Pharmacy Leaders Come Together To Turn Up The Heat On Workplace Pressure

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Article Date: 22 Apr 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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A high-level event bringing together representatives from throughout the profession to tackle the issue of workplace pressure will be hosted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain at the end of this month.

The symposium, Workload Pressures and the Pharmacy Workforce: Supporting Professionals and Protecting the Public, is set to be a cornerstone of the Society's Workplace Pressure campaign, which aims to identify and address the causes of pressure in the workplace. The event, taking place on 28 and 29 April at Clerkenwell's Founders' Hall, is being hosted in conjunction with the Pharmacy Practice Research Trust.

The Society's President, Steve Churton said: "When I launched our Workplace Pressure campaign in January, I knew the issues affecting the profession were too great for just one organisation to change. That is why I want to gather together those who are concerned with the wellbeing of the profession, our people and ultimately our patients. This symposium is about pulling together our leaders and experts who can help bring about positive change in the profession."

Pharmacy organisations, employee groups, employers, trade unions, academics and pharmacy superintendents are among those who will bring their ideas to the two-day event. Steve Churton said: "I believe the profession as a whole has arrived at a point where it is accepted that there are important issues here which need to be dealt with. This symposium will set the scene for identifying the way forward in a time when the profession itself is undergoing exciting changes".

"I don't believe a Society that leads the profession is acting in the best interests of pharmacists and the public they serve by treading the middle ground on something as fundamental as daily working conditions. I feel even more strongly about this now, as we look towards the future of the new Professional Leadership Body representing Britain's pharmacists. I want to get the new body off to the right start, right now - which is why I think addressing such a far-reaching issue is key."

The symposium will feature both seminars and workshop sessions, and will be chaired by Steve Churton and Marshall Davies, Chair of the Pharmacy Practice Research Trust.

Presenters over the two days include:

- Professor Karen Hassell from the Centre for Pharmacy Workforce Studies at the University of Manchester, who will discuss findings relating to job satisfaction and worklife balance from existing workforce studies, including the 2008 Census;

- John Murphy from the Pharmacists' Defence Association, presenting key findings from its recent survey on stress in pharmacy;

- Dr Phil Tucker of Swansea University's School of Human Sciences, who will discuss the impact of shift work and long working hours in primary care;

-Representatives from the Society's Inspectorate, Sarah Billington and Rebecca McMahon, presenting issues from a community pharmacy perspective; and

-Professor Christine Bond, from the University of Aberdeen's Department of General Practice and Primary Care, who will deliver key findings from the national evaluation of the community pharmacy contract and reported stress levels before and after its introduction.

In addition, there will be a number of workshop sessions on the second day, giving participants the chance to discuss the practical solutions to the diverse workplace issues. Steve Churton said: "We have been hearing loud and clear through the course of this campaign the concerns of pharmacists. We know many of them feel worn down by working long hours with inadequate rest breaks, and we know there are concerns about the numbers and skill levels of support staff. If we can get the ball rolling on some meaningful solutions which will improve the quality of the working environment and practices, I think we will be well on the way to bringing about the tangible changes pharmacists are asking for and deserve."

Source
Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain

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