The pharmacy team is being encouraged to take part in Pharmacist Support’s ACTNow campaign for 2026, targeting the wellbeing of pharmacists, trainees and students, and to inspire “positive action” towards healthier workplace environments in pharmacy.
The annual event, running from 2 to 15 November 2026, offers practical resources, guidance and information to promote positive workplace cultures and support healthier teams.
Pharmacist Support has announced two new initiatives for this year: the Essential 8 Wellbeing Framework and the Embracing a Workplace Wellbeing Culture Scheme.
The Essential 8 Wellbeing Framework introduces a range of actions that people working in pharmacy can take to support their mental health and wellbeing.The framework encourages pharmacists to “reflect on their wellbeing, build positive habits” and to “take small, manageable steps that work for them,” the charity said.
Melissa Cochrane, Wellbeing Development Senior Manager at Pharmacist Support, said the busy environment in pharmacy means there is not always enough time to focus on wellbeing.
“Pharmacists and their teams spend so much time caring for others that their own wellbeing can easily take a back seat. We also know that looking after your wellbeing isn't always easy, particularly when you're working in a demanding environment.
The eight key areas covered in the framework are: Connect, Be active, Be present, Keep learning, Give, Sleep well, Eat well and Build financial wellbeing.
The framework builds on Five Ways to Wellbeing produced by the New Economics Foundation that focuses on five themes around social relationships, physical activity, awareness, learning and giving.
Pharmacy organisations and employers can also look at what they can do towards improving wellbeing in the workplace using Pharmacist Support’s Embracing a Workplace Wellbeing Culture (EWWC) Scheme.
This allows organisations to “reflect on their existing practices, identify opportunities for improvement and take practical steps towards creating healthier, more supportive working environments,” said the charity.
Cochrane highlighted sleep, nutrition and financial wellbeing as areas that have been added to the wellbeing framework for pharmacy teams.
“With our Essential Eight framework, we've built on the established Five Ways to Wellbeing by recognising three additional areas that can have a real impact on how we feel – sleep, nutrition and financial wellbeing. We want to help people think about their wellbeing more holistically and recognise that even small changes can make a difference.
“Alongside this, our new EWWC scheme recognises the important role workplaces have in making wellbeing part of everyday working life. By introducing both initiatives through ACTNow, we want to inspire positive action across the profession, recognising that individual wellbeing and workplace culture go hand in hand.”
Get involved in Pharmacist ACTNow 2026
Pharmacist Support is inviting pharmacists, trainees, pharmacy teams and organisations across the profession to take part in this year's campaign and explore how they can make wellbeing a greater priority.
The ActNOW campaign is free to take part and is being supported this year by the Pharmacists' Defence Association (PDA) and Orion Pharma (UK) Ltd.
