2022 was the year a climate emergency was officially declared. Climate change impacts all of us; pharmacists, our practice, our patients, our families, and our planet.
Though the causes and solutions to this issue are not exclusively within the boundaries of pharmacy or of the workplace, it is the responsibility of every organisation and each individual to play their part in recognising and taking effective action on the issue. Doing that ourselves is a highlight.
Read more: Meet the pharmacies striving for a more environmentally friendly, greener sector
This year also saw the campaign to protect our pharmacists in their own workplaces step up a gear.
The now-annual Safer Pharmacies Survey reflects pharmacists direct experience of basic safety measures and this iteration showed that conditions and safety measures have worsened, highlighting the challenging and unsafe environments that some pharmacists are working in. The 2022 survey is now open and the results will be announced in early 2023.
Through our membership of European Association of Employed community Pharmacists in Europe (EPhEU), we have led the efforts of pharmacists to get the right medicines to Ukraine following the invasion of that country by Russia.
Fundraising across Europe by EPhEU affiliated organisations has raised hundreds of thousands of Pounds and has delivered a contribution of what is needed.
Read more: Russia-Ukraine war: UK pharmacies and wholesalers mobilise to aid civilians
Ensuring the interests of employed and locum pharmacists are represented has also assumed more significance this year. It is vital to champion their desire to put patient care and safety before anything else.
Ensuring these interests are represented has included responding to unnecessary pharmacy closures, violence against pharmacists, prescription charges, the commission into pharmacy leadership, risks associated to and with artificial intelligence and online prescribing and much, much more.