One in three pharmacies considered closing due to safety concerns, and 13% of pharmacy teams faced racist comments last week
A snap survey conducted by the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) revealed that over half of community pharmacy teams have felt unsafe in the past week due to ongoing riots across the country.
The survey, which included responses from approximately 350 community pharmacies, also found that one in three pharmacies had considered closing because of safety concerns, while 13 per cent of pharmacy teams reported experiencing racist comments during this period.
According to the NPA, over 40 per cent of pharmacists are of South Asian, Black, or other ethnic minority backgrounds, with the majority of independent community pharmacy owners believed to be of South Asian heritage.
The association reports that businesses had been vandalised during the riots, leading some pharmacies to reduce their opening hours or close entirely, following advice from the police and local authorities.
Despite a recent decline in disorder over the last few days, police have been advised to remain on high alert over the weekend.
Paul Rees, chief executive of the NPA, said: “The last two weeks have been tough for so many people working in community pharmacy – especially for those who are of South Asian heritage, black or from other ethnic minorities.
“We should not expect community pharmacy teams, under any circumstances, to accept being subjected to intimidation, harassment, racism or Islmaphobic abuse.”
Paul urges pharmacies to adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards abusive, racist, or Islamophobic behaviour, and contact the police if patients exhibit such conduct.
“In line with Wes Streeting’s comments earlier this week about the abuse of NHS staff, we would encourage pharmacies to take a zero-tolerance approach towards patients who behave in this way – and would advise them to turn people away who are being abusive, racist or Islamophobic and contact the police,” he stated.
Paul announced that, as Chief Executive of the National Pharmacy Association, he would be attending one of the Stand Up To Racism events in Oxford tomorrow, 10 August.
He emphasised the crucial role of pharmacy teams and affirmed their commitment to providing support during this challenging time.
“Pharmacies are the heart of their communities and as the front door of the NHS have been particularly vulnerable to a rise in violence and intimidation in the last few weeks.
“We are immensely proud of the diversity of pharmacy contractors and their teams and are doing all we can to support them at this time,” he added.
Pharmacist Jaya Pathak shared that she faced abuse from a patient after refusing to answer a question about her religion and subsequently turned the patient away.
“I got called a p*ki by a patient in the pharmacy who told me she didn’t want me to serve her since I didn’t respond to her question asking what religion I am. Nothing life-threatening, so yes I turned her away. We should not be expected to tolerate racial abuse. End of,” she posted on X (formerly Twitter).
I got called a p*ki by a patient in the pharmacy who told me she didn’t want me to serve her since I didn’t respond to her question asking what religion I am. Nothing life-threatening, so yes I turned her away. We should not be expected to tolerate racial abuse. End of. https://t.co/WqJgL3lc8N
— Jaya Pathak (@jayapathak_) August 7, 2024
Health Secretary Wes Streeting recently stated that people who are racist to NHS staff ‘can and should’ be turned away from care.
His statement followed the attack on two Filipino nurses in Sunderland during far-right riots.
During a visit to the Leeds Cancer Centre, Streeting said that government will not tolerate the continuation of “mindless thuggery” by far-right agitators in the country.
“I will not tolerate, under any circumstances, NHS or social care staff in any health or care setting being subjected to intimidation, harassment or racist abuse.
“We have a zero tolerance policy in the NHS and we’ll take a zero tolerance approach in social care too,” he added.
