In this issue:

Use the PDA toolkit to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 in community pharmacy

We have produced a risk assessment tool designed to enable a systematic approach to both assessing and managing the risks of COVID-19 in the community pharmacy as well as building resilience to prevent closures.

The COVID-19 risk management tool is designed to help responsible pharmacists and employers identify and remove risks in community pharmacy as lockdown restrictions are lessened.PDA Chairman Mark Koziol said: “As the government has started to liberalise the lockdown, it is likely that the pharmacies will see even more activity. As healthcare professionals, we know how important it is to maintain infection control measures.”

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PDA welcome three new inquiries into the unequal impact of COVID-19

The Women and Equalities Committee launched three new inquiries to investigate the unequal impact of the coronavirus. The three areas of inquiry are:

Coronavirus and BAME people
Coronavirus, disability and access to services
Coronavirus and the gendered economic impact

The PDA welcome the inquiries into these areas and recognise the issues faced by our members. These areas are of particular interest to the PDA’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Networks. In particular, the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Pharmacists’ Network (BAME Network), the Disabled Pharmacists’ Network (Ability Network) and the National Association of Women Pharmacists (NAWP).

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PDA launch Provisional Registration Charter

We have launched a Provisional Registration Charter to support those that are eligible for this new role in pharmacy. This is following the GPhC’s decision to postpone the 2020 pre-reg assessment and create a new role for pre-regs that will allow them to practice as a responsible pharmacist.We are urging employers to abide by the Charter to ensure provisionally registered pharmacists are supported.

The Provisional Registration Charter will help those eligible for this new role to elevate their position at work and hold employers accountable. It will also provide greater development and working opportunities through the PDA’s negotiations, representations, recognition agreements and challenges to employers and the GPhC.

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Black Lives Matter – what can we do?

Many of you will have seen a video of the murder of George Floyd in the US. Such incidents aren’t something new, but nowadays they are being filmed and shared on social media. Mr Floyd’s murder is widely seen as a consequence of a racist society that devalues black lives. We say Black Lives matter and want action to be taken.

How the coronavirus crisis has impacted on pharmacy students – part 1

The lockdown measures announced on 23 March has had a serious impact on the way universities run, affecting pharmacy students nationwide.

In the first article in our ‘coronavirus and its impact on pharmacy students’ series, we talk to Hasan Gaffar-Karim, a MPharm student at Brighton University who works part time at a hospital.

50 years is long enough to wait for Equal Pay

The PDA participated in an Equal Pay conference organised by the Equality Trust to mark half a century of waiting to see pay equality become a reality.

Friday 29th May 2020 marked 50 years since the Equal Pay Act was passed in Parliament. However, pay discrimination is still thriving, and women on average still only earn 82p for every £1 a man earns. The PDA is committed to ending this injustice.