Violent and abusive behaviour against pharmacists is impacting on recruitment and retention of staff in the sector, according to the Pharmacists' Defence
Association (PDA).
The trade union for pharmacists told BBC Breakfast TV on Wednesday (May 8) that its members have continuously raised workplace safety concerns due to an alarming
rise in the incidents of abuse and violence against pharmacy staff.
The PDA union has been calling for adequate risk assessments and preventative safety measures to be put in place in pharmacies whist adopting a zero-tolerance
approach to violence and abuse.
With several significant and worrying incidents involving PDA members, including a pharmacist being threatened with a knife recently, further research was
conducted in April 2022 to establish the extent and impact of such behaviour on pharmacists.
Forty-four per cent of the respondents in the survey reported that they or someone that they worked with had experienced physical or violent abuse in the last month.
The Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) has reported growing concerns among its members regarding their safety at work as the far-right, anti-immigration
riots escalate across the UK.
"We have received calls from members who are concerned about their safety at work and feel vulnerable in communities where the violence and disorder are taking
place," the organisation told Pharmacy Business.
The PDA also reported that some hospital outpatient departments and GP surgeries were forced to close their doors to allow staff to get home safely, which may
impact services to patients.
In light of these challenges, the PDA is calling on employers to ensure that they are adequately communicating with pharmacists in locations at risk of conflict
and to prioritise the health and safety of staff and patients.
"We are aware that pharmacists and their teams working in areas where this criminal activity is taking place are feeling vulnerable but that they also want to
ensure that their communities are safe and have access to the vital services pharmacies provide.
The Pharmacists' Defence Association has reported an increase in the number of pharmacists calling its advice line to inform about the incidences of violence and intimidation from protesters opposing the Covid-19 vaccination programme.
The association noted that such incidents have become more common with protesters "gaining entry to premises in groups and trying to disrupt Covid-19 vaccinations from taking place."
In many cases, pharmacists, staff, and members of the public have been subjected to verbal threats, causing distress and anxiety among those working to deliver the vaccination programme in a safe environment.
The PDA reminded that employers, having a contract with the NHS for the Covid-19 vaccinations, have a duty to keep their staff safe whilst at work.
The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) standards for pharmacy premises also carry a duty to ensure the safety of staff and the public receiving services on those premises.
Working conditions in pharmacies have worsened in 2021, the annual Safer Pharmacies Survey conducted by the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) revealed,
highlighting the challenging and unsafe environments that some pharmacists are working in.
The survey asks pharmacists across all areas of practice about their experiences of key safety measures in the workplace.
Since the launch of the Safer Pharmacies Charter in 2017, PDA's annual surveys have monitored their feedback against the Charter's commitments, which covers seven
basic areas as standard practice for pharmacy work.
The commitments are No Self-Checking, Safe Staffing, Access to a Pharmacist, Adequate Rest, Respect for Professional Judgment, Raising Concerns and Physical Safety.
The survey revealed that eight out of 10 feel unsafe at work as violence and abuse still remain areas of concerns in pharmacy.
The Professional Pharmacists Association (PDA) has demanded efforts to secure greater support and recognition for community pharmacists from governmental
bodies.
In its written evidence provided to the Health and Social Care select committee's pharmacy inquiry, the PDA raised concerns about the well-being of pharmacists,
specifically for those who belong to minority ethnic groups and race and are subjected to bullying, harassment, and ill-treatment.
The association highlighted issues in the workplace that impact pharmacists' health and well-being, including chronic understaffing, sub-standard working
environments, an absence of protected training time, and experiences of racism, violence, and abuse.
Parallel to the PDA's advocacy, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) is intensifying calls for prioritising workforce wellbeing within the pharmacy domain.
Stressing the pivotal role of workforce retention in addressing current challenges, RPS emphasises the need for robust support mechanisms and equitable access
to mental health services.