NZ Health System Stress Placing Unsustainable Pressure On Pharmacy Sector & Impacting Patient Care

The stress within New Zealand’s health system is placing unsustainable pressure on our pharmacy sector and impacting negatively on patient care according to a workforce survey conducted by the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand (PSNZ).

PSNZ President Michael Hammond says the survey, released today, 2024 Workforce Survey highlights how pressures on pharmacy and the wider health system are impacting on patients and the pharmacy teams who care for them.

Key findings from the survey found that over the past 12 months:

• 94% of community pharmacy, 90% of hospital pharmacy, 74% of general practice and 82% of non-patient facing respondents have experienced staff shortages.

• 66% of community pharmacy, 55% of hospital pharmacy, 50% of non-patient facing and 36% of general practice respondents report their work has had a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing.

• There has been an 80% increase in requests from community pharmacy patients unable to access general practice.

• There has been a 54% increase in requests for healthcare advice for minor conditions from community pharmacy patients and a 43% increase in requests for healthcare advice for more serious conditions from community pharmacy patients.

• There has been a 59% increase in delays in the prescriptions sent to community pharmacies. • Almost 60% of imprest (stock) lists in hospitals have required amendment with 65% of hospital pharmacy respondents saying patient health is being put at risk due to delays caused by medicine supply issues.

“The pressures being felt throughout the health system are affecting patient care and creating enormous stress for New Zealand’s pharmacists, technicians and pharmacy teams who are doing everything possible to care for patients in the face of unsustainable workloads, inadequate funding and supply chain shortages,” says Mr Hammond.

“The survey results highlight that our members are under sustained pressures across all settings with 66% of community pharmacy 55% of hospital pharmacy, 50% of non-patient facing and 36% of general practice respondents reporting that their current work has had a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing over the past 12 months.

“The herculean efforts pharmacists and pharmacy teams made during COVID and beyond are no longer sustainable without a significant increase in funding and resources.

“The deep well of goodwill which has seen our members putting the ‘greater good’ ahead of personal and team wellbeing for far too long has run dry,” he says.

Mr Hammond says that the state of pharmacy in New Zealand poses a significant threat to the entire health system because pharmacists and technicians are crucial to patient care in hospitals, community pharmacies, and across primary care settings throughout New Zealand. Their roles are essential not only in direct patient interactions but also in critical non-patient-facing functions that support the overall healthcare system.

“Pharmacy and the pharmacists and technicians who work in the sector must be supported and funded to keep New Zealanders and our health system healthy.”

Mr Hammond says members want decision makers and funders to know pharmacy can contribute to broader system improvements and outcomes and have the skills and experience to meet patients and health system needs across all settings.

“Greater financial and professional support is required across all settings and relevant legislation needs to be updated to reflect modern practices,” he says.

The survey closed on 2 July 2024 with 431 responses across the membership.

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