Page 18 - Retail Pharmacy Assistants - November 2020

16 INDUSTRY EDUCATION WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY OBy Colm Maguire, Group Executive, Member Services and Innovation Group, Pharmacy Guild of Australia. ne of the biggest ultimately our entire workforce, have uncertainties during the risen to the challenges of 2020. Covid-19 crisis has been Pharmacy of the Year 2021 has moved whether we’ll have a job from the traditional process where to go to from one day to the next or pharmacies either self-nominate or “Rather than lament such a glaring oversight, pharmacies took the initiative and invested in the PPE and other measures to protect staff and patients.” whether businesses will survive. The unemployment rate has soared during the pandemic, but the community pharmacy sector has stood out as being proactive in doing everything it can to ensure pharmacies stay open and ultimately that our community is looked after and our staff have jobs. In fact, the proactive approach has been taken to a new level. While governments across Australia rushed to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to doctors and introduced telehealth services so they didn’t need to see patients physically, pharmacies were to a large extent left unsupported, yet they stepped up, recognising the responsibility involved. Rather than lament such a glaring oversight, pharmacies took the initiative and invested in the PPE and other measures to protect staff and patients. This was an additional cost burden at a time when many were, indeed, worried about whether the community would still be allowed to visit. Protective screens quickly became the norm, and social distancing and hygiene protocols for both staff and patients were strengthened. Some pharmacies had to put on more staff or invest in different services, keeping others employed. Australia’s work health and safety laws require anyone conducting a business to ensure, so far as is reasonably possible, the health and safety of their workers and others at the workplace. This includes providing and maintaining a work environment that is without risk to health and safety. Where necessary, JobKeeper support was accessed, as were other support measures, so that negative impacts on staff were minimised. However, pharmacies were eligible only if revenue decreased, with the payment scheme having no tie to costs. But the sense I get is that with community pharmacy proprietors, their insistence on implementing safety protocols wasn’t in response to legislative requirements. It was all about their patients and staff and a genuine commitment to ensuring the wellbeing of everyone working in, or entering, their pharmacies. Through it all, community pharmacies generally excelled in another area: keeping patients and pharmacy assistants and staff informed. Understandably, in a time of crisis, employees are likely to feel anxious, if not distressed, about how the situation will play out and what effect it will have on them in the short term and the long. Employers also have a duty under work health and safety legislation to inform employees about health and safety in the workplace. This legislation says employers – in this case proprietors of pharmacies – should regularly update workers about the Covid-19 situation, consistent with information provided by health officials. Again, the anecdotal evidence coming back to me is that these legislative requirements were surpassed and the commitment to ensure the wellbeing of staff and patients extended well beyond what was mandated. Pharmacists went out of their way to keep everyone abreast of developments, and time was taken to sit down with staff who were concerned, to reassure them and help guide them through the crisis. Pharmacists are all too aware of the potential mental health impacts of this year’s disruptions, and staff have been given time off, referred to counselling or offered other measures to help them deal with any mental health pressures they may be experiencing as the result of a time no one could have envisaged for its bleakness. At the Pharmacy Guild we believe such commitment should be recognised, and accordingly, the popular and highly regarded Pharmacy of the Year 2021 award will embrace a unique format to reflect the way pharmacies, and are nominated by branches or QCPP assessors. Rather than following a judging process, which includes visits to finalist pharmacies, this time the award will showcase the community pharmacy network and all that community pharmacies have done and continue to do during these challenging times. I’m excited about this format as it allows 2021 to be seen as a year of reflection and celebration of all community pharmacies and their contribution to the health of Australians. It will highlight their responses to the bushfires, Covid-19, their adaptations, transformations and the integral role they’ve played in their communities and for their patients and staff. It also gives the communities we serve an opportunity to reflect on the great work of the sector as a whole. This year will be long remembered as perhaps the most challenging in the profession’s history, but community pharmacies haven’t taken a backward step. They’ve continued to operate and work to meet the needs of their patients and protect their staff. Frankly, you don’t get much better than that. I know everyone is aware that the Guild represents and is a membership body for owners. Reflecting on the year and this article, I truly believe that we owe so much to the owners of community pharmacies nationwide for their commitment to their community, team and business in such unprecedented times. So, if you think your pharmacy deserves some recognition for everything you and your colleagues have done this year, don’t hesitate to nominate it for mention. At the very least, it’s worth reflecting on everything that faces a small business owner and taking the time to acknowledge them personally. By visiting the ‘2020 Community Pharmacy Heroes’ area of the Guild website, you can view some of the pharmacies already nominated. You can also email the story of your pharmacy to: communications@guild.org.au RETAIL PHARMACY ASSISTANTS • NOV 2020