The Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists (GHP) are launching a campaign to support its members in achieving an increase in protected time dedicated to learning, development and training (where the need exists). This protected time should be recognized by employers and embedded in job plans.
Currently there is no consistency in the UK or within the four nations in terms of how much SPA time pharmacists are given. There is, however, a consistent amount of development that is required to allow pharmacists to be able to be safe practitioners, to meet the demands of service development, and to be able to safely mentor and supervise more junior colleagues. Many pharmacists end up doing unpaid work in order to catch up with the required training or end up completing self-learning in their own time. This pressure is unfair and unsustainable, potentially contributing to burnout and in combination with all the other pressures, leads to pharmacists leaving the NHS.
The GHP believes that there is a strongly justifiable argument for a minimum of 10% of contracted hours to be protected for SPA. This is to reflect the increase in professional responsibilities such as supervising junior colleagues with their prescribing, supporting undergraduate students, postgraduate education requirements, portfolio development, professional credentialing, and much more. The GHP believe that 10% is within the scope of trusts / health boards / employers to grant this time to pharmacists and indeed there are examples in other professions of where this 10% (or greater) is allowed.
If you would like support from the GHP in making the case in your workplace for more protected SPA time or would like to discuss the potential for such a campaign, please contact president@ghp.org.uk. We plan to host online seminars to which you are all invited to discuss this issue, and details for which will follow.
The GHP welcome your valuable thoughts and ideas and would like to work with you and your colleagues in the coming months to develop a strategy with the aim of attaining 10% protected time for SPA into our contracted hours.
Rob Connah (On behalf of Guild Council)
President – Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists, Unite the Union