It has been a busy year for Pharmacist Support (the former Benevolent Fund of the RPSGB). A re-brand exercise following focus group research with over 1,000 pharmacists and a welcome extension of its services, have signified momentous change for the charity.

In 2008 the charity set itself a target to raise awareness of its services and to increase the assistance available to pharmacists and their families. Recognising that this could only be done with radical change, the charity took a major step, changing its name and image to ensure it is in tune with needs of pharmacists’ in the 21st century.

A new website www.pharmacistsupport.org was launched to help the charity to engage with a younger audience, and as a result, over the course of a year the amount of financial assistance provided to 30 to 45 year olds has more than doubled.

The downturn in the economy has seen the charity lend a hand to many new cases, including pharmacists who have previously not needed to tap into what Pharmacist Support has to offer. Many enquiries have been driven by financial worries, and the charity has acted as a confidential sounding board offering invaluable advice to pharmacists that have needed it most during these tough trading times.

As a direct result of the current economic climate, the charity saw a marked increase in calls to its dedicated Listening Friends helpline which offers a confidential listening service to pharmacists experiencing stress. In 2008, the service helped almost 100 new clients and received over 300 calls – a 60% increase on 2007. The expansion of support services to include specialist advice on benefits, debt and employment law has already proven extremely valuable. Since launching in September 2008, Pharmacist Support has renegotiated £250,000 of pharmacist debt, secured £18,200 in additional welfare benefits and assisted pharmacists with mortgage arrears avoiding repossession of their homes.

The number of people assisted by the charity over the year was up 45% and the amount of grant aid awarded increased by 50% – reflecting the increasingly high levels of debt that many pharmacists and their families now face.

Commenting on the year, David Thomson, Chair of the Board of Trustees says: “This report highlights the positive impact the charity has had on the lives of many people during this period of economic decline, however, new challenges lie ahead.

“The separation of the RPSGB into a new professional leadership body for pharmacy, alongside a new regulatory body, as part of a fundamental modernisation of the pharmacy profession, will bring significant changes to pharmacists everywhere. While we look forward to working collaboratively with the new body and other pharmacy organisations, our priority will remain to ensure that we continue to provide the support that today’s pharmacists need.”

Among the priorities for Pharmacist Support in 2009 are; to grow awareness of its services to ensure it reaches a diverse range of pharmacists, develop stronger links with partner organisations, increase the pool of volunteers and develop a fundraising strategy for the longer term to safeguard the charity’s services moving forward.

Click here to download your copy of the 2008 Annual Report, or contact us at info@pharmacistsupport.org, 0808 168 2233 and we will post a copy out to you.

ENDS
Notes to Editors

• For further information please visit http://www.pharmacistsupport.org
• Pharmacist Support is the country’s leading independent welfare charity for pharmacists and is funded by donations from pharmacists.
• Pharmacist Support was previously known as The Benevolent Fund of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, and was re-launched in 2008 to reflect the modern day needs of today’s pharmacists.
• Pharmacist Support’s services are available to all pharmacists and their dependents, pharmacy students and those retired from the profession.
• The charity provides confidential advice and support with issues relating to stress, welfare and finance.
• All services are FREE of charge and include; Listening Friends, Signposting, Home Visiting, Grants and Financial Assistance, Specialist Advice Services and the Pharmacist Health Support Programme
• Many of the services offered are delivered directly by experienced volunteer pharmacists located throughout Great Britain. Due to a shared professional background, these volunteers are uniquely positioned to be able to understand the specific pressures pharmacists and their families face.
• Calls to the charity’s Listening Friends service – a free listening service for pharmacists suffering from stress – jumped from 193 calls in 2007 to 309 in 2008. This is reflective of the increasing pressures facing pharmacists today.