Once you have identified the gaps between where you are now and where you need to be in terms of the skills and knowledge of your people, the next step is to turn the identified needs into a pragmatic and sensible training plan. Often when we design a plan, the plan becomes the end rather than the means €“ it's actually the thinking behind it that is important. The plan will be a general guide, but the real benefit is found from the insight gained into your business on the journey to implementing it.

There may be a number of reasons why you want to implement a training plan in your pharmacy. It may be to address a specific performance gap in your overall business plan or to sort out a skills gap in your staff structure that is holding back innovation or change.

Whatever your business objective is, you will find value in adopting a systematic process and by considering the following questions: