Building The True Picture Of Pharmacy Workforce Trends

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 19 Sep 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain begins its 2008 research-based pharmacy workforce census this week, with the results set to provide a snapshot of the last 6 years and identify important work patterns and trends among the profession.

The research will provide information on the number of working pharmacists, hours worked and the areas of practice they are involved in. It will identify the current workforce demographic and information will be compared against census findings from previous years to identify trends and inform the Society's future planning.

In order to build upon existing Society-funded research on workforce trends and underpinning drivers and influences on career choices, the census has once again included a question on how pharmacists balance their work and life commitments. This will allow comparisons to be drawn with other healthcare workforces.

The Society's President Steve Churton said:

"We recognise that the profession is being asked to reflect on a number of issues at this time that are key to the future of pharmacy. The time commitment by individual pharmacists is really appreciated and through these consultations we believe we can create a separate pharmacy regulator and professional body that are each fit for purpose, sustainable and have the widest possible support amongst the profession, policy-makers and other key stakeholders. I hope that many pharmacists share in this vision and take the time to complete the 2008 pharmacy workforce census questionnaire."

Census forms are being sent to all registered pharmacists with an address in England, Scotland or Wales during w/c 15 September 2008. An analysis of the 2008 workforce data will be published in the New Year with statistics available on the Society's website, http://www.rpsgb.org.

Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain