Where the action is

[El-loco]

This topic ought to be in the Royal Pharmaceutical Society section but it is more likely to be seen here.

I am aware (and so is the RPS) that many pharmacists are having trouble logging on and posting on its forums.

Is anyone from here having problems?

You need to go to www.rpharms.com (but see later for direct link), select the networking tab then the online groups option then the networks homepage link on the left (Not the easiest site to navigate - putting it mildly) . You will be asked for a username and password.

Your username is your old RPS registration number. If you click on "forgotten my password" the site will e-mail you a temporary one which you use to log on and change your password to one you can remember.

Your can join the general group and view and post on the discussion topics. You need to click on discussions to see them after going to the general group.

You can apply (I'm not joking) - giving your reasons (no, honestly I'm not) - to join other groups. For instance if you are a hospital pharmacist and you ask nicely and have a valid reason they might let you join the hospital pharmacists group . Most of the groups have not had any new posts for months - can't think why not.

So why do I bother and why am I posting this?

Because there are a couple of very important debates going on regarding workload and supervision. These are read by some of the "high ups" who wouldn't be seen dead on a "common" on-line forum with the likes of me. Some of them are managers and administrators who have not the slightest CLUE about the day-to-day conditions in pharmacy. They actually believe that someone signed in as the responsible pharmacist is in complete control of everything. They believe that staff shortages can be resolved by using the drug tariff and that all regulations are being policed. They believe everything the owners of the large multiples have told them.

And now they are hearing the truth!

The RPS says it is finding all this feedback valuable in empowering it to help its members but it still has a long way to go and it needs more ammunition.

Please have a look at - RPS Groups - Page 1 and post your two pennorth there. If you can't then send an e-mail to the new website manager Nick David on webeditor@rpharms.com

This is where the action is - at least have a look at the Workplace Stress topic.

[Pharmanaut]

Problem is that your comments, however well put they are, can be identified by your employers, which then brands you as a troublemaker.
Therefore I will not be contributing to the debate on that site.

[El-loco]

Scared to speak because your employers will know about it are you?

What does that make you exactly?

Scared even to give your registration number - mine is 2019248 - and my name is Stephen John Hadley - check it!

Come on slave - which do you want - die on your feet or live on your knees?

[admin]

Scared to speak because your employers will know about it are you?

What does that make you exactly?

Scared even to give your registration number - mine is 2019248 - and my name is Stephen John Hadley - check it!

Come on slave - which do you want - die on your feet or live on your knees?

Steve

Sorry but got to agree with Pharmanaut - I know of one guy getting booted out of his job because of naming and shaming a large company. Stay anonymous my friend........

[Pharmanaut]

Bread on the table, my friends.
So have to do things in small, subtle and diplomatic ways.
Longing for a bit more financial security.
When that happens the worm will turn.

[El-loco]

At least please just have a look.

You are NOT alone.

What have we come to that pharmacists are scared to communicate with their own professional body; scared to tell anyone their name; scared to speak for fear of reprisals.

My God - what have we come to?

[culchie82]

El- loco I can only venture that you are close to retirement, have your money made and have nothing to lose at this stage. You may have even owned your own Pharmacy at some stage. Somehow, I think if you were still in your twenties or thirties, and eager to preserve your livelihood, you wouldn't be broadcasting name and registration numbers on the Internet. But that aside, I agree with nearly all of your viewpoints.

[El-loco]

Right on all points except the owning of my own pharmacy culchie. (I never had the money and when I might have considered it divorce put paid to my ideas).

But I don't remember EVER being too scared to say what I thought even if it meant being sacked. I suppose things were different then.

It's this slave mentality that gets to me. The Mid Staffs Hospital fiasco - crying, starving patients left sitting in their own excrement by staff who were more intent on complying with SOPs and meeting targets than providing basic care - is an inevitable consequence of that mentality.

I was going to write a lot more but I see it would be a waste of time.

[crit care]

It's this slave mentality that gets to me. The Mid Staffs Hospital fiasco - crying, starving patients left sitting in their own excrement by staff who were more intent on complying with SOPs and meeting targets than providing basic care - is an inevitable consequence of that mentality.

Sadly its true, i heard today where i work, that the management from high above would rather receive complaints than to breach targets, and aims. This was in reference to putting male and female and patients within the same bay on a ward (all bays/wards are meant to be single sex). To add salt onto the wound the ward then had to shuffle patients around at 3am!! in order to try and get this sorted. The management then turned round and said...get the patients to complain, we would rather deal with complaints than to have to deal with a breach....

goes to show numbers are far more important than what the patient wants!

[culchie82]

I agree with you entirely, in an ideal world we should be able to air our grievances without fear of reprimand or reprisal. We don't however, and a locum like me or you, would severely jeopardise our chances of getting work if we were seen to be slagging of the multiples on Internet forums.