Key Summary
- Above 40 percent of pharmacists said work has a negative impact on their health and wellbeing.
- Close to one-third of pharmacists said they have access to growth opportunities at work.
- Only around half have a three-month emergency savings buffer.
More than 40 percent of pharmacists said work has a significant negative impact on their health and wellbeing, and less than one-third feel they have meaningful career progression opportunities, according to a survey by Pharmacists’ Defence Association.
Its latest Workplace Wellbeing & Culture Survey also reveals that only around half have a three-month emergency savings buffer, showing weak financial resilience across the profession.
Most respondents said they have access to the basic tools and training needed to do their job, but lack protected learning time.
A healthy working environment is lacking as many pharmacists reported that they regularly miss breaks or work beyond their contracted hours.
Additionally, the survey revealed that:
- Only 1 in 3 feels encouraged to discuss their wellbeing at work.
- Only 1 in 4 say their workplace assesses how working arrangements affect wellbeing.
- Only 1 in 5 believe line managers are trained to support wellbeing.
- Only 1 in 10 sees any visible action after staff feedback is collected.
Community pharmacists represented 68.5 percent of respondents, but experienced the lowest levels of support across almost every measure.
The survey received responses from almost 1,100 pharmacists. It highlights the issues faced by pharmacists including heavy workloads, staffing shortages, and limited opportunities for rest were common themes.
All these challenges exist against the backdrop of existing difficult conditions for pharmacies, including the Middle East conflict, medicine shortage, and increasingly aggressive responses from patients.
Alongside ongoing workload pressures, this raises continuing concerns about retention and the long-term sustainability of the workforce.
