digital transformation and why community pharmacy’s biggest opportunities are still ahead
Few sectors have experienced as much change over the past decade as community pharmacy. Once viewed primarily as a place to collect prescriptions and seek advice on minor ailments, pharmacies are increasingly becoming an integral part of primary healthcare delivery. New clinical services, advances in digital technology and changing patient expectations are transforming the profession, while pharmacists are taking on greater responsibility than ever before.
Growth within McCabes reflects a much broader transformation taking place across Irish community pharmacy. The introduction of the Common Conditions Service earlier this year marked a significant milestone, formally recognising pharmacists as providers of frontline clinical care rather than solely dispensers of medicines. For Brian, this represents only the beginning. Ireland’s healthcare system continues to face significant pressures. Access to GP appointments remains challenging in many parts of the country, while hospital emergency departments continue to experience unprecedented demand. “The big advantage of pharmacy is proximity,” he explains. “We’re already embedded within local communities and we’re often the first place people turn to when they need healthcare advice.” That accessibility, combined with pharmacists’ clinical expertise, places the profession in an increasingly important position. “The more services we can safely provide within community pharmacy, the more pressure we can take off GPs and hospitals, allowing them to focus on patients with more complex healthcare needs.” The introduction of pharmacist-led treatment for common conditions is, he believes, evidence that this shift has already begun. “We’ve introduced all eight Common Conditions Service pathways across our pharmacies and we’re keen to see that continue to develop.”
From Dispensing to Prevention
Perhaps the biggest change Brian sees is not simply an expansion of services, but a fundamental shift in how pharmacy contributes to healthcare. “We’re seeing people becoming much more health-conscious,” he says. “Patients don’t just want treatment when they’re ill – they’re looking for advice on how to stay healthy, improve their wellbeing and prevent illness before it develops.” That change has influenced how McCabes approaches both its healthcare services and retail offering. Health screening, weight management programmes, blood pressure monitoring and preventative health initiatives have all expanded in recent years, reflecting growing public demand for accessible healthcare delivered within the community. For Brian, this evolution represents one of pharmacy’s greatest opportunities. “As healthcare continues to evolve, pharmacies can play a much bigger role in prevention as well as treatment. That’s where I see the profession making one of its biggest contributions over the coming years.” It is a vision that aligns closely with wider Government ambitions to deliver more care in community settings while reducing pressure on overstretched hospitals and general practice. If that vision becomes reality, the pharmacy of 2030 could look very different from the pharmacy of today – not simply as a place to dispense medicines, but as one of the first points of contact for patients seeking healthcare advice, preventative services and ongoing support.
Investing in the Future
While community pharmacy has always been built on personal relationships, Brian believes technology will play an increasingly important role in helping pharmacists spend more – not less – time with patients. For many, artificial intelligence and digital healthcare are associated with replacing human interaction. Brian sees the opposite. “Technology should never replace the pharmacist,” he says. “Its role is to remove some of the administrative burden so pharmacists can spend more time doing what they do best – looking after patients.” That philosophy is driving McCabes Pharmacy’s digital transformation programme. One of the company’s most significant recent investments has been the introduction of an AI-powered telephone system, currently being piloted across the business before a wider national rollout. Anyone who has worked in community pharmacy will recognise the challenge. Pharmacies can receive hundreds of telephone calls every day, many asking straightforward questions about opening hours, prescription availability or repeat prescriptions. “The busiest pharmacies can receive 200 to 300 calls a day,” Brian explains. “Many of those enquiries are routine, but every call still requires someone to stop what they’re doing to answer it.” The new AI system is designed to deal with those routine queries, answer multiple calls simultaneously and even accept pharmacy orders over the phone. “It sounds remarkably lifelike,” Brian says. “It allows us to answer questions quickly while freeing our pharmacy teams to concentrate on patient care.” Far from reducing personal contact, he believes digital tools will ultimately strengthen it by giving pharmacists more time for clinical consultations and face-to-face conversations. “We want our pharmacists to spend less time tied to administrative tasks and more time supporting patients.”
