Heart Unions Week aims to tell the story of why unions are crucial for everyone at work and encourage those who are not yet members of a union to join. Unions work to improve the working conditions for their members through better pay, benefits, working hours, and much more and there are many ways in which members can get involved and support their union.
With over 37,000 members, the PDA is the largest pharmacists’ membership organisation and only independent trade union exclusively for pharmacists in the UK. The not-for-profit organisation supports the needs of all pharmacists, including students and trainees.
In the last year alone, the PDA has campaigned for fair funding for pharmacy students, secured over £100,000 in unpaid locum fees, and supported trainee pharmacists through the GPhC assessment and a whole lot more.
To celebrate Heart Unions Week 2024 the PDA is sharing some ways in which pharmacists can support the PDA’s work and get involved with their dedicated union:
1 – Become a PDA Rep
PDA members have the opportunity to become PDA Reps. Becoming a rep is key role in supporting the PDA’s work, by increasing awareness of the PDA and supporting fellow colleagues. The PDA offers FREE training and support to those who wish to become reps. Learn more about becoming a PDA Rep here.
2 – Share your pharmacy experiences via ‘member voice’
Member voice provides PDA members with a space in which to share their thoughts and experiences on the issues that matter to them within pharmacy. Members have the opportunity to discuss topics such as being a pharmacy student or trainee pharmacist, how they have influenced change in their workplace, supporting diversity within pharmacy and much more! PDA members wishing to get involved and write their own member voice article are encouraged to contact the PDA. All member voice articles can be found here.
3 – Join a PDA EDI Network
The PDA has four Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Networks that members can join. These are the PDA NAWP (National Association of Women Pharmacists) Network, the PDA BAME (Black Asian and Minority Ethnic) Network, the PDA Ability (Disabled Pharmacists’) Network and the PDA LGBT+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pharmacists’) Network. The networks are free for PDA student and PDA trainee members to join and also welcomes allies.
Each network provides a structure through which members can work together to proactively address and campaign around different forms of discrimination and its causes and consequences. PDA members can get involved by attending network events, writing for the various newsletters, and even becoming a member of one of the network’s committees. Learn more and join a PDA EDI Network here.
4 – Take advantage of PDA Education
PDA Education provides FREE training and support to PDA members. This support includes its annual summer school with courses covering CV-writing, building and maintaining relationships. PDA Education also offers a trainee revision programme for PDA members who are due to sit their registration assessment. The programme offers trainees access to mock exams, questions, and revision tips. PDA members can stay up to date on what is available through PDA Education here.
5 – Take part in PDA events
Throughout the year the PDA hosts a number of face-to-face and virtual events that members can take part in. These events include the PDA NAWP Network’s annual International Women’s Day event, the Science Behind Wellbeing workshop co-hosted with the PDA’s charity partner Pharmacist Support, and face-to-face sessions such as those hosted at the Pharmacy Show and Clinical Pharmacy Congress (CPC).
PDA events allow members to share their views and experiences of working in pharmacy and allows the PDA to represent members’ views. PDA members can access all of the PDA’s events here.
6 – Support PDA campaigns
Being a PDA member means that there is an opportunity to take part in the PDA’s campaigns and work to influence positive changes in pharmacy. Members can take part by writing to their MPs like students did recently regarding pharmacy students being excluded from the NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF). PDA members can also take part in ongoing PDA campaigns such as displaying a PDA poster in their pharmacy with aims to #ENDviolenceinpharmacy.
7 – Endorse / support the PDA’s Safer Pharmacies Charter
PDA members helped create the PDA’s Safer Pharmacies Charter which contains seven commitments to improve safety and care for patients, through better working conditions in UK pharmacy practice. The PDA encourages pharmacists and pharmacy owners to endorse and support the charter by following the seven commitments that define basic standards to ensure safe practice wherever pharmacists work. Endorse the charter here.
Get involved
- PDA members are encouraged to share this article with pharmacist colleagues who aren’t yet PDA members and ask them to join the PDA today.
- PDA members and reps can interact with the PDA on social media, as the PDA will be posting across X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and LinkedIn during the week.
- PDA members can share stories on social media about how being part of a union has helped their careers by including the hashtag #HeartUnions.
- PDA members are also encouraged to share why they joined the PDA or a PDA EDI Network, or why they became a PDA Rep, on social media.
Learn more
- PDA secures over £100,000 in unpaid locum fees for members so far this year
- PDA Workplace Reps
- Member voice
- PDA Member Networks
- PDA Education
- Events
- PDA student campaign is making an impact on NHS LSF exclusion issue
- PDA zero tolerance of abuse in pharmacies posters
- PDA’s Safer Pharmacies Charter
Not yet a PDA member?
If you have not yet joined the PDA, we encourage you to join today and ask your colleagues to do the same.
Membership is FREE to pharmacy students, trainee pharmacists, and for the first three months of being newly qualified.
Read about our key member benefits here.