In response to pressures brought on by the COVID 19 pandemic and in recognition of Mental Health Awareness Week, Pharmacist Support – the profession’s charity – has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of the importance of wellbeing and encourage positive action. The ACTNow campaign will run until the end of August and hopes to support those working and studying in the pharmacy profession to prioritise their own mental health and wellbeing, and to check in on their colleagues.

The world is facing its biggest challenge in generations right now and pharmacists are on the frontline, providing care, compassion and reassurance to the Great British Public. As the charity whose mission is to champion wellbeing, Pharmacist Support want to be there for their pharmacy family. They want to encourage conversations around mental health and wellbeing and provide a safe space and simple solutions to enable those in the profession to take action.

The ACTNow campaign encourages individuals to:

Allow time for wellbeing

Consider the needs of your colleagues

Take action

A campaign website (WellbeingHub.PharmacistSupport.org) has been created as the central hub of information for the campaign. By signing up to ACTNow with an email address, individuals will have access to a range of resources (posters, tips, learning modules, videos) and will be kept up to date as new content is added.

“We’re absolutely delighted to be able to launch the ACTNow campaign in what are incredibly pressured times for members of our pharmacy family” commented Pharmacist Support Chief Executive Danielle Hunt. “We know that those in the pharmacy profession are always there for others. Here at Pharmacist Support we want to be there them.

“Now more than ever, we feel we all need to work together to support the profession through this challenging time. We’re delighted therefore that so many organisations have already partnered with us to share our ACTNow message and resources. We’re also thrilled to announce our sponsors for the campaign Alphega Pharmacy, The Pharmacists’ Defence Association, Teva UK and Well, who have enabled the charity to deliver this support at this crucial time.”

Commenting on the Alphega Pharmacy sponsorship of the ACTNow campaign, Raj Nutan, Head of Alphega Pharmacy – UK: “I am incredibly proud that Alphega Pharmacy is supporting Pharmacist Support and its wellbeing ACTNow campaign. We are excited to develop our own support to Alphega Pharmacy members’ by using the fantastic toolkit of materials it provides, as part of its “Mental Health & Wellbeing”.  Alphega Pharmacy is committed to supporting its members with mental health and wellbeing and has long-term plans to develop its Alphega Pharmacy Business Mentors as Mental Health First Aiders”

Commenting on their sponsorship of the campaign, Paul Day, Director of the Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA): “The PDA and our members donate more than £30,000 per year to Pharmacist Support to help fund activities that support pharmacists when they need it and that are complimentary to the support and services that the PDA provide to the profession. We are delighted to be able to help the charity to help pharmacists improve and maintain their wellbeing.”

Commenting on Teva UK‘s sponsorship of the ACTNow campaign – Kim Innes, General Manager of Teva UK & Ireland: “I’m really proud that Teva is supporting the Pharmacist Support ACTNow campaign. Pharmacists are at the heart of communities across the UK and play a really important role in improving the health of patients across the country. They’re often at the front line of delivering healthcare, as the recent COVID-19 crisis has shown. It’s important that we all do more to offer pharmacists the support they need, and help take care of them like they take care of all of us.”

Commenting on Well’s sponsorship of the ACTNow campaign – Janice Perkins, Pharmacy Superintendent: “As pharmacy teams look after the health and wellbeing of communities across the UK, and have to deal with the pressures that brings every day, so we’re sponsoring the ACTNow campaign to help look after their wellbeing.”

Across the campaign Pharmacist Support will be encouraging the sharing of stories from individuals at various stages in their career and across all sectors of pharmacy. Through this dialogue, the charity hopes to highlight some of the interesting ways people’s lives and jobs have changed since the COVID-19 outbreak. By encouraging people to open up about the things they’ve struggled with and that they’ve learnt about themselves in the process, the charity hopes to give others – who may feel overwhelmed & out of their comfort zone – the reassurance they need that they are not alone.

Pharmacist Support are encouraging those across the profession to make a commitment to prioritise their wellbeing and get behind the campaign. To pledge support and ACTNow visit WellbeingHub.PharmacistSupport.org.