A Connected Patient Journey
Digital transformation extends well beyond the telephone. McCabes has also been piloting a new customer loyalty and healthcare app, designed to bring multiple pharmacy services together in one place. Through the app, patients can order prescriptions, book appointments for Common Conditions Service consultations, arrange vaccinations and receive personalised healthcare information. “It creates one central point of contact for patients,” Brian explains. “People can manage their healthcare when it suits them, whether that’s booking a service or ordering a prescription before they come into the pharmacy.” For the business, the benefits are equally significant. Digital ordering allows pharmacy teams to prepare prescriptions in advance, improve stock management and reduce waiting times, while patients enjoy a smoother and more convenient experience. Behind the scenes, McCabes is also investing in automated stock replenishment systems and supply chain technology to ensure medicines are available when patients need them. It reflects a broader trend across healthcare, where digital innovation is increasingly focused not on replacing clinical expertise, but on making services more efficient and accessible.
Building the Workforce of the Future
Technology alone, however, cannot address one of community pharmacy’s greatest challenges – recruitment. Like many employers across the profession, McCabes continues to operate in a highly competitive market for pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and support staff. Brian believes attracting talented people requires much more than offering competitive salaries. “People want opportunities to develop,” he says. “They want flexibility, training and clear career progression.” To support that ambition, McCabes has invested heavily in education programmes for pharmacy technicians, OTC consultants and pharmacists. The company operates its own in-house dispensary training, supports staff through nationally recognised technician qualifications and provides ongoing professional development across multiple clinical and retail disciplines. Being part of a larger organisation also creates career pathways that may not always be available within smaller businesses. “There are opportunities to move into clinical services, management, education, healthcare programmes and different areas across the business,” Brian says. Flexible working has become another key part of the company’s recruitment strategy. Recognising that career priorities change throughout different stages of life, McCabes offers opportunities for colleagues to move between part-time and full-time working or explore alternative roles within its national network. “We want to retain good people, and flexibility is an important part of that.” Listening to employees is equally important. Each year the company conducts a comprehensive colleague survey, encouraging staff to identify what is working well and where improvements can be made. More than 85 per cent of employees participated in the most recent survey – an engagement level Brian believes reflects a culture where staff feel their opinions are genuinely valued. “The feedback is generally very positive,” he says. “But we’re always asking what more we can do – whether that’s additional training, more education opportunities or new ways of supporting our colleagues.” For Brian, becoming an employer of choice is not achieved through one initiative but through continual improvement. “Healthcare is constantly evolving,” he says. “Our responsibility is to evolve with it, making sure our colleagues have the skills, confidence and opportunities they need to build rewarding careers.”
The Rise of Preventative Healthcare
Changes in patient expectations are also reshaping pharmacy. Brian believes the biggest shift since the COVID-19 pandemic has been the public’s growing focus on prevention rather than treatment. “We’re seeing far more people actively looking after their health,” he says. “They’re asking questions, seeking advice and looking for ways to stay well rather than simply treating illness.” That trend is evident across McCabes’ stores. Health screening, weight management support and wellness services have all expanded, while retail categories such as vitamins and nutritional supplements continue to experience strong growth. In fact, vitamins have become one of McCabes’ three strategic product pillars, alongside pain management and skincare. The company’s latest store concept reflects that shift, dedicating substantial retail space to vitamins, supplements and preventative healthcare products, supported by professional advice from pharmacy teams. “It isn’t simply about stocking products,” Brian says. “Patients want guidance. They want to understand what’s right for them and how these products fit into their overall health.” For Brian, that combination of trusted advice and accessible healthcare is exactly what will continue to distinguish community pharmacy in an increasingly digital world.
