Link to EAHP Statements

• Section 1 – Introductory Statement and Governance – 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5
• Section 4 – Clinical Pharmacy services – 4.1
• Section 5 – Patient Safety and Quality Assurance – 5.1 

Healthcare workforce shortages are felt across the globe in all professions. The World Health Organization (WHO) highlighted for its European region that countries are currently facing severe challenges related to their healthcare workforce that existed before the COVID-19 pandemic and that have been exacerbated by it. In addition to individuals leaving the healthcare professions due to increasing workloads and unmanageable staffing situations, the healthcare workforce is ageing.  A demographic shift of a large section of the workforce into retirement age threatens to impact human resources in all European health professions. Response in the form of adequate workforce planning is urgently needed.

Scientific achievements, for example in the field of advanced therapy medicinal products, are leading to increasingly complex medication-related problems, such as specific handling, preparations, and related issues. In addition, new competencies and tasks widened the scope of hospital pharmacist involvement in multi-professional teams in the hospital setting and beyond. Medicines reconciliation, medication optimisation, bedside counselling or being part of the antimicrobial stewardship team are just a few of the clinical pharmacy services that should be provided to all patients across Europe by hospital pharmacists as part of the multidisciplinary care team. A resilient workforce is required to ensure the availability of these vital services.

This session will explore the results of the EAHP Investigation of the Hospital Pharmacy Profession in Europe regarding the current workforce shortage in European countries and will present recommendations and solutions to fight this shortage, including an overview of different case studies from EAHP members countries and potential solutions to overcome these barriers.

The session will also have a representative from the European Association of Pharmacy Technicians (EAPT) and the Standing Committee of European Doctors (CPME) that will showcase the workforce challenge within their professions.

Learning objectives:

After the synergy session, the participant should be able to:

• Gain an overview of the hospital pharmacy workforce situation and problems faced in EAHP member countries
• Learn about the workforce challenges that pharmacy technicians and doctors also have in Europe
• Get an insight of the common ground regarding the workforce challenge for different healthcare professions
• Learn about the measures and system changes that been implemented in some EAHP countries or measures implemented by other healthcare professionals

Educational need addressed.

What is the hospital pharmacy workforce situation in Europe?  What is the workforce situation for pharmacy technicians in Europe? What is the workforce situation for doctors in Europe? What measures can be taken to tackle this issue? What can EAHP do to support its members to tackle the workforce issue.

Keywords

Hospital Pharmacy, pharmacy technicians, doctors, challenges, workforce, shortage, Survey