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A workplace wellbeing course for pharmacy managers and leaders has been launched by the charity Pharmacist Support.
The course — ‘Embracing a workplace wellbeing culture’ — has been developed with the aim of equipping pharmacy professionals with the knowledge and tools to foster a positive and supportive workplace culture, offering practical strategies to improve team wellbeing and performance.
The six-module course, designed to address industry-specific challenges and provide research-based solutions, will be open to registrants from 15 January 2024.
The modules — which include how to create a positive workplace culture, workplace adjustments and structures to support wellbeing, and building resilience within an organisation — will be available online and can be completed at a time of the participant’s choosing.
Melissa Cochrane, wellbeing development manager at Pharmacist Support, said: “A supportive line manager can make a huge difference in terms of wellbeing in the workplace. However, the reality is that many managers are promoted because of their job-based skills but have not been trained in mental health and wellbeing and may not have the interpersonal skills to manage these issues sensitively.”
In November 2022, an update to RPS hospital standards included calls for ensuring a healthy work-life balance for pharmacists for the first time.
A report, jointly published by Pharmacist Support and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) in October 2023, revealed that workplace stress levels were rising among pharmacists and subsequently called for burnout among pharmacy professionals to be addressed at a “systemic level”.
Heidi Wright, policy and practice lead at the RPS, added: “We’ve seen from our ‘Workforce wellbeing roundatable report‘ with Pharmacist Support that the whole pharmacy workforce across every setting has been under intense pressure for some years now, which takes its toll on individuals.
“This initiative will help pharmacy managers and leaders with the necessary knowledge and tools to empower professionals in the pharmacy sector and create a positive and supportive workplace culture.”
