Drug regulator to consider supporting registrant welfare surveys

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) is to consider how it could support workforce wellbeing surveys for all registrants, including pharmacy technicians, following a roundtable discussion intersectoral study on the well-being of the pharmaceutical profession.

The move was one of seven action points agreed at a second roundtable on workforce wellbeing, hosted by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and the charity Pharmacist Support, which was held in February 2024 and attended by organizations such as Community Pharmacy England, the Company Chemists’ Association. , the Care Quality Commission, the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists (GHP) and the GPhC.

Participants agreed to use their respective areas of influence “to create lasting change” for the pharmaceutical profession. Other agreed actions included commitments for the GPhC, RPS and the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK to work together to identify regulatory standards that impact workforce wellbeing; all organizations must proactively advocate for protected learning time for the profession; and the GHP and the Pharmacists’ Defense Association to help ensure that sufficient learning time is provided within pharmaceutical staff.

Commenting on the roundtable discussions, James Davies, Director for England of the RPS, said: “The constructive dialogue and collective commitment to action demonstrated by all organizations present to advance the wellbeing of professionals from the pharmacy were very encouraging.

“There is no silver bullet or silver bullet to solve this complex problem, but the continued focus of organizations working collaboratively can certainly make a difference. »

Danielle Hunt, chief executive of Pharmacist Support, said: “Our recent roundtable discussions have highlighted some of the challenges faced within the profession and the importance of creating positive working cultures to address wellbeing issues across the profession. work.

“It is essential that we create opportunities so that all voices can be heard and valued, and that individuals feel empowered to raise concerns and seek support. We believe that by working together as a group, we can create a profession where everyone feels valued and supported.

The RPS held a similar roundtable at its London headquarters in May 2023, which focused on the impact of pharmaceutical staff wellbeing on patient safety and concluded that tackling burnout in the pharmacy profession required “systemic change”, in addition to support for individual pharmacists.

Earlier in May 2024, the RPS and Pharmacist Support announced a formal agreement to “align plans and work together more effectively to increase the charity’s impact and better support RPS members”.

The organizations represented at the last roundtable agreed to meet again in six months to assess progress and identify new actions.