Following C+D’s webinar on how to overcome racism in the pharmacy last month, the panel members addressed extra questions from the audience in a podcast.
One listener wanted to know what Superdrug has done to support its pharmacy locums from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds from COVID-19. The multiple’s head of healthcare operations Shiraz Khan said: “We are protecting both our locums and our colleagues.”
Locums are the “unsung heroes” of pharmacy who “deliver great care and support to our teams”, he added. The multiple has distributed personal protective equipment to its branches for employees and locums including screens, visors and masks.
NHS England asked community pharmacy contractors to complete COVID-19 risk assessments for BAME minority employees – not locums – and other at-risk groups in June. Mr Khan acknowledged that the multiple has not conducted risk assessments of locums as it has done for its staff, but said a locum is “well within their rights to complete their own risk assessment”.
“If there are some specific circumstances or specific nuances that we need to cater for and take into account, we will happily do that,” he said.
The podcast also features extra responses to audience questions from:
- Ade Williams – superintendent pharmacist at Bedminster Pharmacy, Bristol
- Lola Dabiri – Scotland and Northern Ireland lead for the UK Black Pharmacists Association and superintendent pharmacist at Alpha Pharmacy and Clinic
- Alima Batchelor – head of policy at the Pharmacists’ Defence Association (PDA)
You can listen to the podcast below. Alternatively, subscribe to C+D's podcasts on iTunes or by searching “Chemist+Druggist podcast” on your preferred Android podcast app.
Please note, the sound quality of this podcast may be affected as it has been recorded remotely during the COVID-19 outbreak.
