*1.2. Aim*

The aim of this study was to establish the existing roles and responsibilities of PTs working in the community pharmacy sector in Wales and to explore potential barriers and enablers to optimal role utilization within the pharmacy team.

#### **2. Materials and Methods**

#### *2.1. Overview of Study*

A combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies was used to address the aim of the study. Whilst the focus of the study was predominantly a quantitative approach, an opportunity was provided for participants to add any comments to the survey and to take part in an in-depth telephone interview, to gather supportive and explanatory qualitative data [17]. See Figure 1. An online questionnaire was sent to PTs across Wales. The questionnaire design was based on the existing literature and extensive professional knowledge of the researcher (RC) and one of the study supervisors (DJ). The questionnaire included mainly closed questions, with the opportunity to provide free text comments. At the end of the questionnaire, participants were offered the opportunity to take part in a short telephone interview, if they wished. PTs were not incentivized to complete the questionnaire or participate in an interview.

**Figure 1.** Overview of methodology.

#### *2.2. Approvals and Ethical Considerations*

Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee at Cardiff Metropolitan University's School of Education and Social Policy (ethic approval code RC0118JH). Attention was paid to informed consent, anonymity, confidentiality, right to withdraw and data protection [18]. The Research and Insight Manager at GPhC approved the questionnaire, before distribution to all registered PTs who were resident in Wales.
