Hospital pharmacists account for 21 per cent of active work force,
census says
Figures from the pharmacy workforce census carried out in late 2003 show that 21 per cent of active pharmacists work in the hospital sector, according to Karen Hassell, senior research fellow at the University of Manchester centre for pharmacy workforce studies.
Dr Hassell presented the results
of the census to the Royal Pharmaceutical
Society’s Council at its October meeting. She explained that “active
pharmacist” means those who are registered with the Society and
are working (in any occupation). “Inactive pharmacists” accounted
for 16.6 per cent of the register, she said. The 21 per cent figure represents
a slight increase on the last time the census was done.
The data also show that relatively few hospital pharmacists work part
time — 25 per cent, as compared with 36 per cent of community pharmacists.
Dr Hassell said that this is particularly interesting, since women dominate
the hospital sector, but there is less part-time working. Figures for
part-time working in primary care are similar to those in the community,
Dr Hassell added.
Tony West, Chief Pharmacist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation
Trust and President of the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists told Hospital
Pharmacist: “These data highlight that hospital pharmacists form
a significant proportion of the active register. Taken together with
the primary care pharmacists it is likely that more than a quarter of
the active register are working within the managed side of the NHS. It
is essential that the Society ensures it understands the issues these
pharmacists have.” Reflecting on part-time working, he added: “I
regard a figure of 25 per cent of hospital pharmacists working part-time
as positive. Comparisons of this figure with the community sector may
be misleading as service drivers are different.”
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Hospital Pharmacist