Workforce Wellbeing

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The RPS and Pharmacist Support Wellbeing survey has highlighted the mental health difficulties that pharmacists face every day. The COVID-19 pandemic has only amplified the pressures that were already inherent in the system and places where pharmacists work.

Your mental health and wellbeing, and that of all pharmacists and their teams, is vital at this critical time that's why we're raising this issue with governments and other relevant organisations.

What we're asking for:

Prevention Prevention

  • Pharmacists to have dedicated protected learning time within working hours
  • Pharmacies need the right skill mix and a sufficient number of staff to manage workload effectively
  • Pharmacists should work in an environment where the leadership in place recognises and prioritises wellbeing
  • Pharmacists to have access to tools and ongoing support which promotes good mental health and wellbeing including networking, training, mentoring and leadership opportunities.

Environment & Culture awareness Environment & Culture awareness

  • All pharmacists to benefit from routine and uninterrupted breaks within their working day
  • Pharmacy teams to benefit from flexible working options to help manage and optimise workload enabling delivery of the safest care to the public
  • All working environments to adopt a culture of belonging, so staff feel recognised and valued
  • Pharmacists and their team members to have access to training and support around mental health conversations in the workplace
  • Employers, managers and individuals to actively support members of staff in addressing and acting upon all valid concerns of practice and behaviour that is having a negative impact on the mental health and well-being of themselves or others
  • Skills to manage personal mental health and wellbeing, including cultural considerations, are embedded in undergraduate and post registration training.

Accessing Support Accessing Support

  • All pharmacists working within the NHS (including those delivering NHS services) to have access to NHS-provided occupational health support services for health professionals.
  • A collaborative approach to be taken across the profession to address the stigma and fear around mental health and individuals seeking well-being support
  • Collective approaches to raise awareness and encourage the use of mental health services, tools and charitable organisations to support pharmacy team members with their mental health and wellbeing needs is required.

Ravi Sharma, RPS Director for England, explains how our Workforce Wellbeing campaign will make life better for all pharmacists.

How you can help:

Support our campaign for your Workforce Wellbeing

The RPS Workforce Wellbeing Action Group

Our RPS Workforce Wellbeing Action Group has been set up to help support, influence and shape the work of the RPS in this area.

If you share our passion to improve the mental health and wellbeing of pharmacists, then join our Workforce Wellbeing Action Group (note: this group is for RPS members only).

JOIN THE WWAG

Share your Workforce Wellbeing experiences

If you have any stories about support you've received through difficult times or how you have supported others in the workplace, we would love to hear about them.

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES

Sharing your examples of good practice will help us to influence what needs to be done more widely to support the mental health and wellbeing of pharmacists.

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With growing pressures, our survey results show how government and the NHS must take steps to retain the current workforce and attract new pharmacists to meet demand. This must include equal support for their health and wellbeing.

COVID-19 has shown just how important it is for pharmacists and their teams to get the help they need. We'll keep talking to government, the NHS and wider stakeholders on how pharmacists can be supported.

We are continuing to advocate for support for the mental health and wellbeing of pharmacists.

Creating a culture in pharmacy that actively protects and enhances mental health and wellbeing will require concerted and collective action across the profession. The responsibility for change falls with many including employers, regulators, professional bodies, governments, educational institutes and individuals. 

Together we can all create the change we want to see.

In response to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Survey, we and Pharmacist Support will take actions in three main areas

  1. 24 RecognitionWork with governments, regulators, employers and the NHS to create the right working conditions and culture for good mental health and wellbeing in pharmacy
  2. Encourage the destigmatisation of mental health and enable pharmacy teams to access the support they need when they need it, through both raising awareness of available support and encouraging its use.
  3. Provide direct wellbeing support to members by sharing tools, approaches and practical tips.

We and PS are committed to repeating this survey annually to monitor change and identify new priority areas.

Are you worried about the mental health of a colleague - or yourself?

Get support and access resources on the RPS Wellbeing hub.

For personal advice about your own mental health and wellbeing, you can also contact Pharmacist Support, the independent charity for pharmacists.

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We're carrying out this important work in collaboration with Pharmacist Support.

If you're struggling to manage your wellbeing, Pharmacist Support - the profession’s charity – has free and confidential services that may help.

For information, a stress helpline, specialist advice, wellbeing workshops and online resources visit their website at pharmacistsupport.org or call 0808 168 2233 or email [email protected].