Better descriptions required

According to philosophers, there is a distinction between “ought” (“what should be”) and “is” (“what we observe”).   For instance, you ought to consume 5 fruit and vegetables a day, but your dietician observes that, on average, you only consume 3.2 portions.

In recent years, pharmacists have constantly been told what they should be doing.  You must work in new ways.  You must do MURs.  You must get a consultation room.

It was often with a sense of dread that I attended Pharmacy in the Future meetings, where evangelical movers and shakers amongst local pharmacists lectured their colleagues into submission regarding what they should be doing. 

Eyes rolled, ears closed and minds wandered elsewhere.  Often the conclusion was simple – I’ll retired if things change too much: just give me a couple more lucrative years!

In one sense Pharmacy in the Future was right, we all need a push to evolve, but I suggest that too much focus has been placed on “ought” and not enough on “is”. 

For instance, there is a dearth of information on what actually happens in community pharmacy compared to what commentators believe should happen.

Moreover, if we don’t know in enough depth what we actually do, we can’t celebrate the hidden successes.   Instead, we look ahead for successes that never arrive.

Therefore, here’s the conclusion – community pharmacists need better descriptions of what they do, so they can celebrate their existing successes in the face of the “oughtists” who rule policy thinking.