PDA members often report incidents of violence and abuse in the workplace, with many more cases going unreported. The PDA has launched this survey to understand more about this issue and the types of incidents that are being experienced in community pharmacy.
The PDA’s Violence in Pharmacy campaign calls for the whole sector to take proactive measures to reduce the risk of abuse and violence in the workplace. Last year, as part of this campaign, the PDA released posters emphasising zero tolerance of abuse in pharmacies which it encourages all members to print and display in their pharmacy.
The PDA also published shocking CCTV footage of a pharmacist being attacked at their place of work. This example emphasised that pharmacists do not feel safe in the workplace. As a result, the PDA called on employers to take a firm stance on those responsible for subjecting pharmacists and pharmacy teams to violent and abusive behaviour.
According to recent results from the PDA’s annual Safer Pharmacies survey, only 2 in 10 members feel safe in the workplace, and this is worse in some areas of the UK.
The overall findings of the 2021 Safer Pharmacies survey revealed that the working conditions in pharmacies across the UK have worsened, and the data has highlighted the challenging and unsafe environments that some pharmacists are working in.
In November 2021, as part of the long-running safer pharmacies campaign to improve safety and care for patients, the PDA launched seven videos; one for each commitment of the Safer Pharmacies Charter. The Charter defines basic standards to ensure safe practice wherever pharmacists work. Pharmacists who are not signed up to the Charter are encouraged to do so to ensure the commitments are fulfilled in their pharmacies.
Community and locum pharmacists are urged to complete the violence and abuse in community pharmacy workplace survey today. Please encourage your pharmacist colleagues to do the same.
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
Related links
- Violence in Pharmacy
- PDA’s 2021 Safer Pharmacies Survey shows an unacceptable decline in working conditions
- PDA calls for an end to violence in pharmacy
- PDA zero tolerance of abuse in pharmacies posters
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.