 Pharmacists have a key role to play in society, as they provide a source of information and help to the community. However, by being on the front line, dispensing medicines and treatment for their customers, pharmacists need to be aware of the dangers and risks that arise, and how that may negatively affect their mental health. The mental toll that many healthcare professionals come under is often brushed past, and when it comes to pharmacists, there is no exception. There is an unfortunate rise in pharmacy-related crime in the UK, and with that comes alot of mental strain for the people working behind the counter.
The PDA state how over a third of pharmacists do not feel safe for more than half of their time at work, and 20% don’t feel physically safe at all (2021), and the following year, they conducted an online survey and found that 85% of pharmacists have experienced or work with someone who has experienced verbal or racial abuse that month (2022). A BBC news article even shows how some pharmacists have to carry a rape alarm and dye spraydue to how unsafe they feel from threats (Hayward, C, 2022). The stress and anxiety pharmacists face, and how unsafe they may feel at work have shown to have dire effects for not only the healthcare professionals, but for pharmacies and their customers, too. It can affect the quality of care a pharmacist may be able to provide and can also lead to staff shortages since the PDA concluded that 77% of pharmacists were thinking of changing careers or employment status due to the amount of pressure and mental health issues they face (2023). This would evidently cause many issues with the availability of care for the community. Despite many measures in place to limit dangerous encounters, one being the chief executive of the GPhC making it known that “any abuse of pharmacy staff is completely unacceptable and robust action should be quickly taken in response to any incidents, including by law enforcement” (Duncan Rudkin,2021), these encounters still happen. Most people assume it is a result of substance abusers using pharmacies in the hopes of gaining medicines illegally with prescriptions, yet many other factors come into play. For example, 111 pharmaceutical products are facing supply problems (BMJ 2023;383:p2602), and patients are being told that their medicines aren’t in stock. Difficulties in getting medicines can bring about frustration in customers which can be displaced onto community pharmacists, and staff can be blamed for these shortages. Additionally, waiting time in pharmacies is often long, and patients who have found it hard to access the GP and make an appointment may be further annoyed at the business in community and hospital pharmacies. Even though the pharmacist is not at fault here, customers may feel as though it is, and this can lead to verbal and even physical abuse towards the people behind the counter. The increasing frequency of these disruptions to patient and staff care has led to the creation of the PDA- the Pharmacist’s Defence Association and their copious amounts of resources. For customers, there are posters being displayed in pharmacies that remind them of the zero-tolerance policies towards abuse and violence, and for pharmacists, the PDA has made a “Safer Pharmacies Charter” that outlines how a pharmacist can prioritise their mental health. For example, getting adequate rest, raising concerns and ensuring physical safety are all things a pharmacist can do to feel safer at work . Pharmacies are also taking into account how these events can affect their staff, and are implementing training and therapy. A recent example is a pharmacy in Redditch that started counselling staff after an incident occurred involving a staff member being threatened with a knife (BBC, 2022). Some extreme measures are also being put into practice when appropriate, and pharmacies are asking staff to wear body cameras and installing panic buttons that are linked to police stations. (Isabel Shaw, 2021). Pharmacists are trained to always prioritise patient care, yet many do not realise that in order to optimise the quality of their care, they must feel safe and protected at all times. As pharmacists, self-care should be a major part of your lifestyle, and reaching out for help and resources is always a good idea. As customers, we should always be respectful, considerate, and appreciate that pharmacists are making supreme efforts to provide us with the best of care. References: BBC (2022) Redditch-based pharmacy chain gets counselling for staff over abuse. Available from: Redditch-based pharmacy chain gets counselling for staff over abuse - BBC News Accessed [23/01/24] BMJ (2023;383:p2602) Record number of drugs hit by supply problems, trade body warns. Available from: Record number of drugs hit by supply problems, trade body warns | The BMJ Accessed [23/01/24] Crimestoppers (n.d) Stopping violence in pharmacies. Available from: Stopping violence in pharmacies | Crimestoppers Accessed [23/01/24] GPhC (2021) Abuse or violence against pharmacy staff ‘completely unacceptable. Available from: Abuse or violence against pharmacy staff ‘completely unacceptable’ | General Pharmaceutical Council Accessed [23/01/24] Hayward, C (2022) Community pharmacists speak out against rise in abuse and attacks. BBC, 8 June. Available from: Community pharmacists speak out against rise in abuse and attacks - BBC News Accessed [23/01/24] PDA (2022) PDA highlights ongoing concerns about increasing levels of violence and abuse in community pharmacy. Available from: PDA highlights ongoing concerns about increasing levels of violence and abuse in community pharmacy | The Pharmacists' Defence Association [Accessed 23/01/24] PDA (2022) PDA launches violence and abuse in community pharmacy workplace survey. Available from PDA launches violence and abuse in community pharmacy workplace survey | The Pharmacists' Defence Association Accessed [23/01/24] PDA (2023) Pharmacists echo poor working conditions faced in NHS hospitals. Available from: Pharmacists echo poor working conditions faced in NHS hospitals Accessed [23/01/24] Shaw, I (2021) Pharmacists to start wearing body cameras for protection against patient abuse. The Pharmacist, 3rd December. Available from: Pharmacists to start wearing body cameras for protection against patient abuse Accessed [23/01/24] Written By: Zainab Siddique
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