The National Pharmacist Association (NPA) and pharmacy charity Pharmacist Support have announced a partnership today, on World Pharmacists Day. 

The NPA will donate £1 “per NPA member pharmacy to help fund the charity’s activities”. 

And it said it will work with Pharmacist Support “to help champion and strengthen wellbeing across the independent pharmacy sector”. 

Read more: Pharmacist Support launches trainee wellbeing campaign 

This includes producing a “co-branded digital information pack” which will help NPA members and their teams to “understand the free and confidential support available through the charity, with links to further wellbeing information and resources”. 

Pharmacist Support provides a range of free and confidential support to those working and studying in pharmacy, from mental health to financial health, workplace wellbeing to studying and training.  

The charity’s 2024 Workforce Wellbeing survey revealed that almost nine in 10 pharmacists (87% of respondents) are at a high risk of burnout. Three in five (61%) had considered leaving their current role or leaving the pharmacy profession altogether in the previous year. 

“A shared priority”  

Pharmacist Support chief executive Danielle Hunt said the charity was “very grateful to the NPA for their commitment to supporting our pharmacy family”. 

“At a time when the pressures facing those working across pharmacy remain significant, supporting wellbeing has to be a shared priority,” she added. 

She said the £1 per member pharmacy donation was a “fantastic example of how organisations across our sector can get behind the charity in a simple but meaningful way”. 

Read more: Pharmacist Support launches ‘Walk for Wellbeing' fundraiser 

NPA chief executive Henry Gregg said the collaboration will “increase the visibility of support” that the charity offers. 

“Community pharmacists and their teams are operating in an era of immense pressure – with many changes in pharmacy practice to contend with, as well as unbearable financial strain on many owners of independent pharmacies,” he added. 

He said the help Pharmacist Support offers is “needed now more than ever”, so is “delighted” to give the charity its backing.  

Read more: Pharmacist Support celebrates 185 years  

It comes after Pharmacist Support launched its annual trainee wellbeing campaign last month to provide those starting their foundation year with “free, practical mental health and wellbeing support”. 

And it follows the charity launching its ‘Walk for Wellbeing’ fundraiser last month, encouraging people to walk 97km throughout September to raise money for the services it provides.