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RPS England tells MPs support for workforce is crucial

Director for England Ravi Sharma spoke to MPs in Parliament today at the Health and Social Care Select Committee’s inquiry on workforce.

Alongside a panel of professional leadership bodies, he highlighted the vital contribution of pharmacy teams during the pandemic and called for action to support the current and future workforce.

Key issues included:

  • The risk of burnout and the need to help boost staff retention.
  • Staff wellbeing, including a zero tolerance of abuse from the public.
  • The importance of professional development and protected learning time to enhance patient care and support rewarding careers.
  • The potential of new pharmacist independent prescribers and the need for investment in the current workforce.
  • The need for better workforce data and a pharmacy workforce strategy.

RPS Director for England Ravi Sharma said:

“Pharmacists and pharmacy teams have gone above and beyond during the pandemic to support patient care and it’s vital the workforce gets the support it needs.

“With pharmacy teams at risk of burnout, I’d urge the Government and NHS to address the key drivers behind staff wellbeing, alongside better workforce data to inform a comprehensive workforce strategy.

“Pharmacists will play a key role in the future NHS, including supporting patient access to primary care, which must be backed by long-term investment in education and training.

“We’re about to see new generation of pharmacists independent prescribers that will make a huge difference to the clinical role of pharmacists to support patient care,  but this must be underpinned by protected learning time and a more ambitious approach to commissioning new services to use their skills.”

Watch the committee session

Read our written evidence to the committee

Read more about the committee’s inquiry on Workforce: recruitment, training and retention

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