Why are we still waiting? Views of future-focused policy and the direction of the profession from dissatisfied recent pharmacy graduates
Journal of Health Organization and Management
ISSN: 1477-7266
Article publication date: 28 June 2021
Issue publication date: 8 October 2021
Abstract
Purpose
The New Zealand Pharmacy Action Plan 2016–20 acknowledges the young, highly qualified pharmacist workforce, and seeks to address pharmacist underutilisation in the wider health setting. Anecdotal evidence suggests many recently qualified pharmacists are dissatisfied with the profession. Therefore, those completing BPharm programs after 2002, who had left or were seriously considering leaving the New Zealand pharmacy profession, were invited to comment on future-focused pharmacy documents, and the current direction of pharmacy in New Zealand.
Design/methodology/approach
An online questionnaire was open December 2018 to February 2019. Recruitment occurred via e-mail lists of universities and professional organisations, print and social media, and word-of-mouth. Free-text responses were thematically analysed using a general inductive approach.
Findings
From the 328 analysable surveys received, 172 respondents commented on the documents and/or direction of the pharmacy profession. Views were mixed. Overarching document-related themes were positive direction, but concern over achievability, the lack of funding details, lack of implementation, their benefits for pharmacists and the public, and ability to bring about change and secure a future for the profession. Overall pharmacy was considered an unattractive profession needing to change.
Originality/value
This study highlights dissatisfied recent BPharm graduates agree with the vision in the documents but do not see progress towards achieving the vision occurring, leading to frustration and exit in some cases. Policymakers should be aware of these views as considerable resource goes into their development.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was undertaken as an unfunded piece of work by the research team. Research funds from The School of Pharmacy at The University of Auckland provided the survey prize draw vouchers. The authors would like to thank the alumni associations of The University of Auckland and The School of Pharmacy at The University of Otago for their help with recruitment and of course all the research participants. The authors greatly appreciate their time and their responses.
Munya is a medical student (MBChB) at the University of Otago not a staff member.
Citation
Aspden, T., Marowa, M., Ponton, R. and Scahill, S. (2021), "Why are we still waiting? Views of future-focused policy and the direction of the profession from dissatisfied recent pharmacy graduates", Journal of Health Organization and Management, Vol. 35 No. 6, pp. 744-762. https://doi.org/10.1108/JHOM-04-2020-0162
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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