Nine out of 10 pharmacists feel their workload has increased over the past year, a C+D poll has revealed.

Pharmacists blamed pressures to deliver services and a rise in paperwork for the results of the poll, conducted ahead of the launch of this year's C+D Salary Survey today (October 2).

Ninety per cent of the 98 respondents to the poll, which was carried out between September 26 and 30, said their workload had increased during the past year. Only 7 per cent said it had stayed the same and 3 per cent felt their workload had improved since the previous year.  

Sandra Gidley, locum and vice-chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's English Pharmacy Board, told C+D that staff cutbacks had led to some pharmacists being "up to their eyes" in work.

The pharmacy workforce was "very demoralised", said Ms Gidley, who pointed to uncertainty over jobs and pressure to provide services such as MURs and the NMS. This added pressure could lead to more incidents of patient harm as pharmacists were more likely to make a mistake under stressful conditions, she added.  

Martin Bennett, managing director of Wicker Pharmacy in Sheffield, said stock shortages and the expectation to provide an extended range of services – such as flu vaccinations – had led to an increased workload for his employees.

To counterbalance this, Mr Bennett said he was careful to ensure there was an adequate number of staff working at any one time and avoid setting unnecessary targets, he told C+D.

Al Patel, owner of Lee Pharmacy in Lewisham, said a rise in "unnecessary" paperwork resulting from consultations and health campaigns was the source of the increased workload. This data entry reduced the amount of time pharmacists could spend with patients, he told C+D.

Last year's Salary Survey revealed that most readers felt their jobs impacted on family life to some extent, with some reporting they had been unable to start a family due to work commitments.

The problem appeared to be most serious among contractors, 60 per cent of whom said work got in the way of their personal lives "a lot"

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The C+D Salary Survey gives you the chance to compare your pay and conditions with your peers. Take part in the survey to be in with a chance to win a Kindle Fire.

For full details visit: chemistanddruggist.co.uk/salary-survey-2015.

	What should be done to make pharmacists' workloads more manageable?