Pharmacists might seem busy enough doling out medications and getting to grips with the latest new treatments. [emphasis, links added]
But they are now being expected to complete training in climate change and carbon literacy.
It comes as a body representing pharmacists says they already have too little time to complete existing training requirements.
Training on the extra woke topics has been introduced in Wales, as part of a ‘quality and safety scheme’ in line with the Welsh government’s Net Zero Wales ambitions.
Chemists are expected to ensure the training is carried out by the end of next month to meet a target set by the Cardiff administration.
Community Pharmacy Wales has issued guidance to pharmacists, urging them to ‘provide an overview of climate change and sustainability in Wales/the UK and the world’.
They must also ‘evaluate the impact of climate change on health‘ and ‘explore good practice in sustainability as a global citizen’.
Community Pharmacies Wales added, ‘Pharmacy contractors can arrange for staff to access any training resource that at a minimum meets the learning objectives’.
Pharmacies can claim £642 from the cash-strapped Welsh NHS to cover the cost of the course.
Among the course modules listed is Carbon Literacy for Healthcare, which aims to foster a ‘deep understanding of the critical link between climate change and healthcare‘.
The course description states:
‘Discover how climate change is putting the health of our patients at risk and explore the remarkable strides the NHS has made in leading the charge against greenhouse gas emissions.
‘Learn how you can contribute and play your part in shaping a low carbon NHS that delivers exceptional care while safeguarding the health of future generations.’
The Welsh government’s push for green policy comes as a lobby group representing pharmacists across the UK called for staff to be given more time for training to be ‘safe practitioners’.
Last week, the Guild of Healthcare Pharmacists (GHP) launched a campaign calling for NHS pharmacists to be given 10% of their contracted hours as ‘protected time for learning, development and training’. …snip…
According to a survey by The Pharmaceutical Journal in 2020, half of the pharmacists who responded said they were never given ‘protected learning time’.
It comes as the Welsh government provided £775,000 of taxpayers’ cash towards a gender equality-linked climate change project in Uganda, central Africa.
The funds were granted to The Size of Wales climate change charity for the year up to last March.
The charity said:
‘Thanks to funding from the Welsh Government, Size of Wales in partnership with our local partner, the Mount Elgon Tree Growing Enterprise (METGE) has set up this new gender equality project as part of the Mbale Trees Programme.
‘Women and other marginalized groups such as disabled people and youth of Lukuma village are receiving training in sustainable land management, agroforestry, conservation and gender mainstreaming.’
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