Negative publicity about pharmacy in a recent Guardian article is prompting GPhC to look into issues of workplace pressure for pharmacy professionals, but no one company will be investigated in isolation, the regulator has said.

GPhC has examined survey results shared by the Pharmacists’ Defence Association, which were quoted in the newspaper article, and concluded that there are issues being experienced across the sector. “This is not an issue for just one company,” said GPhC chief executive Duncan Rudkin.

“The survey and accompanying anonymous case studies highlight a number of issues which we and others need to understand better,” he said, describing the situation as “complex and challenging”.

“Pharmacy professionals working in community pharmacy face different pressures as the businesses in which they work seek to generate income and manage their costs,” said a GPhC statement.  

“We recognise that pharmacy professionals working in a wide variety of roles and settings will experience significant challenges in trying to provide high quality care to patients and the public while dealing with limited resources or other workplace pressures.

“It is important that everyone involved works to ensure that a balance is struck which protects and promotes the health and wellbeing of patients and the public, empowers pharmacy professionals to work with service users to make good decisions about care and enables companies to pursue legitimate business interests in an ethical way.”

GPhC will conduct work to “examine and understand workplace pressures across the pharmacy sector”, and this will include an event in October to discuss the issue with the profession and others.

Click here to read more from GPhC on the topic

Consultation on standards for pharmacy professionals closes on 27 June