The Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK) has urged the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) to collate the data on actively enrolled on an
approved course or qualification for Pharmacy Technicians of commencement of training.
In a letter from Nicola Stockmann, Vice President APTUK to the GPhC to encourage the collection of data for Pre-Registration Training Pharmacy Technicians,
Stockmann said: "We value the GPHC data for Pharmacy Technician registrants to track the growth and diversity of the Pharmacy Technician profession.
With ongoing inclusive pharmacy practice priorities, APTUK has an organisational pledge to continue this work of all themes through actions. The demographics
of the Pharmacy Technician workforce continue to have a majority of white British registrants and identifying as female; the high-level data collated which is
currently available on the GPHC website does not capture those who are actively enrolled on an approved course or qualification for Pharmacy Technicians."
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Nomination deadline: July 7th, 2023.
At last Friday's Clinical Congress Conference, the NHSE Chief Pharmaceutical Officer for England at NHS England, David Webb, announced the upcoming launch
of the Pharmacy Stakeholder Forum- an initiative led by NHS England aimed to improve pharmacy professional leadership and foster collaboration within the sector.
Webb highlighted the forum's significance as a platform for driving transformative change in pharmacy leadership.
"The aim is to deliver collaboration to develop a stronger and more united voice for pharmacy professionals," Webb emphasised.
Highlighting the need to drive transformative change in pharmacy leadership, he underscored that "the overarching goal is to address key challenges facing the
pharmacy profession and chart a course for future development and innovation."
Scheduled to commence in June, the Pharmacy Stakeholder Forum will provide a space for diverse organisations and networks with a vested interest in pharmacy
professional leadership to converge.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPHC), Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS), Company Chemists Association (CCA), Association of Pharmacy
Technicians UK (APTUK), National Pharmacy Association (NPA), Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists, Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA), and Independent
Pharmacies Association (IPA) have released a joint statement in response to the far-right riots across the UK.
They emphasised their united stance, declaring zero tolerance for racism towards colleagues or the public in any form.
The joint statement reads: "We are shocked and saddened by the violent public disorder events in recent days.
"We acknowledge how all sectors of the pharmacy profession may be impacted and recognise the challenges that this level of overt aggression can have on
people's ability or willingness to live their daily lives.
"The pharmacy workforce deserves peace and safety, not fear and harm. We stand united in having a zero tolerance of racism towards our colleagues or the
public in whatever form it takes."
Meanwhile, Community Pharmacy England (CPE) has expressed concerns that protests and violent disorder in various towns and cities across England may impact
the ability of community pharmacies to operate.
The strength of any organisation lies in its people. This being a common norm in the world of business, several of them are taking healthy initiatives and opening discussions around gender diversity and equality.
Panelists during a session on Empowering Women In the Workplace held during the Pharmacy Business Diversity Conference on Thursday (December 9), agreed that having gender diversity in business, not just benefits women, but the whole organisation.
"It drives engagement, diversity of thinking and ultimately performance," said Ifti Khan, pharmacy superintendent at Well Pharmacy, in the session moderated by the
conference chair and BBC presenter Clive Myrie.
To substantiate his point, he cited a recent report by McKinsey & Company, as per which companies in the top quartile for ethnic and cultural diversity are 36 per cent more profitable than those in the fourth quartile.
Well Pharmacy has announced a new partnership with RangeMe, a product discovery, sourcing and purchasing platform, as it looks to increase the diversity of
products available to its customers.
The independent pharmacy chain said the partnership will provide new, emerging and diverse brands increased access to its buying teams. There are already over
200,000 suppliers registered on the RangeMe platform.
"We pride ourselves on being at the heart of the communities we serve and are delighted to be working with RangeMe to increase the diversity of the products we
are able to offer to our customers across the UK," Reena Takhar, head of OTC & NHS buying at Well Pharmacy said.
