The Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA) has today announced that from now on it will be donating £1 from the membership fee of every single member to the profession’s charity Pharmacist Support. The PDA is committing to making this contribution on an ongoing basis to support the work of the charity in assisting pharmacists and their families, former pharmacists, trainees and Mpharm students through any challenging times they may face.

“I am proud and delighted to announce that The PDA has decided to make Pharmacist Support our formal charity partner” commented PDA Chair Mark Koziol. “From now on, we will be donating £1 from the membership fee of every single member who has joined the PDA to Pharmacist Support. This will represent a contribution of more than £27,000 in this coming year alone and as the PDA membership continues to grow in the future, so will our contribution.”

Sharing a similar mission to that of the charity and driven by the same founding principles of supporting people within the pharmacy profession, this PDA – Pharmacist Support partnership will bring with it many benefits. Working alongside the PDA, the charity will identify and develop packages of support in areas where there is an unmet need for the benefit of all pharmacists.

As an independent organisation Pharmacist Support works with many organisations in the pharmacy sector to ensure that those eligible are aware of and have access to the free and confidential assistance available. “Often the PDA will refer its members in need of that extra pastoral support to the charity” said Pharmacist Support Chief Executive Diane Leicester-Hallam. “Sometimes, we find that even if they have been well supported by the PDA and have achieved a positive outcome, sadly, the emotional aspects of their experience can impact on their confidence and self-esteem.”

Working with organisations in this way enables the charity to identify and raise awareness of trends and highlight key issues affecting pharmacists and pharmacy students today. It will often use this knowledge to develop online resources and new services. This increased awareness, however, comes at a cost. As demand increases so does the costs of delivering this free and confidential support.

“This financial commitment from the PDA is crucial to our ongoing support of the profession and enables the charity to plan ahead” said Diane.  “We’re absolutely delighted by this news that is of course made all the more special as it lands in our annual GoGreen4PS week. None of us can predict what is around the corner and unfortunately, we can’t always be prepared for it. Every day we receive calls from people in difficult situations and donations like the one announced by the PDA today will enable us to continue to be that much needed crutch for people and to change lives for the better.”

A video featuring Diane Leicester – Hallam and Mark Koziol providing more detail and the rationale behind this new PDA – Pharmacist Support initiative is available and can be viewed here: