Key Takeaways:
- The epidemic has overworked the business, according to Chris Chiew, and the lack of new pharmacists is making it challenging for incumbent pharmacists to keep up with the expanding list of responsibilities they must do.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made pharmacists’ workload difficult.
According to Chris Chiew, vice president of London Drugs Pharmacy and Healthcare Innovation, the industry has been overworked due to the pandemic, and the shortage of new pharmacists is making it difficult for current pharmacists to keep up with the growing number of tasks they must complete.
“We don’t have additional employees, but more work must be done. Although shovelling stuff in our yard is enjoyable, it still requires labor, according to Auclair.
According to Chiew, “We do have some folks that either took early retirement or right now…are on vacation…”
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Saskatoon isn’t experiencing a significant decline in pharmacists, according to Pharmacy Association Saskatchewan CEO Michael Fougere, but Regina is.
According to Fougere, actual statistics and figures regarding the severity of the scarcity are unknown.
“They might be staying open later and working longer hours. I don’t believe that the standard or kind of service consumers received was impacted in any way. Neither the general public nor pharmacists have communicated with me, Fougere stated.
Fougere claims that business hours have been disrupted throughout the province with fewer employees.
Pharmacies have fewer hours and fewer staff.
According to Fougere, the province has more than 1,200 pharmacies and pharmacists working in various contexts.
The USask College of Pharmacy in Saskatoon graduates students each year. There is room for up to 90 students every year, according to Yvonne Shevchuk, associate academic dean of the USask College of Pharmacy and Nutrition.
Our annual graduation rate, which is in the upper 80s, is something we track. In terms of a lack of students, we have not experienced any significant swings or anything similar, said Shevchuk.
Before entering the workforce, new pharmacists must pass their licensing examinations, and any international employees must get Canadian pharmacy experience, which can take a year or two.
“There is still a waiting period for recent graduates here. The fact that many have retired and gone to part-time jobs because they don’t want to work as much as before is still a problem, Chiew told Global News through Zoom.
According to Shevchuk, there have been shortages of pharmacists in the past, so this is nothing new.
Source: CTV News
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