"Given the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, we're keen to do all we can to give businesses of all sizes the opportunity to connect with our buyersto allow us to
offer new and interesting great value products to our customers."
RangeMe helps retailers and their buying teams scale product sourcing efforts with streamlined submissions, simplified discovery tools, and the industry standard
digital sell sheet.
Asian Media Group will hold the inaugural Pharmacy Business Diversity Conference on Thursday December 9 - a ground-breaking event exploring and showcasing
diversity and inclusion in the pharmaceutical industry.
The conference, themed 'Change the Ratio', will be be chaired by BBC presenter Clive Myrie and held virtually between 10am and 5pm.
While both both RPS and ABPI are supporting the conference as associate sponsors, Well Pharmacy, the UK's largest independent pharmacy chain, is the headline sponsor
of the event that will have some of Britain's most inspiring leaders and influential diversity and inclusion practitioners.
These leaders will share their knowledge and experience whilst offering tangible steps to positively promote and implement diversity, inclusion and equality in workplace.
Check pharmacy business website for more information.
NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE&I), in association with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK (APTUK),
has published its first inclusive pharmacy practice (IPP) bulletin, with an overarching ambition "to make community pharmacy a more inclusive environment for all
pharmacy professionals".
The IPP programme will take practical steps to improve the awareness and understanding at all levels of different cultural beliefs and attitudes, according to the
Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC).
As a member of the IPP Improving Practice and Engagement Group, PSNC has contributed to this issue of the Bulletin, which focuses on how pharmacy professionals can
help to reduce health inequalities via the detection and prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
The IPP programme, of which the Bulletin forms a part, aims to engage with local communities to help improve their health and reduce inequalities in care -
particularly among those from ethnically diverse and disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Department of Health and Social Care aims to amend the Human Medicines Regulations 2012, thereby enabling pharmacy technicians to provide and administer
specific medicines through a patient group direction. In line with this initiative, the Department introduced a six-week consultation to assess whether registered
pharmacy technicians should be authorised to dispense medicines using a PGD.
The proposals, backed by all four Home Nations, apply exclusively to registered pharmacy technicians. Meanwhile, this coverage will extend to include pharmacy
technicians in Northern Ireland upon their achievement of registered professional status.
"The proposed statutory instrument, presently applicable in England, Scotland, and Wales would offer 'clear benefits,' especially in areas such as vaccination
and the provision of oral contraception and EHC," the DHSC said.
According to the Department, facilitating registered pharmacy technicians to execute PGDs might amplify their workload, yet it could simultaneously enhance
overall efficiency and cost-effectiveness for pharmacy teams by optimising the utilisation of skill diversity.
There is still a long way to go to achieve gender equality in pharmacy in both academia and profession, Royal Pharmaceutical Society president Claire Anderson
said while addressing a webinar on 'Driving equality for women in pharmacy' today (November 19).
Sharing her personal experience, Anderson, who earlier worked as an academic, said: "I was the first ever female professor in the School of Pharmacy at Nottingham
when I was appointed as professor in 2003, and at that point, only 11 per cent of professors in my university were female."
She acknowledged that the situation has changed since then, but "there's still a very long way to go to achieve gender equity in most of academia, and in pharmacy,
in particular."
She added that the profession has ensured safe spaces for women but noted that is not enough, as gender equity is vital to achieve healthier and safer societies.
"And although our work on equality, diversity and inclusion is progressing very well, I think we're still not there. It's a journey and there's much to be achieved."
The Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies (AIMp) has appointed David Vanns as its non-executive Chairman following the retirement of its long serving
Chair Peter Cattee. Vanns will take up the role from April 2023.
Cattee, one of the co-founders of AIMp took up the role as its Chairman in 2000. He is also a non-CCA representative on the PSNC. Despite retiring as chairman Cattee
will remain on the AIMp board.
