Chief Executive’s Blog: February 2023
By PSNC Chief Executive Janet Morrison
Pharmacy Pressures Survey 2023: Your input truly matters
It’s hard to believe it’s been a little over a year since we launched the first Pharmacy Pressures Survey. Back then we were faced with an untenable situation in community pharmacy, with everyone struggling to cope with the continuous financial and operational pressures.
The survey results gave us an irrefutable picture of a sector in distress: a picture that we continue to use in our negotiations, influencing work, and with the national media.
But a year has passed, and unthinkably the situation is now far graver: community pharmacy has reached breaking point. This is why we have released the 2023 Pressures Survey and we’re asking everyone in community pharmacy to help once again with as many responses as possible.
What we do with the data
This is a nationwide survey that will give us important data for our negotiations and wider work. We will use the results to continue lobbying government for more investment in pharmacies and drawing national attention to the challenges in our sector via the media.
We will use them to support our arguments in discussions with officials as well as in public and Parliamentary forums. And we will use them as part of the #SaveOurPharmacies campaign on which we have partnered with the other national pharmacy organisations.
In short, the results of these Pressures Surveys will be put to maximum use – the more responses we can gather, the more impactful our data and arguments will be.
Why we need you
The strain on pharmacies at the moment is intolerable and we are fighting hard to increase pressure on the Government and NHS to urgently resolve the funding, workforce and capacity issues engulfing our sector. We are making sure Ministers know just how difficult it is right now, and we are doing everything in our power to persuade them to take action to help. There’s never been a more important time to share your views with us.
I know that filling out another survey is the last thing on anyone’s mind right now, but the findings of these surveys really are invaluable and we and others seek better outcomes for pharmacy.
Help us to highlight the pressures that pharmacy teams and pharmacy owners are facing; and ensure your views are represented in our work, by completing the surveys now. We need you to help us in making a difference, to help pharmacy get the backing it so desperately needs and deserves.
