The campaign, which coincides with Mental Health Awareness Week (May 18-24), aims to raise awareness of the “importance of wellbeing and encourage positive action”.

Through the ACTNow campaign, pharmacists and pharmacy students are being urged to look after their own mental health and make sure they check in on their colleagues in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Pharmacists can access a range of resources, including learning posters, modules, videos and tips on a dedicated website, which will be available until the end of August.

Pharmacist Support is also encouraging pharmacists to share their career journey in a bid to “highlight some of the interesting ways people’s lives and jobs have changed since the COVID-19 outbreak”.

“By encouraging people to open up about the things they’ve struggled with and that they’ve learnt about themselves in the process, the charity hopes to give others – who may feel overwhelmed and out of their comfort zone – the reassurance they need that they are not alone,” the charity said.   

“Incredibly pressured times”

Pharmacist Support chief executive Danielle Hunt said pharmacists are currently facing “incredibly pressured times”.

“We know that those in the pharmacy profession are always there for others. Here at Pharmacist Support we want to be there them,” Ms Hunt added.

“Now more than ever,we feel we all need to work together to support the profession through this challenging time.”

Commenting on the campaign, Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee (PSNC) chief executive Simon Dukes said: "Health professionals need to be able to talk about mental health and wellbeing. In the midst of a global pandemic all NHS service providers are under unprecedented pressure, and no sector more so than those working every day on the front line in community pharmacy".

"PSNC is pleased to support this campaign to raise awareness of the importance of pharmacy teams looking after their own wellbeing. Pharmacists and their teams are going above and beyond to care for their patients, and we hope this campaign will also help them to think about their own health," he added.

For more information, visit the Pharmacist Support website.