Pharmacy owner says abuse is driving away staff

KentOnline / KMTV

The owner of a Kent pharmacy says abuse from customers has caused him to lose staff. Data shows an increase in attacks on pharmacists in the county, with 21 recorded last year. It's thought some patients are getting angry when they can't get hold of their restriction because of nationwide drug shortages. Amish Patel runs Hodgson Pharmacy in Longfield.

Transcript

00:00For me, especially as the owner, I've got my whole team to look after and it is very difficult because

00:05we are all doing our best. I think it's a misunderstanding. I understand from a patient's

00:10perspective they're scared, they're nervous, if there's a medicine that they can't get hold of

00:16and they've been told they've got to take it every day. I get it, the frustration, what do I do?

00:21But that can't be directed at the pharmacy and the team who are doing everything they can to

00:26support that patient. We are healthcare professionals. We're in this industry because

00:30we care for our patients. We're not making millions of pounds to be here. We're doing

00:35it from the goodness of our hearts at the same time. And what people don't seem to realise is

00:39we only get paid if we get that medication in for you. So it's in our best interest to get

00:45medications, to supply them to our patients, because that's the only way we get remunerated.

00:50So when people then are directing that anger towards us, it's just, it's saddening,

00:56it's frustrating for us as well. I've lost staff members because of it and it's not right. It just

01:02simply is not right. There's other ways around it, there's ways of dealing with it and violence

01:07and abuse is just not the way.

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