Pharmacist Support reveals new wellbeing course for managers
The sector’s charity will next week launch a new course created to train pharmacy managers in mental health and wellbeing strategies, it has announced.
Pharmacist Support yesterday (January 9) revealed that its new “embracing a workplace wellbeing culture” course will open to registrants from January 15.
The flexible online course is designed to support “current and aspiring pharmacy managers and leaders” in creating a more “positive and supportive” work environment to tackle burnout in the sector, it said.
It aims to use research-driven insights to address the “unique challenges” faced by the sector to provide managers with “practical strategies” they can implement “immediately” to improve employee “wellbeing and performance”, the charity added.
The “groundbreaking” course includes six hour-long modules covering topics such as the “early warning signs” of mental health difficulties, language in workplace relationships and the role of leaders in supporting their employees, according to the charity’s website.
Participants who enrol before February 29 can access the course at a discounted price of £180, Pharmacist Support said.
“Consistently high burnout”
“Our joint annual workforce wellbeing surveys with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) show that the pressures on the pharmacy workforce continue to negatively impact on mental health and wellbeing,” Pharmacist Support chief executive Danielle Hunt, pictured above, said.
She added that the research points to “consistently very high levels of burnout”, alongside a lack of work-life balance, protected learning time and support from colleagues or managers.
Read more: How to motivate your pharmacy team
Wellbeing development manager at Pharmacist Support, Melissa Cochrane, pointed to the fact that many pharmacy managers “have not been trained in mental health and wellbeing” as a reason why employees might not feel supported at work.
“In today's dynamic pharmacy landscape, effective leadership is not just about managing operations - it's also about nurturing the wellbeing of your team,” she said.
Pharmacist Support is an independent charity for pharmacists and their families, former pharmacists, trainees and pharmacy students, and is funded by donations from pharmacists and pharmacy organisations.
It comes as the pharmacy union this week criticised a joint letter issued by the regulator and NHS chief pharmaceutical officer (CPhO), saying that their approach may “endanger” the wellbeing of pharmacists.
