In collaboration with C+D, the charity will be hosting a joint parliamentary event in the Houses of Parliament on September 9. The event, backed by all-party parliamentary group chair Sir Kevin Barron MP, seeks to highlight the growing pressures on community pharmacists and the impact this is having on Pharmacists’ wellbeing.

Pharmacy Stress 

Data from C+D’s Salary Survey 2018 revealed that stress levels among UK pharmacists had risen six percentage points over the previous years. Stress-related problems affecting readers included: trouble sleeping, cited by 43% of pharmacists; depression (27%); drinking more than usual (11%); and suicidal thoughts (6%).

Our Market Research 

We have also recently conducted our own market research across the profession to inform our new strategy, ensuring we meet the changing needs of the profession. The key findings of this research will be announced with MPs this September. The research has provided a clear picture of the challenges faced across the profession, and has helped shape the development of the charity’s new strategy which we will share later in the year.

Our research had responses from a cross section of pharmacists working in a variety of areas, as well as pharmacy students, pre-reg trainees and former pharmacists’. Our Chief Exec Danielle Hunt said:

 

“Pharmacist Support has seen demand for its services rocket in recent years. Last year the charity provided 7,156 acts of support, an increase of 76% on three years ago. We are speaking with more pharmacists every day who are facing a range of issues that are severely impacting their wellbeing. Our recent market research revealed that a staggering 97% of respondents said they needed some form of support from the charity, with 71% revealing that they felt poor mental health is a core challenge facing the pharmacy sector.” 

 

“We feel it is only right to raise awareness of the challenges individuals in the profession are facing. It is our aspiration to work collaboratively with others to ensure that pharmacists are able to prioritise their own mental health and wellbeing and seek help from us to do so”

We will be asking for MPs to pledge support for local pharmacists during our annual #GoGreen campaign, which will launch on the 25^th of September, World Pharmacists Day. More information about the fundraising campaign can be found here. 

Thank you 

A massive thank you to all our partners and everyone who helped spread the news of our market research. With your help we will be able develop services that the pharmacy sector needs most, whilst continuing to champion the wellbeing of the individuals working across the sector.