The last year has been particularly challenging and the PDA has worked tirelessly to support pharmacists through all of the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic; including the delayed pre-reg assessment in Britain, shoicking increases in violence and abuse in community pharmacies and the lack of adequate PPE in the workplace, to mention just three issues.
Having an independent trade union and defence association exclusiviely for pharmacists is now a critical part of the profession’s ecosystem and we highlight here differences that the PDA has made and continues to make to theexperience of pharmacists this #pharmacy24
1) Helping Pharmacist Support to help the profession
Pharmacist Support are there to help pharmacists with support they may need today and the PDA, as a significant financial supporter of the charity, are proud that we have helped make that possible. Each year the PDA donates £1 for each member to Pharmacist Support. The total amount donated under the PDA’s charity partnership pledge to Pharmacist Support, established in 2018, has now surpassed £120K. On top of the £1 for each member per year donated by the PDA, its members have added additional funds via personal donations channelled through this PDA initiative. With the funds raised, Pharmacist Support provides a wide variety of support services to pharmacists and their families, former pharmacists, and pharmacy students. Learn more and donate to the charity today!
2) Supporting pharmacists throughout the Covid-19 pandemic
The pandemis continues and in our ongoing work to support members and stand up for pharmacists in these turbulent times, the PDA is engaging with employers, regulators, government and other pharmacy bodies on a continuous basis to represent pharmacists’ interests. Information, safety and profile of pharmacists are each increased through our efforts and relied upon today. Learn more in the Covid-19 section of the PDA website.
3) Free downloadable resources available
The PDA has produced a number of key resources to help pharmacists during the pandemic such as a risk management toolkit to reduce the risks of Covid-19 in the pharmacy, Covid-19 FAQs to support pharmacists to have conversations with patients about the Covid-19 vaccine, and a zero-tolerance of abuse in pharmacies poster. These are all in use today. Download the PDA’s useful resources today!
4) Pharmacists have a voice at work through Union recognition
Pharmacists in workplaces across the UK now have an independent vocie at work. Since the PDA Union gained trade recognition in Boots, LloydsPharmacy and GP Federations (GPPs) in Northern Ireland, the union has been busy representing the views of pharmacists and negotiating over certain terms and conditions to improve their working lives. Now that more pharmacists have a recognised voice at work, they can raise any issues that occur today with their PDA reps.
5) Encouraging pharmacists and the public to #GetVaccinated
The PDA #GetVaccinated campaign is calling on all pharmacists to have the Covid-19 vaccine and to help encourage their patients, family and friends, especially those in the BAME community, to do the same. For each additional person we’ve helped receive the vaccination, we’re all a little bit safer. As part of the campaign, pharmacists from across the UK who have had their Covid-19 vaccine are posting videos to social media with the hashtag #GetVaccinated to explain why others should also get vaccinated when they can. The PDA is also supporting the NHS campaign to dispel Covid-19 vaccine myths and to tackle the hesitancy of those in the BAME communities to get vaccinated. For more information and to get involved in the campaign, click here.
6) Working to affect change through Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Networks
Equality is being talked about more than ever in workplaces and across the profession. The PDA’s Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Networks (Ability, NAWP, BAME and LGBT+) work to overcome discrimination and create more equality in pharmacy. Membership is open to all UK pharmacists and former pharmacists (e.g. retired or taking a career break) and all UK pharmacy graduates, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual identity, disability, nationality, hours worked or employment status. Help us in our work to affect change. Learn more and join a PDA EDI Network today.
7) Recovering over £51k in unpaid locum fees
More locums know that the PDA can help them should they have difficulty receiving payment for their work today. The PDA helped recover over £51,400 in unpaid locum fees for members in the last year. If you are a PDA member that is a locum pharmacist having difficulty obtaining monies owed to you for locum work, please contact us today. Pharmacists that are not yet PDA members are also encouraged to join us and get advice and support.
8) PDA Education Hub
The PDA has worked significatly this year to support new entrants to the profession. In April 2020, the PDA made a commitment to all provisionally registered pharmacists to ensure they had the support they needed as they took on their new roles. The PDA delivered on that promise with the launch of the Education Hub that offers a programme of support for provisionally registered pharmacists. The PDA programme combined assessment practice questions, discussion forums, information, advice and guidance on a range of issues. Since the launch, the PDA has added further training modules such as the Finishing First programme which is running now and helps pre-regs to prepare for the assessment. The platform will continue to grow to help more members. PDA members can keep an eye on their emails for further information.
