AFTER the announcement of the 60DD policy in the Budget, the UTS Barometer Interim Report taken in May shows community pharmacists' confidence in their profession has completely plummeted to just 60.8 out of 200, the lowest to date since the Barometer started, when just in Nov 2022 the 12th UTS Barometer Report took the pulse of community pharmacy and found a healthy optimism at 146.8 out of 200 (PD Breaking News yesterday).
Out of the 216 pharmacy owners and managers who were interviewed just under 10% of community pharmacists predict that the value of their pharmacies will increase, a huge 71.8% said their pharmacies would decrease in value, and 16.2% remain unchanged from last year.
This is the opposite of last year when over half of pharmacists (55%) were optimistic about increases in the value of their stores, with just 10% thinking that their pharmacies would decrease in value, and 31% remaining unchanged.
Another alarming statistic from the former Head of Pharmacy School Charlie Benrimoj who was presenting the report, is that one-third are considering leaving community pharmacy employment, of which 36% are employed pharmacists and 31% are pharmacy managers or pharmacists-in-charge.
Nearly two-thirds want to stay employed in community pharmacy.
Benrimoj added that just "increasing wages is not going to cut it" to retain the workforce, as "we really are at the lowest point, the Barometer has found".
The timing of the next UTS Barometer Interim Report is still to be finalised.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 14 Jul 23
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