Sharing examples of best practice to help pharmacists and pharmacy staff ‘perform at a full scope of practice’ and ‘better address the healthcare challenges we face’, has been recommended by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).
In a suite of 10 recommendations, it also highlighted the need for guidance on making the best use of skill mix and called for tools such as a competency development framework to support the development of ‘a range of progressive roles for pharmacists’, including within preventive healthcare and prescribing.
The recommendations are part of the ‘FIP Brisbane Calls to Action’ consensus document, which urges the 156 FIP national member organisations, individual members and global pharmacy agencies to accelerate pharmaceutical workforce transformation.
A need for competence in digital health and contemporary guidance on best practice for using digital tools in the provision of pharmaceutical care is highlighted, as well as a requirement for better data collection and access to enable global workforce planning.
The document also called for equity, diversity and inclusiveness within the pharmaceutical workforce to be encouraged, as well as the need for programmes that will support the return and retention of pharmacy team members following career breaks.
‘Frameworks to support sustainable positive practice environments that are conducive to the health, wellbeing and resilience of the pharmaceutical workforce’ should also be developed, it said.
The document sets out 10 actions that were developed and agreed during a workforce symposium hosted by the FIP Global Pharmaceutical Observatory (GPO) and the FIP Hub in Brisbane, Australia, in September.
The 10 actions were developed and agreed by 120 delegates from over 40 countries during a workforce symposium called ‘Accelerating towards 2030: Workforce transformation for better health’, which was hosted by the FIP Global Pharmaceutical Observatory (GPO) and the FIP Hub in Brisbane, Australia, in September.
According to FIP, the symposium delegates also ‘expressed enthusiasm’ for a revised mission plan for the global pharmacy workforce.
Dr Catherine Duggan, FIP chief executive, said the symposium marked ‘a significant opportunity’ to review pharmacy workforce transformation objectives.
She added: ‘As we move forward, FIP is working on a range of follow-up resources, including a comprehensive strategy and roadmap and accompanying guides and tools to further empower our efforts to transform the pharmacy workforce and advance global health.’
