Staff who work to ensure our patients receive the medication they need at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital are celebrating their contribution to patient care and the wider NHS.
Unlike pharmacists, pharmacy support workers cannot advise customers or administer medications, but they perform important tasks in the daily running of pharmacies, like ordering, preparing and helping to dispense medicines. They also ensure all patients are discharged from hospital with the correct medication.
Jasbir Thuhan and her colleagues initiated the first Pharmacy Support Workers Day today and are celebrating with a socially distanced lunch at the hospital’s atrium. Thanks to social media, other PSWs are taking part in community pharmacies, other acute hospitals across NHSGGC and in hospitals in other board areas.
Jasbir said that she had worked with the team to celebrate their work and the support they had given across the hospital throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Jasbir, a Pharmacy Support Worker based at the QEUH, said: “We have had a very tough couple of years with Covid and have been stretched to our limits. There are a number of days which rightly celebrate the role of a Pharmacist and the role of a Pharmacy Technician however there are none which look at the role of a Pharmacy Support Worker. So we thought it would be good to celebrate our work and achievements with a socially distanced lunch within the hospital atrium on 1 December.
“We are so glad to see that other hospitals and community pharmacy have got on board and are joining us as well as positive feedback from our peers.”
Gail Caldwell, Director of Pharmacy at NHSGGC said: “Our Pharmacy Support Workers play a key role in the delivery of our services and throughout the last 18 months, like all our staff have done so much to support our response to the pandemic. The contribution of our Pharmacy Support Workers should be celebrated and recognised and I hope everyone takes a few moments on Wednesday to reflect on what they have achieved.
“I would also like to add my thanks to our Pharmacy Support Workers for their contribution during the pandemic and the great work they do each and every day.”
Pictured: Jasbir and her PSW colleagues at the QEUH.