Chrysalis Research has carried out two large-scale research projects for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), the professional leadership body for pharmacists and pharmacy in England, Scotland and Wales.

In 2012 we carried out a communications review. The research was carried out in two phases: an online survey of more than 3,000 members, followed by in-depth qualitative research comprising eight discussion groups with members and former members. The findings of the research fed into the RPS’ communications strategy and had an immediate impact on the format and content of the Pharmaceutical Journal, a key membership resource.

Last year we carried were invited to conduct primary research with pharmacists in their first three years of their career. This was crucial exploratory research, designed to support RPS in meeting its challenging membership recruitment targets for the coming years. We held an online forum over five days to understand what pharmacists new to their career needed in terms of day to day support and professional development. The forum then informed a suite of online and face to face discussion groups with members and non-members to identify ways in which RPS could better support its members and attract new ones.

For both projects, dissemination of the findings was key and we worked with the membership and comms teams at RPS to deliver findings to the board of directors. We also wrote an article in the Pharmaceutical Journal and held a webinar to support the dissemination of the communications review.