Expanding Clinical Care
If the first phase of community pharmacy’s evolution has been about improving accessibility, Brian believes the next phase will be defined by expanding clinical services. Vaccination programmes have already demonstrated what community pharmacy can achieve. McCabes now delivers flu vaccinations across its entire pharmacy network, while also working directly with schools and healthcare organisations to improve vaccine uptake. “We’ve gone into more than 100 schools to provide vaccinations for children,” Brian explains. “When you look at the number of vaccines delivered – not just by McCabes but by pharmacies across Ireland – it really demonstrates the impact community pharmacy can have.” The introduction of the Common Conditions Service earlier this year has further expanded pharmacy’s clinical role. Although still in its early stages, Brian says patient demand is already beginning to build, particularly for urinary tract infections, conjunctivitis and shingles consultations. “We’ve seen a very encouraging uptake so far,” he says. “Like any new healthcare service, awareness takes time. As more patients understand what’s available through their local pharmacy, we expect demand to continue growing.”
Bringing More Healthcare into the Community
Looking further ahead, Brian believes community pharmacy is ideally placed to deliver an even broader range of preventative healthcare services. Blood screening has already been introduced in selected McCabes pharmacies through partnerships with specialist providers, allowing patients to access tests in a familiar and convenient setting. The company is also exploring additional services, including mole screening and other preventative health clinics. “We have consultation rooms in every pharmacy,” Brian says. “The question is how we can use those facilities to provide more services that genuinely benefit patients.” The emphasis, he explains, is on collaboration rather than competition. McCabes has been working with healthcare partners, nurses and specialist providers to explore ways of bringing more healthcare into community settings while ensuring patients continue to receive high-quality clinical care. It reflects a wider shift taking place across healthcare systems internationally. With ageing populations, increasing demand for chronic disease management and growing pressure on hospitals and general practice, healthcare is steadily moving closer to patients’ homes. Community pharmacy, Brian believes, is ideally positioned to become one of the key access points.
Accelerating Change
Despite the progress made through the new pharmacy contract and the Common Conditions Service, Brian believes there is still significant potential to accelerate pharmacy’s development. “I would love to see community pharmacy recognised as an intrinsic part of the Irish healthcare system much sooner,” he says. “We already have the expertise. We already take on significant clinical responsibility. We can improve patient access, reduce waiting times and help relieve pressure elsewhere in the healthcare system.” He acknowledges that meaningful reform requires agreement between Government, the HSE, GPs, pharmacy representatives and technology providers. “Communication has improved enormously over the last year,” he says. “The challenge isn’t willingness – most people agree pharmacy can do more. The challenge is that legislation, funding models and technology all have to move together.” Brian points to recent developments such as electronic endorsement as examples of progress. While legislative change has now taken place, the profession is waiting for supporting technology to be fully implemented. Nevertheless, he believes the direction of travel is clear. “We’ve built a strong platform. Now it’s about continuing to add services and making sure patients benefit from them as quickly as possible.”
Looking Towards 2030
After 25 years in pharmacy, Brian remains optimistic about the profession’s future. “I’ve always loved pharmacy because of the opportunity it gives you to help people every day.” What excites him most is not simply the introduction of new technology or additional services, but the growing recognition of pharmacists’ expertise. “I think pharmacy is finally getting the opportunity to be recognised for what it can actually do.” He believes technology will continue to remove many of the routine administrative tasks that currently consume pharmacists’ time, allowing them to focus on the aspect of the profession that matters most – patients. “Technology will help us become more efficient, but it won’t replace the relationship between pharmacists and their communities.” That relationship, built over generations, remains community pharmacy’s greatest strength. As Ireland’s population becomes more health conscious, Brian believes pharmacies will become increasingly important centres for prevention, early intervention and ongoing health management. Whether through blood pressure checks, cholesterol testing, vaccinations, common conditions consultations or future clinical services, he sees pharmacies becoming the first point of contact for many healthcare needs. “We need to continue getting out into our communities and supporting people where they live.” For Brian, the future of pharmacy is not defined simply by larger organisations, new technology or expanded services. It is about ensuring community pharmacy fulfils its potential as one of the most accessible and trusted parts of Ireland’s healthcare system. His vision is ambitious but clear. “Pharmacy can be the frontline healthcare provider and advice point for our patients.” Judging by the pace of change over the past few years, that future may be closer than many people imagine.
