The survey is based around the seven commitments of the PDA’s Safer Pharmacies Charter. The findings will help the PDA to understand the current working environment for pharmacists and could really help to improve the lives of those in the profession.
The last survey took place 18 months ago and since then the PDA has been working hard to support and represent members on key issues such as the Pharmacy First Service, workplace pressure, the proposed changes to supervision, medicines shortages and store closures.
With the introduction of new services in community pharmacy in England, and workforce challenges across all areas of pharmacy practice, now is an ideal time to invite all pharmacists to share their recent experience of safety in the workplace.
About the Safer Pharmacies Charter
The Safer Pharmacies Charter invites employers to make seven commitments to improve safety and care for patients. The commitments cover the basic areas that should be standard practice whenever and wherever pharmacy work is being carried out.
In the Safer Pharmacies Survey, we ask how often the seven commitments have been met during the past six months. With the findings, the PDA aims to persuade the government, regulators and employers to improve the working environment for pharmacists, which will, in turn, improve patient safety. The commitments are as follows:
- No Self-Checking – to prevent any errors, an additional, suitably trained and confident member of staff should be available at all times to provide an independent second check
- Safe Staffing – staffing levels need to be sufficient in order to allow all legal, contractual and regulatory obligations and organisational expectations to be met
- Access to a Pharmacist – a pharmacist must be available wherever patients expect immediate access to face-to-face expert advice on any medicine-related matters
- Adequate Rest – pharmacists must be able to take at least their statutory and contractual breaks and rest periods without interruption
- Respect for Professional Judgment – pharmacists should be enabled to make professional decisions in the workplace so that patient safety and professional standards come first
- Raising Concerns – pharmacists should be able to raise concerns without reprisal or fear, and those must be properly addressed
- Physical Safety – risks should be assessed, and preventative measures put in place so that patients and staff are kept safe.
This survey is open to employed and locum pharmacists wherever they work and will close on Monday 3 June 2024.
Get involved
- Pharmacists, add your voice to the campaign for safer pharmacies.
- Owners/senior management, sign up to the charter to demonstrate your commitment to safer pharmacies.
- Patient safety, pharmacy leadership, and other organisations, if you are concerned with patient safety endorse the campaign for safer pharmacies.
Learn more
The results of the previous Safer Pharmacies Surveys can be found below.
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.