How to manage staff shortages in pharmacy

Pharmacies are struggling.

The recent economic analysis of community pharmacies in England showed that nearly 80% of pharmacies in England are not sustainable in the short term.

And one of the biggest issues facing pharmacies is staff shortages.

We discuss how to manage staff shortages at your pharmacy and how you can improve staff performance by 14%.

 

Why is there a shortage of pharmacists?

There are 70% of pharmacy business owners reporting staff shortages, with many contributing factors.

 

Recruitment challenges

Pharmacies have had difficulty in hiring permanent staff. These difficulties are due to a host of issues such as financial constraints and unsustainable workloads which staff aren’t prepared to take on.

One pharmacy owner responding to a survey on the issue said they were unable to fill vacancies because, despite lots of interviews, they were “yet to find a colleague who would be able to manage the workload or pressure involved in the job.”

Not only this, but the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) led to the recruitment of over 5,000 pharmacies, mostly from community pharmacy, into GP surgeries and PCNs instead.

 

 

 

Staff wellbeing

The demand on pharmacies has increased, and with that,t the wellbeing of staff has deteriorated. With between 51% and 79% of participants in a study indicated a high degree of burnout amongst pharmacy staff and suffering from feelings of emotional exhaustion and reduced personal accomplishment.

This leads to increased sickness absence, which has led to temporary closures of pharmacies and staff leaving, which amplifies any staff shortages.

 

Locum shortages

The NHS Business Services Authority data from October 2021 to July 2024 showed that 65% of temporary closures of pharmacies were due to being unable to find a locum.

Not only is it difficult to find a locum ,but the costs for this have increased. Locum rates went up by 85% in 2024 from the previous year.

This has led to temporary pharmacy closures.

 

Lack of investment

There has been a funding reduction of 30% since 2015 for community pharmacies. This has meant an annual shortfall of at least £67,000 per pharmacy.

Along with a lack of funding are rising costs with inflation and wage increases. Although pharmacies have been exempted from the increased national insurance contributions.

Many pharmacies have fallen into debt, leading to closures or further cuts to staff and patient services, however, the government has announced an investment of £617 million over two years and a debt write-off of £193 million. However, this is only for England.

 

 

 

How do you manage staffing shortages?

“This needs a holistic approach, combining strategic recruitment, retention efforts, and operational improvements,” according to Muriel McCullins from McCullins HR. “The best way to retain pharmacy staff is to create an environment where they feel valued, supported, and empowered. A team that sees growth opportunities, experiences fair leadership, and maintains work-life balance will stay engaged and motivated.”

Here are some ways you can create this environment at your pharmacy:

 

Onboarding programs

A structured onboarding process improves the onboarding experience, with 69% of employees who participate in an onboarding program more likely to be retained after three years compared to those who do not.

An onboarding program should set out expectations with their role and responsibilities clearly defined.

There could also be a welcome pack with all the information, procedures, and contact details needed.

By providing a mentor to each recruit, this helps to support the new staff member and integrate them into the team.

Onboarding should also include monitoring of the new staff member and letting them provide any feedback.

 

Training and professional development

Providing professional development can help staff to take pride in their role as well as ensure your pharmacy has the latest information to best help patients and comply with legislation.

 

 

Appreciation schemes

Simply acknowledging the hard work of employees can help retain staff by making them feel appreciated.

Recognition lowers voluntary turnover by 31% and increases productivity and performance by 14%.

An appreciation scheme could involve giving rewards to members of staff for achievements or providing initiatives such as spa days and gym subscriptions.

 

Communication

When staff aren’t clear on issues, it can lead to a whole host of problems. Ensure regular communication, such as team meetings, to allow everyone to give feedback and to be updated with the latest information.

Sending a regular email at the end of the week or month and creating a routine of communication can help everyone to be on the same page and feel involved.

It can also prevent any problems from escalating by being able to discuss them early on.

 

Work/life balance

Ensuring staff members get their breaks and are not disturbed is a simple yet effective way of ensuring staff wellbeing.

When the pharmacy is busy and someone just needs an answer to a question, it can be easy to interrupt someone’s lunch to get that answer. Creating a culture where you don’t disturb colleagues and give them a chance to unwind and refresh can help create much-needed boundaries.

Ensuring staff get their appropriate holidays is also advantageous, and giving staff more flexibility with their hours helps to create a better work/life balance.

 

Pharmacy automation

Investing in pharmacy automation can help you save time by streamlining your workflow, reducing admin, and using your staff more efficiently.

Pharmacy automation can help to reduce prescription filling time by 40 seconds per prescription and save 24.8 hours a year on inventory management.

When we installed a MedPoint SOLO machine at Gosberton Medical Centre in Lincolnshire, it helped them reduce the amount of time staff were at the counter dealing with RX Handouts.

Milena Krusinska, the Pharmacy Technician at Gosberton said, “It has saved time, provided flexibility, and given our patients the choice to manage their healthcare better.”

 

 

Get support from Edia

Staff shortages are a major issue facing pharmacies, which can lead to staff burnout and unhappy patients.

But there are things that can be done to reduce this pressure, such as appreciation schemes and investing in pharmacy automation.

At Edia, we can support your pharmacy to help reduce your staff shortage issues through pharmacy automation.

 

If you’ve any questions about our pharmacy automation machines, please get in touch.