Community pharmacy is evolving and the Expert Taskforce recommendations to support the expansion of the role of pharmacists in Ireland will come into effect over the coming months and years.

It is essential community pharmacists, and their teams, create a positive pharmacy practice to reduce stress and burnout as change comes.

The PSI’s Workforce Intelligence Report (2022) stated that 93 per cent of community pharmacists indicated that stress was a common feature of their role. Managing stress at work can be challenging, but it is important that we prioritise a positive working environment and a positive attitude, as psychological safety and optimism are predictors of burnout.

A positive pharmacy practice creates a positive environment that fosters a patient safety culture. Everyone within the team counts and supports each other. Employers and employees are driven by a culture of mutual trust, fairness, respect, integrity, and equality.

Many factors causing workplace stress in community pharmacy are outside of our control for now, for example, excessive administration burden, schemes management etc. All committees of the IPU are working with stakeholders to reduce and improve these aspects of workplace stress, cognitive load and mental tiredness/burnout.

However, other factors like peer connection, training, time away from work, appropriate rest breaks and managing stress, are within our control.

Healthy habits like keeping active, eating well and being part of a social group all contribute to relieving stress and anxiety, as well as self-care techniques such as meditation, mindfulness, and journaling.

”Healthy habits like keeping active, eating well and being part of a social group all contribute to relieving stress and anxiety, as well as self-care techniques such as meditation, mindfulness, and journaling.”

IPU library of resources

The IPU has huge library of resources available to support community pharmacist employees and employers to create a positive practice.

Membership of the IPU gives you access to the VHI Employee Asistance Programme for yourself, your team and all those living in your household. It entitles you to free counselling sessions, manager supports such as manager coaching and career coaching, and access to a huge range of courses including parenting courses, assertiveness, stress management, maternity, managing menopause, managing retirement etc. As pharmacists, we have different needs at different stages of our career and life, and the IPU is there to help us along the way, independently of your employer.

The mental health and wellbeing section of the IPU members’ website also contains excellent supports. Séamus Ruane, a community pharmacist and positive psychology practitioner, has a series of articles and webinars on managing stress and mindfulness available here. There are also signposts to other organisations relevant to pharmacists, that can offer support, such as silver cloud (mental health and wellbeing courses) and health practitioner matters.

Also, contributing to a positive pharmacy practice is the set-up and organisation of the pharmacy workflow, something which you do have control over. The SMART pharmacy tab on the website has efficiency and best practice supports to help the smooth and efficient flow of the pharmacy. Delegation tools, phone call management supports and original pack dispensing guides and more, are available here.

All these supports are in addition to the useful everyday supports on SOPs, vaccinations, specialised drugs, complaints, FTP support, HR and tax, that are also available and easily accessible through the members’ area of the IPU website.

If you need support navigating the members’ area of the website, or are looking for something specific, please contact the Professional Services section of the IPU by emailing pharmacists@ipu.ie.