EXCLUSIVE

Pharmacy will not be “significantly impacted” by the junior doctors' strike next month, the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) believes.

Junior doctors in England plan to show their opposition to government plans for a new contract by providing emergency services only on December 1, and conducting “full walkouts” on December 8 and 16, the British Medical Association (BMA) announced yesterday (November 19).

The RPS told C+D that it will not be issuing guidance on how pharmacists could be affected by the strikes.

Avicenna chief executive Salim Jetha said the “biggest impact” will be on GP surgeries. “We should work with them in advance of the strike to plan for potential challenges arising, such as repeat prescriptions,” he said.

“To reduce unnecessary admissions to A&E, it also makes sense for pharmacists to promote flu vaccinations and the minor ailments scheme where applicable,” he added.

"Inevitable impact on creaking NHS"

Pharmacist Johnathan Laird said he hopes the strike will not affect the sector to a “great extent”. “That said, it’s unprecedented so impact on a creaking NHS is inevitable,” he told C+D.

Pharmacist Cathy Cooke said the strike could result in the sector fielding more questions from patients, if discharges from hospital are delayed and elective treatments are cancelled.

BMA council chair Mark Porter said the union regrets the "inevitable disruption" the strikes will cause, while NHS England said hospitals and other services are “drawing up contingency plans”. 

As well as junior doctors in hospitals, those training in GP practices will also be taking part in the strike. The BMA stressed that these trainee roles are an addition to practices' full-time staff and so the strike should not “affect the effective running” of these practices.

The last time doctors went on strike was in 2012, when GPs conducted a 24-hour walkout in protest over proposed changes to their NHS pensions.

How do you think the strikes will affect your pharmacy?

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