With threats of strikes happening all over the healthcare sector and even you local postie, why is that you never hear of pharmacists striking?
As a pharmacist myself, I genuinely believe we cannot. We are the only healthcare profession that kept its doors open during a pandemic and are patient facing. Most patients come to us after being turned away from many other places, so how can we turn them away again? Not only are you trying to help them with their medical needs but also handle their emotions as they often come to you angry due to their frustrations. The pharmacy sector is already so stretched due to other professions striking such as nurses and doctors which adds further pressure on the ones who are staying put. So pharmacists do feel they cant strike even although their working conditions justify this action.
Another reason why as a pharmacist I feel that taking industrial action isn’t an option is due our professional standards that we are bound by as professions – how can we justify leaving patients without their medication? We already feel the brunt of patients frustrations and this would see them being left even more helpless and angry. Pharmacists have spent years working withing a local community and building trusting relationships their patients and so feel they cannot et them down. Furthermore, taking industrial actions means we breach of contracts of providing pharmaceutical care if we were not showing up to work. Pharmacists are really resilient professionals and continue regardless of the stressful environment and increasing workload and pressure. Covid-19 is still being used as an excuse by other healthcare professionals as to why they cant see patients and refer them to the pharmacy which simply increases our workload. I think there definitely needs to be more discussions to help support the workload in pharmacy and hold accountable the ones who aren’t doing their part in the healthcare sector. But until then, I don’t see pharmacist’s workload and pressure becoming easier nor them having the opportunity to strike and demand better working conditions.