Pharmacist Support
Working for Pharmacists and their Families
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Press Release: Credit crunch is a bitter pill to swallow for pharmacists
3rd April 2009The UK’s pharmacists are a valued resource, providing help, advice and treatments to an ever-demanding public. But as the credit crunch takes its toll on the nation, many pharmacists are fighting to keep their heads above water.
Numerous independent and small multiple community pharmacists have substantial loans to facilitate the running of their businesses, and are working long hours (often without breaks) to get the work done. Couple this with additional financial stresses placed on pharmacists through recent changes in NHS remuneration and increased workload, and pharmacists everywhere are feeling the pressure.
As a result, Pharmacist Support, the UK’s leading independent welfare charity for pharmacists, has seen call volume to its ‘Listening Friends’ stress helpline increase considerably over the last twelve month – calls to the service were up by 60 per cent on 2007. The Charity has also seen a significant rise in the number of new applications for financial grants – 30 new cases were opened in 2008, the largest number in the recent history of the Charity.
In response to a recent survey of over 1000 pharmacists undertaken by Pharmacist Support, the Charity launched a new specialist advice service offering guidance on debt, employment and benefit issues, which is already proving to be extremely valuable support mechanism to pharmacists and their families. Debt advice has been provided to pharmacists who own small businesses and affordable payments for priority debts have been established. Payments of £ 280,000 worth of unsecured personal debts have also been renegotiated since the service began in September 2008.
David Qualter, Manager of Pharmacist Support, comments: “The tough economic climate is impacting heavily on pharmacists everywhere due to mounting financial pressures, increasing demands on their services and other external threats, such as government rulings.
“Pharmacists are a valuable asset to the UK public who in the time-precious environment we now live in are calling upon their services more and more. As individuals no longer have the time to visit their GP, they are turning instead to their local pharmacists for advice.
“At Pharmacist Support, we provide the necessary help and support to aid those in the profession through any difficult times they may face to enable them to continue with the invaluable work they do in the community.”
As an independent charitable organisation working for pharmacists and their families, Pharmacist Support provides confidential, financial and pastoral support in times of need. Formerly known as the Benevolent Fund of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB), the charitable organisation recently re-launched as Pharmacist Support with the aim of developing its range of services to meet the needs of the modern, 21st century pharmacist. The re-brand reflects the increasing level of pastoral care the organisation is called upon to provide, and has led to the extension of the charity’s support services to include advice on benefits, debt and employment.
With economic uncertainty and increasing time pressures, stress levels in this country are on the up and pharmacists are going to have to be on-hand – not only as a sounding board for concerned individuals – but also to offer over the counter stress-relief solutions, including hair-loss remedies*. Pharmacists, who are themselves under stress, contribute significantly to the health and well being of the public and the services of Pharmacist Support could prove invaluable not only to pharmacists, but also to the UK as a whole.
*www.responsesource.co.uk
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 (RPSGB), 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.
· In 2006, the Council of the Society appointed a board of eight individuals to act as trustees of the Charity. The trustees are independent of the Society to keep the potential for conflict of interest to a minimum, and to ensure ‘best practice’ in relation to the governance and administration of the charitable fund.
General Helpline
0808 168 2233
Listening Friends
0808 168 5133
The Pharmacist Health
Support Programme
0808 168 5132
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