The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) has expressed concern over the findings of a Community Pharmacy England (CPE) survey on racism, violence and abuse experienced by pharmacy teams.
In a joint statement, GPhC chair Gisela Abbam and chief executive Kathie Cashell have called for robust action against such incidents and increasing safety measures for pharmacy teams.
“Community Pharmacy England’s survey highlights the appalling scale of racism, violence and abuse being experienced by pharmacy teams across England.
“Pharmacy teams across Great Britain are working hard to provide a vital service to the public and there must be zero tolerance of abuse, violence or racism, and robust action in response to any incidents.
“We urge pharmacy owners and other employers to urgently consider whether there are any further steps they should take to reduce the risk of pharmacy team members experiencing abuse, violence or racism. This could include making sure that pharmacy staff are not asked to work alone because of potential risks to their safety, as well as the safety of patients and the public.
“Employers should also highlight to staff members the support available to help them to protect their health and well-being. This could include support offered by Pharmacist Support, the independent charity, and by the NHS in each country. Community Pharmacy England has highlighted where pharmacy teams in England can access wellbeing support on its website.
“The GPhC is committed to working against all aspects of racism, discrimination and abuse, and will work with Community Pharmacy England and other key organisations across England, Scotland and Wales to consider what actions we can all take to support and protect pharmacy teams.
“Our regulatory standards and guidance are there to help safeguard pharmacy staff, as well as patients and members of the public.”
The survey found that one in five (21 percent) pharmacies face verbal abuse daily, while three out of four (75 percent) experience it weekly.
Pharmacy teams face intimidation, racist, religious, sexist, misogynistic, homophobic, and xenophobic abuse, including personal insults, slurs, belittling comments, and microaggressions based on appearance, accent, or identity are other disturbing experiences undergone by the pharmacy teams.
While physical attacks are less frequent (6 percent), they are very violent, ranging from strangulation, pushing, punching, objects being thrown, to attacks after closing time.
Prescription delays, medicine shortages, NHS interface failures, and service eligibility rules outside pharmacy control often lead to physical attacks.
Many cases often go underreported due to fear or reluctance to escalate situations, meaning the true scale of the problem is likely greater, the CPE survey had observed.
