Be kind

Workforce wellbeing

This was published when the organisation was the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. Pharmacy teams and colleagues are working extremely hard across the health service to care for patients. At the same time, our Workforce Wellbeing surveys show the impact of pressures on the pharmacy workforce, including around adequate staffing, workload and professional development, which all take a toll on the wellbeing of pharmacy teams. What we are asking for: Pharmacy working environments must have a culture of belonging that is inclusive, celebrates diversity and supports wellbeing All working environments must adopt a culture of belonging, so pharmacists feel recognised, valued, and are able to confidentially access support for their mental health and wellbeing if needed. Employers, managers and pharmacy teams must actively promote the wellbeing of staff, engaging with staff and working together to tackle the causes of work-related wellbeing problems and to support staff who are experiencing mental health problems. Career development and flexible working options should be discussed and enabled to help support pharmacists to manage and optimise their workload. The skills required to help managers and individuals support personal and team mental health and wellbeing, including cultural considerations, must be embedded in undergraduate, foundation and post-registration training. All pharmacists must be given access to, and be enabled to take, appropriate rest breaks, both for the welfare of pharmacists and for patient safety A protected break must be enabled both for the welfare of pharmacists and for patient safety. A cultural change is needed so that pharmacists, NHS bodies, employers, Governments, regulators and the public recognise the essential importance of taking breaks for patient safety and workforce wellbeing. Breaks can be introduced in a way that minimises the impact on patients and the public. Legislation already exists to enable pharmacist breaks, for example, Working Time Regulations, Responsible Pharmacist legislation and in some NHS terms of service contracts. Pharmacists in all settings should be enabled to use these mechanisms to take rest breaks. If a decision is made that a pharmacy has to close to enable a break, closures should take place at a fixed time, advertised locally for public awareness, and making it clear what services are unavailable. Pharmacists must have dedicated protected learning time within working hours Governments and NHS bodies must enable funded protected learning time and the infrastructure to support it. This must be available for all pharmacists to enable the continuum of professional development from foundation to consultant level. Good practice and pilots have been welcomed across England, Scotland and Wales, but there must be a wider and more accessible offer made available nationally for all pharmacists. Investment is needed in the pharmacy workforce to train more pharmacy staff and upskill existing staff to work at the top of their competence All pharmacy services must have the right skill mix and enough staff to help optimise workloads effectively. This includes pharmacy technicians, pharmacy support workers and business/management/administrative roles. Career pathways should be developed to make all roles more attractive and rewarding. View our workforce policy. Pharmacists and their staff must have continued access to national wellbeing and occupational health support All employers must offer, or signpost to, wellbeing support that is culturally sensitive and relevant. A collaborative approach must be taken across the profession to address the stigma and fear around mental health and to support individuals seeking wellbeing support. All employers should support and encourage the pharmacy workforce to access wellbeing services when needed and reduce the perception of stigma. Governments and NHS bodies across England, Scotland and Wales should continue to enable pharmacy teams to access support via the national NHS wellbeing support services offers. Workforce Wellbeing Roundtable The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and Pharmacist Support have brought together professional bodies, employers, trade unions, regulators, students and academics for a roundtable discussion about the crucial issue of wellbeing for pharmacy teams. The group focused on the findings of the annual workforce wellbeing surveys and discussed how to tackle this through collaborative action across the profession. Workforce Wellbeing Actions Update January 2026 New actions agreed at the March 2025 roundtable An update on the actions issued in October 2024 Read our report summary following the meeting held in February 2024, including the agreed actions Read our Workforce Wellbeing Roundtable report from September 2023, including a joint statement from pharmacy organisations, following the meeting in May 2023. How you can help Supporting improved mental health and wellbeing Since 2019, we have been working closely with the independent charity, Pharmacist Support, to better understand the mental health and wellbeing of the pharmacy workforce. Our annual surveys help to inform the development of a programme of work to support improved mental health and wellbeing in pharmacy. Together, we can all create the change we want to see. Be kind: Pharmacists often face extreme pressure — we're asking for patience and support during busy periods Sign our inclusion and wellbeing pledge: We're inclusive, celebrate diversity, create a culture of belonging, and support health and wellbeing Share your Workforce Wellbeing good practice: We want to hear your experiences of good practice in Workforce Wellbeing Use our Workforce Wellbeing support tool to establish good wellbeing practice within your workplace Are you worried about the mental health of a colleague, or yourself? For personal advice about your own mental health and wellbeing, you can also contact Pharmacist Support, the independent charity for pharmacists. If you're struggling to manage your wellbeing, Pharmacist Support — the profession’s charity — has free and confidential services that may help. For information, free and confidential advice, peer and counselling support, as well as to access their wellbeing workshops and online resources, visit their website at pharmacistsupport.org or call 0808 168 2233 or email [email protected]. Make a donation Pharmacist Support relies on the support of individuals and organisations to continue to provide their vital free and confidential services. As a member of the RCPharm, we know you care about our profession, so we ask you to join us in supporting the profession’s independent charity by making a small donation. All donations make a difference and will be used to help the thousands of pharmacists, trainees and MPharm students who contact Pharmacist Support for assistance every year. Your donation can help change the life of someone facing difficult circumstances, including sudden illness or disability, financial hardship, or personal crisis, by providing practical, emotional and financial help when and where it is needed. Surveys from previous years 2024 Read our Workforce Wellbeing Mental Health and wellbeing survey summary for 2024 Read the full 2024 Mental Health and Wellbeing Survey report 2023 Read our Workforce Wellbeing Mental Health and wellbeing survey summary for 2023 Read the full 2023 Mental Health and Wellbeing Survey report 2022 Read our Workforce Wellbeing Mental Health and wellbeing survey summary for 2022 Read the full 2022 Mental Health and Wellbeing Survey report 2021 Read the full 2021 Mental Health and Wellbeing Survey report Read the Workforce Wellbeing Mental Health and wellbeing survey summary for 2021