9) Supporting a joint national plan for inclusive pharmacy practice in England
The PDA has partnered with NHS England and a wide range of other organisations across the pharmacy sector to support a plan to develop inclusive pharmacy practice in England. The aim is to support the prevention of ill-health and address health inequalities within our diverse communities. The PDA is currently sharing the experiences of members and programmes developed by the PDA EDI Networks with the inclusive pharmacy practice group to inform the plans as they develop. Learn more.
10) Raising awareness of gender (in)equality in the workplace
Thanks to the work of the PDA NAWP (The National Association of Women Pharmacists) Network there is more awareness of gender (in)equality in the workplace today and NAWP itself has more members than ever before in it’s 155 year history. NAWP works to proactively address and campaign gender discrimination and its causes and consequences. NAWP’s mission is to enable all women pharmacists to realise their full potential and raise their profile by being educationally, socially, and politically active. NAWP recently hosted an International Women’s Day event for the second year running as a way of celebrating the achievements of women in pharmacy. Learn more.
11) Supporting members when their employer changes under a “TUPE Transfer”
Though a number of community pharmacies are closing, others are still being bought and sold which often means pharmacists may find they have a new employer, and there are some pharmacists currently subject to such a change. The PDA can provide support and guidance for members at what can be a worrying time. If members are concerned about such changes they should contact the PDA Service Centre. Members can ask us for support before, during and/or after the transfer if needed. It is normally better to contact us as questions or concerns emerge, rather than allow the situation to develop before confirming and exercising your rights at work. In advance of such situations, we would also encourage any pharmacists that are not yet PDA members to join us. Learn more.
12) Welcoming discussions on facts for the BAME community around Covid-19 vaccinations
The first PDA BAME Network Event was held online last week. The aim of the event was to explore the myths around the Covid-19 vaccine and how we can work together to overcome vaccine hesitancy. It also covered the role pharmacists can play to encourage vaccine uptake, especially in BAME communities. This event was held alongside the PDA’s ongoing #GetVaccinated campaign. We encourage pharmacists to join the BAME Network. BAME Network Members can also join the closed Facebook group for members to connect and discuss relevant topics.
13) Members can share their thoughts and experiences on the issues that matter
Members are hearing the views and experiences of others from across the profession. The PDA created the Member Voice section of the website so that members can share their thoughts and experiences on the issues that matter to them. If you are a PDA member and would like to share your views with us and be featured on the website, email Collette Bradford, Head of Organising & Engagement, at enquiries@the-pda.org. Member items which are more personal can be completely anonymous. The latest Member Voice stories can be found here.
14) Student reps training programme
Student reps are receiving development training from the PDA. In November 2020, the PDA launched a student training programme for new reps. The PDA Student rep programme is a five-module course aimed at equipping student reps with the range of skills required to carry out their role. The course contains a mixture of live sessions and online learning, the first module of the course includes guidance on how the PDA supports students, the benefits of joining in the PDA, and how to support members. The course also helps to develop transferable skills including active listening, communication and negotiation skills. If you are interested in becoming a PDA student rep, you can find out more about the role by completing the online form.
15) PDA Union recognition continues to deliver rewards for pharmacists in pay negotiations
The PDA Union continues to negotiate pay for members and has secured above-inflation increases for members whose employment with Boots transferred under TUPE to new employers in the NHS and Prison Service. For those pharmacists who continue to be employed by BootsUK, the PDA secured a number of improvements in a very challenging year including harmonising pay ranges for pharmacists in NI with the rest of the UK, the immediate uplift of any salary paid to a substantively appointed and performing pharmacist that is below the market range for their role, clarity on rest breaks and a one-off bonus payment for those eligible.
16) FREE PDA membership for pharmacy students and pre-regs
The PDA is committed to supporting pharmacy students and pre-regs on their journey to becoming qualified pharmacists. Each year we would usually deliver workshops to pharmacy students across the country. We also sponsor a variety of student events across the academic year. There are also various pre-reg training programmes throughout the year to help support those taking the pre-reg assessment. We also welcome feedback. The views shared with us and the issues of concern are of importance both because this is the profession of tomorrow and because their issues already matter today. As part of this support, PDA membership is completely FREE to pharmacy students and pre-regs. Join the PDA today.
Celebrating #Pharmacy24 on social media
Over the next 24 hours, we will be using the hashtag #Pharmacy24 across our various social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn) to share some of the ways that we are actively working to support PDA members and the profession as a whole.
Get involved
We encourage you to like and share our #Pharmacy24 posts on social media and to join the campaign by using this hashtag to promote the work of your pharmacy team.
Not yet a PDA member?
If you have not yet joined the PDA, we encourage you to join today and encourage your colleagues to do the same.
Membership is FREE to pharmacy students and pre-regs.
Read about our key member benefits here.