Commenting on his retirement Cattee said: "It's been my great good fortune to work with almost all of the owners of pharmacy groups throughout England, Scotland and
Wales over the years and many other talented people throughout the sector. It's been during a period of increasing consolidation, something which our own business
has reflected, and the original founders and Board members Yakub Patel, Kirit Patel, Steve Williams and David Vanns have all been instrumental in shaping pharmacy
negotiations to better reflect the views of our natural constituency - pharmacy group owners.
A spokesperson for AIMp said: "We thank Peter for his services and dedication to AIMp throughout the years. Our organisation has grown to be a diverse and dynamic
organisation representing and supporting pharmacy groups of all sizes, small and large. Our main identity and what unites us in AIMp, irrespective of the size of
the pharmacy group, is being Independents, and we are very proud of our identity. We look forward to continuing our work in representing and supporting our members
in the best way possible."
The hybrid professional and leadership session underscores the Sigma Conference's significance in offering hope and inspiration to its delegates. This
pioneering venture unfolds following meticulous planning, months of deliberation, and the collaboration of experts from various health disciplines across the UK.
This session, rich in diversity and expertise, aims to elevate the role of community pharmacy in the ever-evolving landscape of the NHS.
It comprises three key components and delves into multi-professional collaboration, insights from NHS Chief Professional Officers from the four devolved nations
complimented by the Royal College of Nursing Directorate Wales, and the evolving landscape of Pharmacy Professional Leadership.
Multi-Professional Collaboration: Breaking Boundaries
The crux of this ground-breaking session lies in appreciating and fostering greater multi-professional collaboration to set the stage for a thought-provoking
session on how community pharmacy can be recognised as an important cog in the wheel of an integrated NHS. This convergence creates a dynamic platform for community
pharmacy to form wider partnerships and explore opportunities, particularly with the recently launched NHS Pharmacy First Service.
Pharmacists from BAME backgrounds still face higher levels of discrimination, harassment, bullying, and career obstacles compared to their white
counterparts, the Pharmacy Workforce Race Equality Standard (PWRES) report has revealed. Published by NHSE England, this report underscores the persistent
presence of inequality, emphasising the crucial need for all stakeholders in the pharmacy sector to prioritise addressing these issues.
The PWRES report indicates that pharmacy team members of Black ethnic backgrounds are less likely to perceive equal opportunities for career advancement or
promotion within their trust. Additionally, female pharmacy team members from BAME backgrounds report higher incidents of personal discrimination in the
workplace. The report also highlights an overrepresentation of pharmacy technicians from BAME backgrounds in lower-paid roles.
"It is shocking and unacceptable to see that across all indicators the BME staff experience is worse than their white counterparts," said Tase Oputu, Chair
of RPS in England.
In a bid to bolster the educational experience for undergraduate pharmacy students across London, Kingston University has embarked on a groundbreaking
project in collaboration with University College London and King's College London.
This initiative, fueled by a substantial £1.5 million investment from National Health Services England (NHSE), aims to elevate the quality and consistency of
pharmacy placements throughout the capital for new pharmacy entrants.
The project is designed to address the evolving standards set forth by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GphC), ensuring that newly-trained pharmacists
are well-prepared to meet the demands of their profession.
By standardizing and expanding pharmacy placements, the three universities seek to provide students with a comprehensive and diverse range of "experiential
learning opportunities".
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has published a new strategy pledging to deliver equality, improve diversity and foster inclusion in all aspects of its work.
The strategy was updated after a public consultation held between April and July. It's key themes are:
To make regulatory decisions that are demonstrably fair, lawful, and free from discrimination and bias.
To use our standards to proactively help tackle discrimination and to make sure everyone can access person-centred care, fostering equality of health outcomes.To lead by example and demonstrate best practice within our organisation, holding ourselves to the same high standards we expect of others.
GPhC chair Nigel Clarke said having a strategy is vital as the pandemic has exposed "the scope and scale of inequities in society, in healthcare outcomes and in pharmacy."
