Action needed now to meet future demand for pharmacists' services
Action is needed now to ensure that the future pharmacy workforce will be adequate to meet the demand for pharmacy services, according to a report commissioned by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
The report, by researchers from King’s College London, is based
on the development of a workforce model for use as a flexible planning
tool within which to test the impact of changes in the assumptions of
supply and demand. Based on information derived from the Society’s
pharmacy workforce censuses of 2002 and 2003, the model indicates that
the demand for pharmacists’ services will continue to outstrip
increases in the supply of pharmacists for the foreseeable future unless
action is taken to change the supply of
pharmacists, the demand for their services and/or the way in which they
are used.
The report makes a number of recommendations to address the problem.
They include the following:
• The attractions of a career in pharmacy should be highlighted through
a promotional campaign.
• The Society should work with universities and employers to promote
the range of careers option in pharmacy.
• The Society should work with universities and employers to expand preregistration
places and improve preregistration training.
• Employers should pay attention to job design, professional development,
the breadth and challenge of pharmacy roles, the changing ethnic and
gender mix of the workforce and employment flexibility.
• There should be a national “return-to-pharmacy” campaign
and more “return-to-practice” refresher courses.
• The recruitment and retention of academic pharmacists should be investigated
to explore issues such as role allocation, reward systems and joint appointments.
• Entry to the profession other than through a pharmacy degree should
be investigated.
• Dependence on pharmacists should be reduced through greater use of
skill-mix, greater use of technology and increased efficiency in the
dispensing process.
• To increase the attractiveness of community pharmacy and help raise
morale and retention, the Society should promote the pharmacist’s
advisory role, monitor its
impact and highlight examples of good practice.
• The management of employment relations and the “psychological
contract” should be improved to help increase commitment and retention.
The report, “Future pharmacy workforce requirements: workforce
modelling and policy recommendations”, was commissioned by the
Society’s Pharmacy Workforce Planning and Policy Advisory Group,
on behalf of the chief pharmacists for England, Scotland and Wales. The
work was led by David Guest, professor of organisational psychology and
human resource management at King’s College London.
Sue Ambler, head of research and development at the Society, said: “The
study aimed to develop a proactive and responsive workforce and modelling
system for analysing future workforce needs in pharmacy, and the model
will be updated with new data and emerging policy scenarios, providing
a vital planning tool for the future of the profession.’’
The report is available in three forms: a 14-page executive report, a
two-page technical summary and a two-volume full research report. They
can be found on the Society’s website by
clicking the “Download documents” link on the homepage and then looking
under “research”. Alternatively, copies of the report can
be obtained by contacting Dr Ambler (e-mail sue.ambler@rpsgb.org). |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal