PHARMACIST SHORTAGE


thE rEcEnt ‘gpS In DangEr of collapSIng UnDEr WorKloaD crISIS’ programmE haD northErn IrElanD (nI) patIEntS looKIng aghaSt at thE ScrEEn aS gp lEaDErS SUch aS Dr tom blacK talKED aboUt thE crISIS facIng thE proVIncE’S SUrgErIES. WE can onlY WaIt WIth batED brEath for thE folloW-Up - ‘nI commUnItY pharmacY facIng WorKforcE crISIS’. aS pIf DIScoVErED, WE maY bE WaItIng for SomE tImE…


Workforce: it’s all in the planning… or lack of it! a


ccording to the dictionary, workforce planning is a ‘continual process used to


align the needs and priorities of an organisation with those of its workforce to ensure it can meet its legislative, regulatory, service and production requirements and organisational objectives’.


those involved in the workforce planning for nI’s practice-based pharmacists (pbps) have done a great job, with the first tranche of 100 now in post.


Unfortunately, those involved in workforce planning for the province’s community pharmacies are now having to pick up the pieces and work out how to take forward a profession that has been somewhat decimated by the exodus of pharmacists into these posts and out of the nI workforce, and which will potentially face further decimation if the Department of health’s plan for 350 is executed in the near future.


In his welcome to this issue (page 27), cliff mcElhinney, president of the Ulster chemists’ association refers to a meeting which he recently had with the chief pharmaceutical officer, Dr mark timoney.


‘I listened,’ cliff said, ‘as mark explained how a workforce and skills/needs assessment has been instigated by the Department. the


20 - pharmacY In focUS


realisation that the problem is acute was acknowledged, along with the long-term implications for recruitment in community and primary care pharmacy.’


now that’s all very well - and to be welcomed - but pif recently spoke to quite a few pharmacists, who are suffering badly from the dearth of available pharmacists and pharmacy managers.


to make matters worse, the ‘workforce and skills/needs assessment’ referred to will take up to 18 months to complete, so there’s no sign of bridging the gap any time soon.


While the pharmaceutical Society of northern Ireland (pSnI) reckons that there are currently 2000+ ‘available pharmacists’, when you actually drill that number down and remove those who are working in academia, those who are part time, and those who are off on maternity, the ‘numbers available’ don’t actually translate to anywhere near 2000+ working.


two years ago, nI community pharmacy was weighed down by an over-supply of qualified pharmacists. at that time there was also talk of the health and Social care board closing, so the pertinent question two years ago was - ‘What will we do with all of these pharmacists?’


of the 175 who sat the exams this year, a high number were overseas students, who will undoubtedly return home, while many new to the register have already found jobs.


the announcement by the Department of the recruitment of a practice-based pharmacist (pbp) for each gp surgery in nI (approximately 350) seemed to provide a solution to the over-supply problem.


problEm SolVED Except that (a) the health & Social board is still in existence and (b) many pharmacists made the decision to leave northern Ireland - to gb, roI or even further afield.


When you factor in that the community pharmacy workforce is female-heavy and carries the burden of maternity leave, nI community pharmacy is now suffering the greatest threat it has ever faced in terms of manpower supply.


and it can only get worse! We’re told a new pharmacy contract is imminent, bringing with it new services to deliver. on top of the 100 pbps already recruited, the fact that hScb is still seeking to place one whole-time equivalent pharmacist in every gp surgery in nI means that another 250 pharmacists have to be found!


one wonders where they will be coming from. Short of cloning the


current pharmacy cohort - or knitting them - the province is facing a pharmacy crisis!


When you look at the situation, the simple fact is that the board didn’t close, and the practice rates are too good - so community pharmacy is likely to take the hit.


according to many of the community pharmacists we spoke to, the hScb is either going to have to pause or slow down on its recruitment of pbps. by stripping out experienced pharmacists, we are leaving younger or newly-qualified pharmacists without mentors to help develop their skills.


While ‘fresh blood’ is to be welcomed into pharmacies, the exodus of experienced hospital pharmacists from community pharmacy is bound to have an adverse effect, as it would in any sector.


hoW IS nI commUnItY pharmacY to copE In thE mEantImE? In the last year, tyrone-based contractor, liam bradley, has experienced the shortage of pharmacists at first hand. Since the pbps were appointed, liam has lost three experienced managers out of a total of eight - with all three moving into gp practices. to date he has managed to replace one with another


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