The appointment of a chief pharmaceutical officer should be considered as part of future national workforce planning, according to a report published recently by the Pharmacy Society of Ireland (PSI).

The report also recommends improving working conditions and IT systems, ensuring sufficient college places, addressing the need for clear strategic direction and exploring an enhanced role for pharmacy technicians.

According to the pharmacy regulator, the report highlights the need for measures to ensure sustainable supply of pharmacists in patient-facing settings to meet current and future needs.

An important consideration of the report were the findings of a PSI workforce survey measuring the sentiment of more than 1,200 pharmacists.

Conducted in November 2022, the survey found that while more than half of community and three-quarters of hospital pharmacists enjoyed their roles, stress was a common feature for both groups (93% and 75% respectively).