To mark the day, the PDA is looking back at some of their key achievements over the last year that improved the working lives of pharmacists. Since last year’s #Pharmacy24 campaign, the PDA has continued to support pharmacy students and trainees as well as guiding qualified pharmacists with any issues that they may have faced in their working lives.
Below is a list of just some of the key achievements worth noting:
1. Medicines to Ukraine
The PDA has continued to work with various European pharmacist union partners to supply specialist medicines and deliver them to Ukrainian hospitals to aid in the ongoing humanitarian crisis. PDA Chairman and General Secretary of EPhEU, Mark Koziol, developed the ‘Medicines to Ukraine’ campaign with the collective efforts of organisations within EPhEU.
Since the launch of the ‘Medicines to Ukraine’ campaign, the PDA has taken the campaign to the capitals of all three British nations and secured support from parliamentarians from across the political spectrum.
2. PDA connects UK pharmacists to international colleagues by joining FIP
In September 2022, the Council of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) voted to welcome the PDA as a full member of the global federation of organisations that brings together and advances pharmacy. The PDA constantly seeks ways to provide even better support for PDA members and membership of FIP will give the PDA much more influence and will result in better outcomes for pharmacists.
3. PDA supports members at LloydsPharmacy
The PDA has continued to support PDA members at LloydsPharmacy following the decision to close all branches in Sainsbury’s stores before the end of 2023. Since the announcement, the PDA has had constant communication with affected members, held events to answer members’ queries and concerns, and sent PDA members at LloydsPharmacy an FAQ document regarding the closures at Sainsbury’s.
4. PDA aims to ‘protect the right to strike’
Following the UK government’s new anti-strike plans, which are unworkable and in breach of international law, the PDA supported the Trades Union Congress’ (TUC) national ‘protect the right to strike’ day on 1 February with a PDA member event. On the day PDA members met online as a show of solidarity and the PDA released an FAQ document on the right to strike.
5. PDA donations to Pharmacist Support pass £200,000
Since 2017, the PDA has had a national charity partnership with Pharmacist Support, the profession’s independent charity that provides a wide range of support services to pharmacists in Great Britain. The PDA gives £1 per member each year to Pharmacist Support and has now provided more than £200,000 in donations which can directly benefit pharmacists.
6. The PDA NAWP and BAME Networks announce their newly elected committees
In August of 2022, the PDA NAWP Network announced their newly elected committee following calls for nominations. Those elected were Ayah Abbass (President), Daniela Rusalim (Vice-president), and Wye Bing Chan (Honorary Secretary).
In November of 2022, the PDA BAME Network also announced their newly elected committee following calls for nominations during Black History Month 2022. Those elected were Sima Hassan (President), Wai Chan Lau (Vice-President), and Osariemen Egharevba-Buckman.
The networks lead the PDA’s activity to ensure equality and inclusion for women and BAME pharmacists. Each committee will serve for 2 years.
7. PDA conducts its annual Safer Pharmacies Survey
The PDA runs an annual Safer Pharmacies Survey which asks pharmacists across all areas of practice their experiences of health and safety in their workplace. The survey is based on the seven commitments found in the Safer Pharmacies Charter. The results of the November 2022 survey found that the main areas of concern raised include self-checking, having appropriate levels of staffing, and having the opportunity to take adequate rest breaks. All of which are vital elements to support the safe operation of the pharmacy and optimal patient care.
8. PDA supports trainee pharmacists through the GPhC assessment
The PDA has continued to support trainee pharmacists through the GPhC assessment from advice on when to withdraw or nullify, the appeals process, and hosting a revision programme for each assessment. The PDA also hosted a webinar where PDA Reps and newly qualified pharmacists shared their experiences and gave useful tips and advice to those who were due to sit the November 2022 assessment.
9. PDA LGBT+ Network supports LGBT+ inclusive education
In June 2022 the PDA LGBT+ Network launched a range of resources as part of an ongoing #LGBTplusMPharm campaign to update the curriculum at Schools of Pharmacy where LGBT+ inclusion is lacking. This included an action plan, case studies, and a resource list.
10. PDA signs the Disability Employment Charter
In July 2022 the PDA joined over 100 organisations including charities, trade unions, and others to sign the Disability Employment Charter. This is a document that provides the government with a road map for change as it develops the next phases of its National Disability Strategy.
Paul Day, PDA Director said, “The PDA has a proud history of supporting individual employed or student members that have been subject to mistreatment, by their employer or place of learning, relating to their disabilities. The PDA Ability Network is one of our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Networks through which we can also take proactive steps to prevent discrimination and create a better employment environment for all. As part of that work, we are pleased to sign the Disability Employment Charter.”
11. PDA supports pharmacy students
The PDA has a commitment to support pharmacy students and this commitment has continued over the last year. As part of this support, the PDA launched a ‘Taking the Stress out of Exams’ course. The course aimed to help students to learn to spot the signs of excessive stress and understand what can trigger feelings of stress. The PDA has lots of opportunities for MPharm students, including becoming a PDA Student Representative in their university.
12. PDA impacts on policy
The PDA speaks out on behalf of its members to make sure their voices are heard. This means that the PDA often responds to policies that affect the pharmacy industry. Over the last year, the PDA spoke out in support of locums and called on Health Secretaries and Ministers of Health to enable ‘special measures’ to protect patients from unnecessary pharmacy closures. The PDA also submitted a 17-page contribution to the commission on the future of pharmacy professional leadership.
When shaping policy, the PDA knows it’s important to be aware of their members’ opinions, and regularly canvas members’ opinions.
Celebrating #Pharmacy24 on social media
Over the course of the day, the PDA will be using the hashtag #Pharmacy24 across its various social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn) to share some of the ways that they are actively working to support PDA members and the profession.
Get involved
The PDA encourages pharmacists and PDA members to share their #Pharmacy24 posts on social media and to join the campaign by using this hashtag to promote the work of pharmacy teams and PDA Reps and member networks.
Learn more
- PDA take Medicines to Ukraine campaign to British parliaments (8/2/23)
- PDA joins International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) (23/9/22)
- PDA is supporting members impacted by LloydsPharmacy’s decision to close all branches in Sainsbury’s stores (19/1/23)
- PDA members meet online in support of national ‘protect the right to strike’ day (23/2/23)
- PDA donations to Pharmacist Support pass £200,000 (21/2/23)
- Meet the newly elected PDA NAWP Committee 2022 (25/8/22)
- Meet the newly elected PDA BAME Committee 2022 (30/11/22)
- Safer Pharmacies Charter
- PDA’s Safer Pharmacies Survey 2022 (7/3/23)
- Revision programme for those sitting the June 2023 assessment
- PDA LGBT+ Network launch resources to support LGBT+ inclusive education (2/6/22)
- The PDA sign the Disability Employment Charter (22/7/22)
- Taking the Stress out of Exams (11/11/22)
- Locums report being told to reduce agreed shift rates or be cancelled (19/7/22)
- PDA responds to Commission on Professional Leadership (16/11/22)
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.