Simona* is a community pharmacist who has faced tremendous workplace difficulties. She has kindly shared her story to highlight how we’ve been supporting her through our Financial Assistance and Counselling services and show that it can get better.

This story contains references to self-harm which readers may find triggering.

I started working in a pharmacy when I was a teenager and subsequently joined the profession as a qualified pharmacist, working ever since in community pharmacy with stints in teaching and research along the way. Despite living with a disability and an array of health conditions, I’ve always endeavoured to work my hardest and give 100% as a professional in healthcare.

For over a year, I’ve been facing workplace bullying from my employers.

This includes attacks on my personality, discrediting my disability and making false accusations about my professional conduct. I’ve felt worthless and completely disheartened that people working in a caring profession could do this to each other. It progressively got worse to the point where I was self-harming. My doctor increased my anxiety medication and advised me to take time off work, but I simply couldn’t afford to.

I tried to keep going but I just couldn’t take any more and eventually had to stop going to work for the sake of my wellbeing. However, this had serious implications on me and my family’s finances.

I knew that it wouldn’t hurt to seek help wherever I could find it.

That’s when I reached out to Pharmacist Support, who I’d heard of during university and through the RPS. When I first looked at the grant application for Financial Assistance, it looked a little overwhelming. However, it was much easier to fill in than it initially looked, and the charity also immediately offered me counselling whilst the grant application was being reviewed.

I was very quickly provided with counselling sessions and financial assistance.

The counselling sessions have been a great help because, understandably, the treatment from my work had left me in a very poor mental state. The financial support was also such a weight off my mind. I hadn’t been eating or sleeping and was spending most of my time crying but then this grant gave me the breathing space to look for more long-term support.

The help I’ve received has honestly meant the world to not just me, but my family as well.

Because I was struggling with self-harm, my mum and my partner were essentially coordinating their work schedules and other commitments to make sure that someone was always with me. The support both financially and through the counselling service has meant that they don’t have that burden to deal with now.

Whilst I’m still facing financial struggles, I feel more supported to deal with my situation. I know that when I’m back on my feet and have recovered financially that I will be making as much of a donation to the charity as I can because I would be horrified to see someone else in the state I was left in.

*We have used a pseudonym to protect Simona’s identity.