Security and personal safety
Published on: 18th October 2022 | Updated on: 18th October 2022
Pharmacy contractors and their teams do, unfortunately, experience circumstances where members of the public are abusive to them or there are security incidents at the pharmacy.
We know the damaging impact that violence, abuse, and harassment can have on people’s health and wellbeing, affecting both mental and physical health. Community Pharmacy England and the other national pharmacy bodies have had discussions with senior police representatives regarding the safety of community pharmacy teams and premises.
The National Police Chiefs’ Council has issued the following guidance for community pharmacy teams, which was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, but which is still valid:
Security advice for pharmacies during the pandemic (summary)
Security advice for pharmacies during the pandemic
Key contacts for police services
LPCs may also be able to raise any security concerns with local police forces and the Police and Crime Commissioner.
General Pharmaceutical Council statement on abuse and violence experienced by pharmacy teams
NHS England primary care staff respect materials (October 2022)
NHS England has published a suite of downloadable materials for use by primary care staff to encourage patients to treat NHS staff with respect. They feature NHS staff working in a range of different NHS settings, including pharmacy, carrying the message ‘We are here to help you. Thank you for treating us with respect’. They have been produced with staff, stakeholders, and patient groups to support NHS teams to reduce abuse and violence against staff.
The materials include posters featuring groups of NHS staff and individuals, social media graphics and digital screen graphics for waiting areas.
A poster template is also available which allows community pharmacy teams to feature photographs of their own staff with the same messages.
Download the NHS Primary Care Staff Respect Materials
