Pharmacy teams “facing regular occurrences of verbal and physical abuse”

The organisation’s recent survey of 3,000-plus pharmacy premises found that more than half (55%, in fact) of those pharmacies had experienced verbal abuse of staff in the preceding six months, with three-quarters (75%) of them experiencing it at least weekly and one-fifth (21%) reporting it as a daily occurrence.

In addition, 6% of pharmacies reported physical assaults on members of staff in the preceding six months, ranging from strangulation attempts, pushing, punching and objects being thrown to attacks after closing time.

Sadly, some pharmacy teams report being punched, pushed, grabbed, spat at, threatened and targeted with abuse. These acts are often triggered by prescription delays, medicine shortages, National Health Service (NHS) interface failures and service eligibility rules outside of pharmacy control.

Discriminatory abuse, intimidation and threats of violence were also widely reported. Pharmacy owners described racist, religious, sexist, misogynistic, homophobic and xenophobic abuse being directed at staff.

In many cases, verbal abuse escalated into intimidation, stalking, spitting, threats to kill members of staff or burn down premises and acts of serious physical violence. High-risk situations often involve patients with urgent needs who have nowhere else to go.

Shoplifting and violence 

Shoplifting and violence are also becoming more common occurrences. Staff describe being attacked when challenging theft, having shelves and counters smashed, doors kicked in and items thrown at them as weapons, including medicine bottles, chairs, display units and sharp objects.

It’s of increasing concern, notes Community Pharmacy England, that community pharmacies don’t receive the same level of response that other parts of the NHS can expect when a serious incident is reported, particularly so when staff are threatened with weapons or when immediate danger is present.

The findings of this survey have appeared in The Independent and on Skys News, ITV News and Good Morning Britain.

Community Pharmacy England has now called for stronger protections for pharmacy staff, better co-ordination between NHS primary care and community pharmacies and zero tolerance of verbal or physical abuse, threats or violence of any kind in community pharmacies.

As well as securing national media coverage, the organisation has written to the Chief Pharmaceutical Officer and the National Police Chiefs Council to highlight the problems and identify actions that could be taken to provide better support for pharmacy owners and staff. Government and Parliamentarians have been made aware of these hugely concerning survey results.

Support for pharmacy teams 

Mark Donaghy, professional development manager at Kamsons Pharmacy, said: “Community pharmacies provide vital healthcare services. Their staff deserve to work in an environment that’s free from aggression or intimidation. In recent months, we’ve seen an increasing number of reports of pharmacists and pharmacy teams facing abuse linked to late or inappropriate referrals, heightened pressures on urgent care and unrealistic expectations. These can create unsafe situations for both staff and other patients.”

Donaghy continued: “While the majority will treat pharmacy staff with respect, even isolated incidents of aggression can have a profound and lasting impact on the individuals involved, their colleagues and the service provided to the local community. It’s vital that those working within pharmacies are respected, protected and supported. That’s why we’re backing Community Pharmacy England’s call for urgent and system‑wide action to ensure pharmacy teams receive the same level of protection as other NHS front line workers. No pharmacy worker should ever face abuse or violence in the course of providing care.”

Dervis Gurol, independent pharmacy owner and CPE Committee Member, said: “Pharmacy teams are on the front line every day. We absorb the frustration caused by NHS delays, medication shortages and system failures, but it’s our staff who face threats, attacks, harassment and disrespect. This takes a real toll on my team. It deeply affects morale, staff retention and their safety.”

Gurol added: “In my pharmacy, we’ve invested in screens at counters and surveillance systems and also maintain good links to Police Community Support Officers, but not all pharmacies have access to these protections. Basic security or protection should be standardised and fully funded for all pharmacy premises.”

In conclusion, Gurol explained: “It’s unacceptable that pharmacy staff bear the brunt of people’s anger. The Government needs to take a strict stance on abuse of all healthcare staff including pharmacy teams. If attacking a police officer and other Emergency Services workers is a serious offence, the same ruling should apply to community pharmacy staff.”

System-wide protections

Janet Morrison, CEO of Community Pharmacy England, stated: “Pharmacy teams are the backbone of community healthcare. They should never face any kind of abuse, racism, discrimination, threats or violence just for doing their jobs. These findings reflect escalating abuse in one of the NHS’ most accessible front line services and demonstrate an urgent need for stronger system-wide protections.”

Further, Morrison said: “Pharmacy staff deserve to be treated with kindness and respect. We will continue to raise awareness and push for measures to keep pharmacy teams safe. Pharmacies have to be included on priority lists for protection and support and must remain safe spaces for both patients and the teams who serve them.”

Danielle Hunt, CEO of Pharmacist Support, commented: “Community Pharmacy England’s findings, along with our own data, highlight a deeply concerning trend across the profession related to verbal abuse and violence in pharmacies. As a charity, we support individuals and advocate for positive working environments. It’s essential that pharmacy teams feel confident to speak up about abuse and are empowered to adopt a zero tolerance approach when their safety or well-being is threatened.”

Hunt concluded: “We believe we all have a Duty of Care to our profession. It’s important that pharmacy teams have safe places to talk openly about issues such as workplace abuse, whether that’s through their employer or a charity such as Pharmacist Support.”

*Further information is available online at www.cpe.org.uk