"Inequality and exclusion are bad for people's health. Therefore, this strategy is fundamental to our core purpose as a regulator and our vision for safe and effective pharmacy care at the heart of healthier communities."
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has revealed the "differential attainment" gap among Black pharmacy students and Foundation trainees.
Research conducted by pharmacy education has revealed unique challenges leading to lower attainment in the registration assessment and an undergraduate awards
gap compared to white students.
The organisation plans to work with new groups including BPSA, GPhC, NHS England, Pharmacy Schools Council and representatives from Schools of Pharmacy, to achieve
a fair and equitable education and training experience for the students.
They plan to reach out to student representative organisations to secure their participation in a quarterly meeting of the group.
Differential attainment is the unexplained variation between groups who share a protected characteristic, for example, ethnicity, gender and disability.
The Health Committee's new report has reminded the government of a much-needed pharmacy workforce plan to support recruitment, training, and retention of staff.
The report makes a number of recommendations to optimise workloads across primary care, reduce pressure on general practice and hospitals, and support the integrated
care systems.
It also recognises the potential of pharmacist independent prescribers to support patient care, backed by appropriate supervision, training, and opportunities for
professional development.
RPS England gave evidence to MPs on the Committee at a public hearing in May, highlighting key issues to support the pharmacy workforce.
RPS director for England, Ravi Sharma, said: "Today's report underlines the urgent need for the Government to set out a comprehensive workforce plan for health and
care.
"It rightly recognises that boosting recruitment and retention, supporting staff wellbeing, fostering inclusion and diversity, and investing in education and
training will be crucial to the future of the NHS.
The journey on building inclusive teams and increasing ethnic diversity and representation at all levels is never ending, said Sanjay Bhandari, chair at Kick It Out.
"I think you can set the direction but it's quite difficult to set the destination with these things," Bhandari, who is part of the government-sponsored Parker review into the ethnic diversity of UK boards said during a panel discussion on Inclusive Leadership held as part of the Pharmacy Business Diversity Conference on Thursday (December 9).
He said the aim of the review was to fix a destination like a milestone, it's not the ultimate destination.
Bhandari highlighted that "most organisations have not even started and so a good way of getting started was by the end of 2021 to have at least one British born director of colour on your board for the FTSE 100 (companies)."
The idea of the review is to "focus on that pathway and filling the hole inthedoughnut," Bhandari said.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has initiated the evaluation of its five-year strategy for changing the way it manage concerns about pharmacy
professionals. It has urged people to share their experience of fitness to practice.
The evaluation will look at how the strategy has improved the experience of people involved in fitness to practice (those who raise concerns, professionals,
witnesses etc.); impacted the culture amongst pharmacy professionals and their attitudes to openness and honesty; improved the process and made it fairer and
changed perceptions of fitness to practice.
The first phase of the evaluation process will take place from July to September 2023.
The council said: "We are committed to making our ambitions a reality for the benefit of everyone involved and your contribution will help us to make sure patients
and the public continue to be protected while being fair to pharmacy professionals."
In June 2021, GPhC published its five-year strategy- Managing concerns about pharmacy professionals: Guided by its 2030 vision and commitment to equality, diversity
and inclusion, the strategy outlines a programme for change.
In a move towards greater diversity and inclusivity, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has welcomed three accomplished women to its board of key members.
Aisling O'Brien, Sukhi Basra, and Sehar Shahid-who is the youngest member- have joined the board, marking a significant step in the organisation's commitment
to equality and representation.
The announcement, made on the occasion of the International Women's Day, by chief executive, Paul Rees MBE via X reflects the organisation's dedication to
celebrating and empowering women in the pharmacy profession.
Sukhi Basra, the inaugural female board member since last April, adds a valuable dimension to the NPA. With her role as a Community Pharmacy KCW committee
member and her experience in clinical pharmacy spanning over 25 years, she brings a wealth of knowledge and a distinctive viewpoint.