Why Pharmacists Resigned
All Rights Reserved 2010 Darren Chong
WHY PHARMACISTS RESIGN ...
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Better work conditions, pay may help stem high turnover rate of these professionals
Letter from Darren Chong
I refer to the report, "MOH to recruit more pharmacists from overseas"(Sept 17). It was reported that of the 1,482 pharmacists on the registerhere, less than half are involved in direct patient care, such as practising in hospitals, polyclinics and retail pharmacies. This is a worrying figure.
While I applaud the ministry's efforts torecruit more pharmacists from overseas, it should also delve further into why pharmacists are not practising and find ways to stem the drain.
I know a pharmacist who has worked in a retail pharmacy and in one of the restructured hospitals. During her stint with the retail pharmacy, she worked from 10am to 10pm, with only half an hour's break for lunch and dinner. This included Saturdays and Sundays, when business is most brisk. Most times, she was the only pharmacist during that 12-hour stretch. When she was working at a hospital, it was common to see her and hercolleagues having lunch at 3pm, after they attended to the last patientfrom the morning crowd. At times, she was called back to the hospital even though she was onleave. She worked till 3pm on Saturdays, even though the official knock-off time was 12.30pm. Sundays could become working days when duty called - working one Sunday per month is common.
Such is the life of a pharmacist, be it in hospitals, retail pharmacies or polyclinics. Increasing demands on pharmacists without adequate compensation leads to many leaving the profession. Perhaps it is time to review pharmacists' salaries. They are, after all, highly-trained medical professionals who run specialised clinics and make rounds with the doctors to ensure patients fully benefit from treatment.
Until we address the concerns of pharmacists and plug the outflow, increasing the number of pharmacists will not ease the crunch. Sourcing from foreign supply is but a short-term solution to a long-term problem.
WHY PHARMACISTS RESIGN ...
--------------------------
Better work conditions, pay may help stem high turnover rate of these professionals
Letter from Darren Chong
I refer to the report, "MOH to recruit more pharmacists from overseas"(Sept 17). It was reported that of the 1,482 pharmacists on the registerhere, less than half are involved in direct patient care, such as practising in hospitals, polyclinics and retail pharmacies. This is a worrying figure.
While I applaud the ministry's efforts torecruit more pharmacists from overseas, it should also delve further into why pharmacists are not practising and find ways to stem the drain.
I know a pharmacist who has worked in a retail pharmacy and in one of the restructured hospitals. During her stint with the retail pharmacy, she worked from 10am to 10pm, with only half an hour's break for lunch and dinner. This included Saturdays and Sundays, when business is most brisk. Most times, she was the only pharmacist during that 12-hour stretch. When she was working at a hospital, it was common to see her and hercolleagues having lunch at 3pm, after they attended to the last patientfrom the morning crowd. At times, she was called back to the hospital even though she was onleave. She worked till 3pm on Saturdays, even though the official knock-off time was 12.30pm. Sundays could become working days when duty called - working one Sunday per month is common.
Such is the life of a pharmacist, be it in hospitals, retail pharmacies or polyclinics. Increasing demands on pharmacists without adequate compensation leads to many leaving the profession. Perhaps it is time to review pharmacists' salaries. They are, after all, highly-trained medical professionals who run specialised clinics and make rounds with the doctors to ensure patients fully benefit from treatment.
Until we address the concerns of pharmacists and plug the outflow, increasing the number of pharmacists will not ease the crunch. Sourcing from foreign supply is but a short-term solution to a long-term problem.
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