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Ninety-six per cent of community pharmacists surveyed in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) Workforce Wellbeing survey said they were at 'risk of burnout'. A higher number of respondents working in community pharmacy (20%) reported not being offered breaks compared to all other sectors (8%) and were more likely to experience verbal or physical abuse from patients and the public (69% vs an average 44%). The annual Workforce Wellbeing survey also revealed that 88 per cent of pharmacists surveyed are at high risk of burnout due to winter pressure. Therefore, RPS is calling for workforce planning for pharmacy to address skill mix and staffing levels so that workloads can be effectively managed. Top factors causing poor mental health and wellbeing revealed by the survey include inadequate staffing (70%), lack of work/life balance (53%), lack of protected learning time (48%) and lack of colleague/senior support (47%). This is the fourth survey RPS has run in partnership with the charity Pharmacist Support on the state of mental health and wellbeing in pharmacy. The findings demonstrate continued pressure on pharmacists and trainees across the workforce, especially in community pharmacy where 96% of those surveyed said they were at risk of burnout.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has released findings from its fifth annual workforce wellbeing survey, which was conducted in collaboration with the profession's charity, Pharmacist Support. Exposing the mental health challenges faced by pharmacists, the survey revealed a troubling statistic: 86 per cent of pharmacists are at a high risk of burnout. Inadequate staffing was the main factor contributing to burnout, followed by lack of work-life balance, insufficient protected learning time, absence of colleague or senior support, and long working hours. While pharmacies are encouraged to provide more clinical services, more than 60 per cent of pharmacists surveyed reported that they were not being offered "sufficient protected learning time" to focus on their professional development and learning needs. The survey also exposed a distressing trend of workplace abuse, with over 40 per cent of pharmacists reporting verbal abuse from the public, and 25 per cent from colleagues or managers.

To support the mental health and wellbeing of pharmacists, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) is running its fourth annual Workforce Wellbeing survey, in partnership with Pharmacist Support. This year it's focussed on exploring some of the obstacles that prevent workforce wellbeing measures being implemented in practice. It's vital that workplace supports good mental health and wellbeing and provides the right environment to help prevent the negative effects of working under intense pressure. RPS urges: "Please complete the survey as soon as you can. It's anonymous, open to pharmacists in all settings including students and you don't need to be a member of RPS to take part." "We'll take the results of the survey to governments across Great Britain, the NHS, and wider stakeholders to advocate for improvements to support the mental health and wellbeing of pharmacists."

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Pharmacist Support hosted a roundtable on the impact of pharmacy workforce wellbeing on patient safety on Wednesday (17 May). It also released its annual Workforce Wellbeing Survey which showed continued pressures on pharmacy teams. The discussion explored the actions needed to support staff so they can continue providing safe and effective patient care and included representatives from the NHS, professional bodies, employers, trade unions, education and regulators. A report of the roundtable will be published in the summer. Amandeep Doll, RPS Head of Professional Belonging, said: "We know that pharmacy teams go above and beyond for their patients, but are also under enormous pressure. "Now more than ever, we need to strive to make the pharmacy profession more inclusive and ensure that everyone's wellbeing is supported. "It is vital that we do all we can to encourage people into pharmacy and to support them so they can enhance their skills, develop their careers, and continue to deliver high-quality patient care. "This discussion was a welcome step and showed that making a difference for staff wellbeing requires a concerted effort from stakeholders across the whole of pharmacy.

The Royal Pharmaceutical Society's (RPS) second roundtable on workforce wellbeing resulted in a series of collaborative actions to address pharmacy professionals' mental health and wellbeing challenges. The roundtable brought together key stakeholders from the pharmacy sector, including organisations like the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), Community Pharmacy England (CPE), the National Pharmacy Association (NPA), and the profession's independent charity Pharmacist Support (PS). A report detailing the outcomes of the meeting was published on Friday, highlighting the key areas of discussion and the agreed-upon actions by the participants. During the roundtable, participants discussed the importance of understanding the workforce demographics, both nationally and locally, and using data to address wellbeing issues effectively. They also emphasised the need for using supportive standards set by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) quality statement to support and empower pharmacists' wellbeing positively.

The country as a whole is facing uncertain and challenging times, and for our profession emerging from the second year of the pandemic, the pressures and stresses don't look to be easing up. It is undeniable that the wellbeing of those in our pharmacy family has suffered and many face emotional and psychological challenges in addition to immense workplace pressure. What do we know about the state of wellbeing within the profession? As the profession's independent charity, it is crucial that Pharmacist Support keeps abreast of the changing needs of the profession to enable us to meet the needs of those we are here to help. To do this, each year we collaborate with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) to carry out an annual Workforce Wellbeing Survey. The last survey carried out was in the latter part of 2021 but nothing has changed since. And the results provided stark reading. Of the 1,014 responses received, many reported living with 'poor' or 'very poor' mental health and wellbeing. The survey results highlight a continued clear need for mental health and wellbeing support. Within the survey, it was identified that there is a very clear need for independent assistance, with many saying they feel unable to talk to their employers about their mental health issues. The need for our charity has never been clearer.