Pharmacist Support – the profession’s independent charity – has announced an expansion of its partnership work with Boots UK.
Pharmacist Support – the profession’s independent charity – has announced an expansion of its partnership work with Boots UK.
Following a successful coaching pilot in 2017, both Boots UK and Pharmacist Support have shared an aspiration to develop this work further to reach more of those in the profession who are encountering difficult times.
A survey in 2016 of Boots Pharmacists Association members highlighted a need for a service that helped them to help themselves, build resilience, and enable them to find solutions to problems and to deal with emotional distress.
Boots funded the charity to carry out a coaching pilot. This offered individuals access to six one-to-one hour-long sessions with a trained coach, focussed on work-related and personal issues, including dealing and negotiating with colleagues, and enhancing their assertiveness and confidence, as well as managing stress and anxiety. The pilot was extremely well-received, in which clients reported that the coaching had ‘improved all areas of my life’.
Speaking of the new development, Pharmacist Support Chief Executive, Danielle Hunt, said, ‘We are absolutely delighted that Boots is supporting the charity to explore ways to expand our coaching work, allowing us to support more pharmacists across Great Britain. As the profession’s independent charity, we encounter daily the struggles those in the profession are facing which means we are well-placed to develop solutions that empower an individual to make choices that lead to positive change and personal growth.
‘In a time that continues to be challenging for the profession, it is crucial the charity works in partnership with organisations, such as Boots, to tackle head-on the issues facing pharmacists, trainees’ and MPharm students today. It is down to donations such as this one that allow us to continue to make a difference.’
